From ‘I hate myself’ to
‘I am awesome’ in about an hour a week

In one sense it seems almost too simple, too easy, but the fact remains, having another person come alongside you, who believes in you and is prepared to commit to helping you achieve your goals, is life changing. Mentoring is making a significant difference in the lives of many students across this region. Students with a dedicated 1 to 1 mentor show significant improvement in their relationships with their peers, family and friends.

Students with a Mentor have shown a significant change and transformation in their emotional resilience and a better ability to adapt to stressful situations resulting in improved social and educational outcomes. A direct result of this for students means they then have higher levels of engagement with learning, recognise their own responsibilities and develop self-regulation.

- Improvement in School work

- Better classroom behaviour

- Helps to create purpose and direction

- More likely to attend school

- Established sense of belonging

- Better relationships

An example in action

An example of this in action. One young man was identified prior to starting at High School as being unable to function in a mainstream classroom.  His behaviour was erratic and highly disruptive in class.  The school placed him in an intensive class environment that had maximum of 5 students at any one point in time and addresses learning in a different format.

He completed a class activity to answer two statements that started with I love…. & I hate… this young man placed I hate “myself” as his answer!

He was matched with a mentor and four weeks later the school gave some incredible feedback. 

He had transitioned into a mainstream classroom and took the time to send an email back to the old teacher and wrote within the email the statement

“I’m awesome….” he also told them that as a class they had to predict their grades for that term. He told them he was going to get straight A’s and his new teacher agreed with him.  He had a photo taken with his Certificate of A’s.

This young man had this ability inside him all the time.  All he needed was positive people to come alongside and let him see it for himself.

What do Schools say?

"The Connections Mentoring Programme makes a difference to the lives of the young people with whom mentors engage. Mentors provide a supportive, caring, non-judgemental adult who genuinely cares for and take an interest in the young people with whom they are matched. This often leads to significant shifts in the young person’s belief about themselves and their worth. We often see shifts in behavioural issues that have been an unconscious plea for support or intervention by the young person. We see young people more confident in their social interactions as a result of our mentors’ inputs.

And we see mentors who connect deeply with the young person they are supporting; fulfilled in knowing they are making a difference to the life of a young person and in the longer term, our community."

 Mrs Shireen Thomas, former Brooks High School Principal

"The mentoring program has shown immense benefits to the students who have been involved in the program. The fact that they have a significant adult in their lives who regularly turns up to spend time with them and just ‘be there’ for them is so important. The students look forward to the sessions each week as it is a time where they have the absolute attention of the mentor who quickly becomes a central figure in their lives.

The changes in students has been the most positive endorsement possible for the program. Confidence has grown in the students and the respect they have for their mentors has also seen improvements in behaviours as they now have another adult in their lives who takes an interest in them and they know that adult will be checking on how their education is going. Self-esteem has also been a major area of development as the students have a mentor who cares enough about them to come into school once per week just to spend time with them and support them in whatever way necessary."

 Mr Paul Stevenson, Assistant Principal Exeter High School

"I overheard your student tell a teacher today how 'cool' you are and how 'wicked' it is to have a mentor!!"

Teacher, Exeter High School

‘In todays 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 with whom can relate to them.’

Assistant Principal, Northern Tasmanian High School

“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.”

Assistant Principal, Northern Tasmanian High School

What do the Mentors say?

“Gives me a fresh purpose in life”

“Making a positive difference. Making a friend”

“Her happy face when she has grasped and achieved the word she is trying to pronounce and spell”

“I have loved seeing her push through her barriers to complete tasks that she adamantly declared she could and would never do. Her smile when I told her how proud I was of her courage and persistance was absolutely priceless.”

"I need to share something funny with you. She had 2 friends with her this morning who wanted me to mentor them as well! I know Jamie joked it would happen one day.. But I couldn't imagine it happening anytime soon!! Made my day.. And I had a great session with my student today too."

