MENTORING

Plan-It Youth Mentoring is an initiative of the Central Coast. It started in 1998, and the programme is currently being carried out in 11 High Schools in the Central Coast.

Since it started the scheme has trained over 450 mentors from within the local community, and over 650 students have participated in the programme.

WHAT IS PLAN-IT YOUTH MENTORING?

Specially trained adults from within the local community work in a one-on-one relationship with High School students who are at risk of leaving school early and who often have little idea what they want to do once they leave school.

Generally, students are in Year 10. Both the mentors and the students are volunteers.

The role of the mentor is to listen and to help the student to realise his/her potential. The mentor helps them to know what to expect at interviews, in preparing resumes, and what to expect when they enter the workforce. The mentor may introduce students to companies in their preferred future trade/profession, so that the student can assess whether this is what is really wanted.

WHAT COMMITMENT DOES A MENTOR MAKE?

Firstly, mentors are volunteers and all must attend a free training course organised by TAFE Outreach at either Gosford or Wyong TAFE. The course is run on a one day a week basis over an 8 week period, and each session lasts 4 hours. About 20 potential mentors attend each course, which is run by a teacher specially trained in adult education. The course is fun, as well as educational.

Once trained, a mentor will be paired with a student at a High School of their choice. Mentoring periods with a particular student will normally be one hour a week over a school term. The day of the week is normally the same throughout the course. There are generally about 10 mentors at any one school, and after the one-on-one session with their students, the mentors will meet together to exchange information that will help them to help their students. These sessions last approximately an hour.

Mentors may take their students on excursions to meet external companies, but there are regulations and rules governing these out of school activities.

WHO AND WHAT ARE MENTORS?

Mentors are adults between the ages of late 20’s and mid 80’s. Most are retired, but not all are. Their experience in life is of immense benefit to the students. They do not have to have been teachers, as a mentor is a helper, not a teacher. The main attribute that a mentor has is the willingness to help young people in our community. All discussions between the student and the mentor are confidential – not even the student’s family can be privy to the discussions unless the student specifically requests this. 5 current residents of Alloura Waters have been or are mentors in this programme.

WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION? 

·         Contact the Plan-It Youth Co-ordinator, Debbie Coleman on (02) 4322 3022, or email Debbie on Deborah.Coleman@det.nsw.edu.au    Plan-It’s mail address is P.O. Box 1379 Gosford 2250.

·         Ring Ian Hooper, Unit 218 Alloura Waters, 4363 2935