This article reports on an Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis study that provides a description of the experiences of a sample of college students who were mentored by police officers. It includes an account of personal motivation for the topic and the features of the investigation, specifically with regard to academically underachieving youth. Throughout the study, there was a heavy concentration on any ‘high risk’ circumstances present and their possible influence. The article provides a brief description of findings to illustrate the holistic effect of the mentoring journey and concludes with the limitations of the study and the implications for practice and further research.