Mentoring

Mentoring

Mentoring is a one-on-one relationship, where a more experienced person helps a less experienced person achieve their goals.

“Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen to, and a push in the right direction”
- John Crosby, American politician.

Rush Mentoring brings the local community together to support young people.

Community members offer their time to support young people in a variety of settings. This could be the local school, in a skate park, cafe or at a sports field.

This support may take various forms, such as help with homework, going to events, hanging out at a Youth Centre, or just being there to talk to.

Rush Mentoring provides support for young people aged 8-19 years of age.

Rush Mentoring programs:

Volunteer mentoring: local community volunteers encourage and guide children and young people who may benefit from a mentoring relationship.
Paid mentoring: trained and experienced adult mentors provide positive relationships and life changing opportunities, while supporting the progress of a child or young person towards constructive life goals, within an activity based and positive life-style framework. Available in SA only.
Rural mentoring: rural community volunteers encourage and guide rural children and young people, who may benefit from a mentoring relationship.
Aboriginal mentoring: Aboriginal community volunteers and paid Mentors provide culturally relevant, positive relationships and life changing opportunities. While supporting the progress of Aboriginal children and young people towards constructive life goals.
New arrival and refugee mentoring: mobilising culturally sensitive volunteer mentors, to support Sudanese and African young people across Australia.

Schools, Community and Youth Centres

In 2 Life’s mentoring program is inspiring and guiding young people, providing significant support to schools, teachers and families and contributing to the creation of stronger communities.

In 2 Life’s school based mentoring programs recruit and train members of the community, to develop supportive one-to-one relationships with young people both in the school setting and out of school.

The Mentor supports the young person with social, emotional and academic support so that they can achieve their full potential.

In 2 Life is approved to provide in-school and out-of-school mentoring in various States across Australia.

What does it mean to mentor?

Mentors are recruited from the local community and volunteer some time each week, to build a positive relationship with a referred young person.

Mentors need to:

Like young people
Care about the future of young people
Be good listeners
Mentors must be able to commit to regular weekly contact with the young person
Satisfy a police check
Have the ability to maintain working relationships
Demonstrate understanding and tolerance of differences
Have the ability to problem solve
Have the ability to identify and respond to the needs of other people
Have a willingness to help others
Have a willingness to take responsibility
Have a willingness to seek out and learn new skills and knowledge
Have the ability to set goals and priorities.
Demonstrate understanding of own strengths and weaknesses
Demonstrate motivation for the task at hand

Mentors must commit to following our Code of Ethics:

Respect for human dignity and the value of every person, are at the heart of every action Mentors take and every decision Mentors make.
Mentors recognise, that respect for privacy and confidentiality are important safeguards against the inappropriate use of information.
Mentors provide services that are respectful of the culture of people seeking those services. They therefore strive to create an environment that is free of discrimination, harassment and/ or victimisation in any form.
Mentors demonstrate their commitment to serve the community by undertaking the In 2 Life Mentor Training and any other training appropriate to their role.
Mentors will act both within the letter of law and the spirit of the law.
Mentors respect the observance of reasonable direction by a person with authority to give such direction, policies and procedures and other instruments which define what is expected or required of volunteers.
Mentors will be diligent in the discharge of their role and duties and not act in a way that is negligent.
Mentors perform their duties and arrange their private affairs in such a manner, as to ensure that public confidence and trust in the integrity and impartiality of the program is strong.

Parents / Guardians

Research confirms that, the presence of caring adults in the life of a child is important, in assisting them to overcome adversity and achieve at school. Mentoring seeks to provide such a presence, by establishing a trusting relationship between a young person and mentor that:

Focuses on the needs of the young person
Models and fosters caring and supportive relationships to increase
Self confidence, awareness and encourage positive social skills

Parents and guardians must give their consent, and if possible, their ongoing support before young people can be included in the mentoring program. The young person must also agree to be involved. Parents have the right to withdraw their children from mentoring arrangements should they so wish. Similarly, the young person has the right to withdraw should they wish.

Mentoring is not a ‘fix all’ and will have more positive outcomes for some young people than others. Should you wish to discuss your child’s needs with us, please call or email:

Phone: 08 8355 3021

Email:mail@in2life.org.au