What do the Students say?

“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.”

“Having a mentor to me is a big help and it means the world that I have had the opportunity to have someone who is there to listen and just give advice and a even bigger help that I am no longer keeping things to myself and am very grateful”

“I think mentors are good people who help u through your problems and stand by your side, and they are like your best friend u can tell them anything and they won’t go telling everyone.”

"I just wanted to say thanks, a huge thank you for being my mentor for three years...we have built a wonderful connection between each other...you have meant so much to me because your that type of person I can talk to about anything and that I know you'll always be here to help me through the tough patches. Its honestly going to suck so much next year not seeing weekly but I guess your no longer our mentor your our friend. You have taught me SO much things that probably no one ever could....to believe in myself.....I'm crying while I'm typing this because it's meant so much we have traveled this journey together....I'm never ever going to forget all the things we talked about... Thank you so much."

2 Day Mentor Training Workshops

Mentoring Training workshops are a fantastic resource for personal or professional development for parents, teachers, workplaces, youth workers, support staff, church teams or anyone really.  Areas included within the training are mentoring skills, communication skills, boundaries, goal setting, questioning techniques, strength mining & building, self care, mental health topics, bullying and more.

Completing training does not automatically commit you to become a mentor nor guarantee acceptance as a mentor. 

Training is conducted over two days. Total cost for training including lunch, morning and afternoon teas and training manual.

Professional Development/Skills update participants $349 per person (ie not going to be a mentor in our program, if you complete training under this and then decide to become a mentor with us we will refund you $100 at commencement with a student within our program)

Committed Mentors $249 (ie definitely want to be a mentor within Connections Mentoring)

Teen Challenge Tasmania is a faith-based organisation. Our mentor training does contain Christian content. We adhere to all requirements of the Education Department for programs delivered into state schools including the secular nature of that environment.

Next Training Dates are February 2022 complete the form below or contact Tanya on 0412 300 850 or tanya@teenchallengetasmania.org to secure your spot - limited places available.

Ok so what's involved?

If you have a heart for helping a young person journey to be aware of the amazing person they are inside and have about an hour a week available during school term (schools timetables vary from 60min to 90min blocks) then you're almost ready to go.

Mentors are supported in so many ways and we genuinely are a part of the school community.

Things you need to know:

Connections Mentoring is a division of Teen Challenge Tasmania which is a faith based organisation. We adhere to all requirements of the Education Department for programs delivered into state schools including the secular nature of that environment.Our mentor training is based on Christian principles.

You will be equipped to operate as a mentor within the school including mentoring skills, communication skills, boundaries, discussion techniques, self care, mandatory reporting and more in our 2 day training program. (completing training does not guarantee acceptance as a mentor)It is not a requirement to be a Christian to be a mentor or complete a Training Workshop

Cost for 2 Day Training is $349 (non-mentor) $249 (mentor) per person (should you have financial hardship and you are committed to being a mentor please do not let this stop you enquiring - just let us know)

Completing the training does not commit you to becoming a mentor. Many people complete the training whilst deciding if this is what they really want to do. Even if you do not elect to continue as a mentor after the training you will have gained incredibly valuable inter-personal, relational and communication skills in everyday life.

You will need to complete an application form. An Interview following training (this determines final suitability in working in this program) Supported in Mentor dinners every three months & share experiences Provided follow-up & feedback after sessions

Complete Online Childsafe Training and Assessment Have Working with Vulnerable People Card and National Police Clearance (no more than 3 months old)

Need to commit to a school year Flexible timetables to suit Mentors Become part of the School Community Many different activities available You will have an enormous amount of FUN

Please note: Teen Challenge Tasmania, whilst a faith-based organisation, respects the secular environment of state schools, all our schools based programs are secular unless requested to deliver a non-secular version within non-secular schools.

 

Where are the programs run?

Northern Tasmanian Primary and High Schools