Why mentoring should be your NY resolution

Looking for something that benefits others, but also gives you great satisfaction? You’re reading the right article, friend.

We are so very proud of our Connections Mentoring program, which pairs one student to one mentor as a source of encouragement, support and goal setting.

But don’t take our word for it! Don is one of the program’s greatest advocates and has seen its introduction in multiple Northern Tasmanian schools since it began in 2015. He has worked with Teen Challenge to provide mentoring to students, usually in years 7-8.

“I’ve seen the benefits to the students,” he said.

“Sometimes it’s confidence, sometimes it’s academic, but often it’s harder to explain than that: it’s just having a constant person in their life who takes an interest in them.”

Mentors are paired with a student based on their interests, personality or needs. Once a week during school terms, mentors meet with the student for about an one hour at a time. Don said it was important that mentors were committed to turning up each week, so that students weren’t left disappointed.

“Students get attached to their mentors, they form a bond, especially those who are lacking an adult role model in their life.”

Don said both students and mentors found deep satisfaction through the program and encouraged anyone with a little spare time on their hands to get involved.

And with school soon out, we thought it would be a great New Year’s resolution for you!

Got Questions?

Let’s see if we can answer some of them.

Do I need experience to be a mentor?

The short answer is no. You don’t need experience. We supply you with training before you begin mentoring, preparing you for the different scenarios and conversations you might face. Most importantly, you need time to dedicate each week to spend with the young person allocated to you, at their school. But that’s only about one hour out of your week!

There is no age restriction. We have mentors aged in their twenties, all the way up to their 80s.

If you have any particular interests, we will sometimes be able to match you to a student with similar interests. It certainly helps if you are a good listener, are sympathetic and also willing to offer ideas and direction.

How does it actually help?

It’s such a basic concept, but by simply making yourself available and directing your full attention at your student for the timeslot, you are making a huge difference in a young person’s life. We’ve seen students build resilience and emotional intelligence, which in turn impacts their school work, attendance, relationships and sense of self worth. Don’t underestimate what approximately one hour of your time each week can accomplish in a young person’s life!

How will I know I’m making a difference?

Trust us, you’ll know. You’ll know it in the way your mentee looks forward to seeing you, the way they hang off your every word and are prepared to share with you. Schools will also often give feedback to you. Nothing formal, but anecdotes for you to treasure, like the way they are engaging better in class time, or their friendships have been restored, or they have more confidence.

What’s the best thing about mentoring?

You will have special insight into the life and culture of young people today. Not only that, you will have the opportunity to positively impact lives. That’s an incredibly exciting proposition. What if we framed it like this: Hi there, how would you like to change someone’s life for the better? We think it’s a no-brainer too!

What’s the hardest thing about mentoring?

Sometimes the stories students share are hard to hear, if they’re not travelling too well or if things are hard at home. We encourage our mentors not to despair but take it as an opportunity to sow positivity into their lives. We’re always here to help you if you encounter any difficult situation or conversations, of course.

What if the young person I’m paired with doesn’t like me?

We work closely with the schools to match students with their mentor. A lot of work goes into that. You’ll begin with an introduction session and you tend to get a good indication of the matching from day one. If things don’t click, that’s ok, that’s life. Sometimes it's just not the right time for the young person. Although this is uncommon, if it does happen we will help you match to another young person.

What kind of things will we talk about?

Think back to what it was like to be a teenager. Those are the conversations you will likely have with your mentee: relationship issues, self esteem, body image, family dynamics and school. You will often work on an activity together such as cooking or school work, but what’s most important are the conversations you share while together.