URGENT: We need more mentors!

We contacted one of our schools recently to let them know that we had two mentors available. They spoke to the appropriate year group, expecting a few to put their hand up for the opportunity. Twenty-two young people put their names forward! 

We hate to say no to young people asking for mentoring help, hence this urgent call-out for mentors to join up. The commitment is minimal, not much more than an hour a week, and we have training coming up on July 10 and 17. Please consider how your small time commitment could make a momentous difference in the life of a young person in your community.

Why does it matter?

We thought we’d let the schools do the talking, to convince you that spending an hour a week with a young person really does make a huge difference.

“In today’s world it is really important that we all learn of the ‘power of talk’. Teen Challenge provides an avenue for young people to build quality relationships with mentors to talk about issues they face with being teenagers and discuss ways to overcome some of their adversities. Most importantly though, teenagers really value having quality relationships and conversations with older people… who can relate to them.”

– Stephen Blizzard (Deloraine High School assistant principal)

“We have seen some great successes for our students involved in the mentoring program including improvement in social skills and communication; the development of meaningful, respectful relationships and real connections with a significant and consistent adult; the development and strengthening of resilience; improved behaviour; greater successes in learning; improvement in attendance; better conflict resolution skills; improved self esteem and confidence; an improved sense of safety and belonging; more clarity about their pathways and goals and a stronger sense of being seen, heard, valued and cared for.”

– Kate Blaubaum (Kings Meadows High School)

Mentors

What students tell us about having a mentor

It has been really good to get stuff off my chest that I don’t usually talk about. It has made me happier.  

Since being in the program I have calmed down a lot. I always used to be in trouble but my mentor has taught me how to stop and think before I do something. I get around my day better and wake up feeling really good to come to school.  

I think that the mentoring program has given me certain new insights and information that I don’t think I would have gotten otherwise. It’s fun to learn new things and have discussions about certain topics. There have been a lot of little general things that I have been taught by my mentor that have helped me.   

Not only is it nice to see my mentor every week, I learn a lot of things from him, new insights and ways of thinking I don’t think I would have got otherwise. As he is from a different culture than mine, it’s nice to learn different things about where he came from and his history.  

I would recommend the program simply because if you find the right mentor they can help you through some things, and with your schooling, it’s a pretty big help. It’s fun to learn new things and good to once a week be able to see that mentor, see how they’re doing and have them check up on you.  

The most important part of the program for me was getting to know my mentor as well as her getting to know me. I want to know how she is doing as well as be able to talk about how I am going. I would recommend the program because it is really helpful and the mentors are really sweet!  

Through this program, I have learnt to talk to someone I didn’t know and now we have a strong bond. I have learnt not to judge a book by its cover. I have had good outcomes and I believe other students would benefit from being mentored.  

Contact us today

If you would like to be involved, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’d love to hear from you. Simply email info@teenchallengetasmania.org or call Tanya on 0412 300 850. You also can find out more via this page on the website.