Students graduate from mentor program

Year 9 students from Brisbane Waters Secondary College Umina Campus and volunteer mentors from the local community celebrated the successful culmination of their mentoring relationship at a graduation ceremony at the end of Term 3.

Mentors and students met for an hour every week during Terms 2 and 3.

The mentor's role was to offer a non-judgmental listening ear for the student, to be a positive neutral role model and to provide a nurturing and guiding pathway.

The program at the College was facilitated by Ms Pippa Sangster from the Raise Foundation, which offered its In-School Mentoring Opportunity Program to the students.

"It has been a privilege to work with the school, students and volunteer mentors this year," Ms Sangster said.

"The program is such a positive one for all who are involved," she said.

"It has been wonderful to see trust grow between mentees and mentors and to see positive changes in the mentee's lives and in how they feel about themselves," she said.

During the graduation each person had the opportunity to reflect on their experience.

One student said he was not usually much of a talker, but he was keen to speak up at the graduation.

He talked about the different activities and conversations he had had with his mentor that had helped him overcome challenges and to work through positive and negative situations that were occurring in his life.

The "incredible experience" of working with his student helped one mentor discover the importance of listening.

The mentor said that spending time with the student had taught him to "listen not to respond but to learn", a realisation that only came to him as a result of taking part in this life changing program.

Ms Sangster said that Raise knew from experience that the power of having someone to talk to, who really listens and actually hears you, can positively impact the wellbeing of young people who are at risk of disengaging.

"If you would like the opportunity to make a difference in the life of a young person in your community, please become a Raise Mentor for 2017," Ms Sangster said.

For more information and to register as a mentor visit raise.org.au

Raise provides TAFE accredited mentor training to local volunteers who are then matched with a student.

Submission, 10 Nov 2016

Moana Tevi-Fuimaono, Brisbane Water Secondary College