A successful peer-mentoring program is helping guide at-risk youth into top blokes.

The Junior Top Blokes program is a 16-week mentoring program for boys aged 14-17 and currently run at five Toowoomba high schools.

Program coordinator Col Ryan and a youth worker deliver the weekly sessions to a group of 12 students which tackle the anti-social and risk-taking behaviours of at-risk teenagers.

“At the start of the semester, the boys are definitely stand-offish but the value of blokes talking to blokes really builds rapport and trust quickly,” Mr Ryan said.

"We create a safe space for them for them to engage in the discussion,” he said.

“The sessions are flexible too – they are guided by the boys, their experiences and their challenges.”

Mr Ryan said they covered issues such as mental health, drug and alcohol use, anger management, peer pressure, risk-taking, suicide, the realities of pornography, respectful relationships, consent, social media, and humanising teachers.

“We are there to provide them with the facts and information they need so they can make better decisions,” he said.

“We are not there to lecture them. We challenge their thinking and give them a new, healthy perspective.”

Member for Toowoomba South David Janetzki MP hoped the Top Blokes program would be adopted by all Toowoomba schools.

“The Top Blokes program specifically addresses the needs of young men in our community who are at the prime risk-taking stage of their lives,” Mr Janetzki said.

“Never before has there been more need for positive male role models to connect with our teenagers who are at risk of disengaging,” he said.

“We have seen the huge spike of youth crime in Toowoomba. Top Blokes recognises that young people want to feel like they belong – and often youth crime gives them a sense of belonging when they don’t have that anywhere else in their lives.

“Top Blokes will greatly benefit our community and is an excellent example of early intervention that our city desperately needs.”

The Top Blokes charity has been operating in New South Wales for 15 years and began in Queensland last year.

Program coordinators targeted Toowoomba schools in large part due to the region’s disproportionately high suicide rates.

During the five-month program, boys nominate a support person who is sent information about the week’s topics and suggested questions to create open conversation at home.