Have you been thinking about becoming a Raise youth mentor but aren't entirely sure what's involved? Well, you're not the only one! To help you decide whether this is the right opportunity for you or someone you know, we've put...
Have you been thinking about becoming a Raise youth mentor but aren’t entirely sure what’s involved? Well, you’re not the only one! To help you decide whether this is the right opportunity for you or someone you know, we’ve put together a list of the six most common questions we get asked about our best practice youth mentoring program.
Q1. What happens during the 2 hours at the school?
Each week you will meet at the school along with the other mentors and the Raise Program Counsellor. Our aim is to fill each program with 15 mentors so we can invite 15 young people to attend.
The first session of the program begins with a session called Mentor Orientation – this is where you meet the other mentors in the program and the Program Counsellor.
The second session is called Jitters where you meet the young people for the first time, take part in fun activities and participate in ‘get to know you’ games. This helps the mentees and Program Counsellor match everyone with a mentor.
From then on, the first hour of mentoring will be your one-to-one session with your mentee followed by morning tea as a group. These sessions are mentee-led and there is no particular structure or format that needs to be followed. Every match is provided with a mentee handbook which can act as a guide through the session, or your mentee may want to simply talk about what’s happening in his or her life – it’s completely up to them!
Once the young people head off, you stay with the other mentors for a mentor support session with your Program Counsellor. These sessions are important in allowing you to debrief after your one-on-one session and to ensure you prioritise your own wellbeing.
Q2. What do the young people need help with?
You will be provided with a mentee handbook that will help guide you through a variety of different topics to help support the wellbeing of the young person you’re matched with. The young people in our programs are faced with a range of different challenges, including anxiety, depression, bullying and family illness. Our program is designed to empower you to help them by listening and supporting them to navigate the challenges they face.
Our programs are mentee-led, which means that you’ll be there to assist your mentee in whatever area they are looking for help and support. Our online training and group mentor training will enable you to learn more about this and become equipped to discuss most issues. Remember, your Program Counsellor is always around during your one-on-one session with your mentee, so if you do come across any sticky topics, they are there to support you both.
Q3. What training is offered and is it free?
Our best-practice youth mentor training is offered to volunteers free of charge. Training consists of 6 online modules and two virtual group training sessions (2.5 hours per session).
Our online modules can be completed at a time that suits you and take approximately 30 minutes each to complete. Through activities, discussions and role play, group training puts into practice some of what you learned in the online modules and helps prepare you for mentoring.
Upon completion of training, you will receive our Raise Youth Mentor Training Certificate of Completion and will be ready to begin your mentoring journey.
Q4. When will I need to be free for mentoring?
Mentoring programs run from April to November during school terms 2, 3 and the first three weeks of term 4.
Volunteer mentors are required for 2 hours each week during this time to attend mentoring at their selected school program location.
The day and time each program will run is determined by each school and stays the same for the duration of the program (for example: Epping Boys High runs every Tuesday from 10am-12pm). To view our available programs, visit: https://raise.org.au/2021-program-locations/
Q5. What if something comes up or I want to plan a trip away?
Life happens and things change, that’s to be expected. Whether you’re planning a trip away or have a prior commitment you’re unable to reschedule, you can still mentor providing you miss no more than 2 sessions.
We don’t run the programs during school holidays, which is when our mentee and mentors have the opportunity to enjoy a break.
Q6. What skills do I need to mentor?
You don’t need to be anything other than a great listener with an empathetic nature. We provide youth mentor training to ensure you feel skilled and ready to mentor.
Be the difference a mentor makes
Becoming a youth mentor is a unique opportunity to feel good, give back and support a young person in your community who is at risk of disengagement or poor wellbeing. Set yourself up for a purposeful 2021 and make a positive impact on a young person in your local community.
Still have a few more questions? Drop an email to mentor@raise.org.au and we’ll make sure we get you all the information you need.