BSW Mentoring Network Meeting; 21st July 2009

BSW Networking meeting: 21st July 2009

Updates from:
Cindy Jenkinson, Coramgamite Youth Worker. Details of the BRICKS program and the excellent feedback from program participants. Mentor and Parent training and how that was going. Information evenings for young people. Each young person devises a Strategic Plan.
Adeline McDonald, Kalay Wartee. Kalay Wartee members did a presentation to DHS and Dept of Justice at a recent Forum in W’bool with @250 people attending. This was a high profile event to launch the release of next years’ funding round with several heads of department present; a great opportunity for Kalay Wartee to show-case their work, including the involvement of their students on the day.
Leeona Van Duynhoven, SFYS (School focused youth service). Update on SFYS and involvement with schools. Youth Link ’55; an excellent network of youth and school related agencies working on Cyber bullying and planned school-based family violence training.
The mentors and Mentees then arrived, so we broke for lunch.
Adeline introduced the mentors and mentees and they were individually invited to give an insight into their experience of mentoring; both mentors said that this relationship was a totally new experience for them and a positive one, with huge learning and one that brought a great deal of satisfaction to see the young person grow and develop as an individual. Although within the family, parents and elders play a vital role in this program, the need for the mentor’s role in maintaining sensitivity and not-crossing boundaries with parents and families was also recognized.
The students also spoke about their experiences: taking part in activities that they had never done before and may never have had the opportunity given their circumstances and ‘being the first person in their family ever to get on to Year 12!’
The mentors acknowledged the huge amount of support given to them by Adeline and Damien in the Kalay Wartee program. A vital role, the mentors felt that they could call upon at anytime.
We also discussed the methods which can be used to capture the outputs and ways to evaluate a mentoring program like this, where the outcomes aren’t always measurable.
This was a very valuable experience and insight into how an indigenous mentoring program has been able to achieve some excellent outcomes.
THANKS to everyone who attended and in particular the mentors and mentees invaluable input.