5 Key Benefits of Mentoring according to Australian Business Leaders

A mentor can have a profound impact on the life of a young person in many different ways. They provide support, guidance, inspiration and help them discover their potential to achieve their goals. Research shows that having a mentor can re-engage a young person with school, relationships and the community, increasing their chances of finishing high school and improving their overall wellbeing.

Recently, we invited some of Australia’s most successful CEOs and business leaders to share insight into their experience with the mentors in their lives in our Letters To My Mentor campaign.

Macquarie Group CEO Shemara Wikramanayake; prominent business leader David Gonski AC; Coca Cola Amatil Ltd Chairman; Ilana Atlas AO; Lionize CEO, Mikey Taylor and our own Founder & CEO Vicki Condon AC all penned powerful and insightful letters to the mentors in their lives. Each beautifully-written letter reflects the important benefits of Raise’s mentoring program for young people across Australia. Here are five key outcomes of youth mentoring:

Benefit #1 –  Mentors help identify and achieve goals

Macquarie Group CEO Shemara Wikramanayake believes that mentors come in many different forms and they each have the power to help develop goal-setting skills that will hugely benefit a young person as they navigate the complexities of adolescence.

“We all have things to learn from each other,” Shemara shares. “And some of the richest decision making can be informed by unexpected perspectives and advice that challenges your preconceived views.”

A mentor can use their own experience to offer advice and viewpoints that a young person may have not previously considered, helping them achieve long and short-term goals. Often, it’s achieving the smaller, short term goals such as improving school attendance or striking up a conversation with a new friend, that have the most powerful impact on a young person.

Click here to watch Shemara’s full letter.

Benefit #2 – Mentors help navigate the best path forward 

For our Patron David Gonski AC,  it was the guidance of his mentor, the late Hon Justice Kim Santow AO, who helped him overcome various personal and professional challenges and determine the right path for him.

“When I sought advice you counselled me subjectively, immediately and wisely,” David wrote. “When you could help make my decision easier you did so using brilliance, knowledge and context, as if I was the only person who needed your attention at that time.” 

Raise’s early intervention mentoring program is aimed at young people who are at risk of disengaging. Youth mentors work upstream with young people, providing them with the skills, confidence and resources they need to navigate a successful path through adolescence.

Click here watch David’s full letter.

Benefit #3 – Mentors support help-seeking skills

Raise Founder & CEO Vicki Condon AM passionately believes having a mentor can help a young person push through the challenging times in their lives, ensuring they survive adolescence and thrive in adulthood. Vicki’s letter to her former teacher is a true testament to the life-changing impact a mentor can have.

“You believed in me more than I believed in myself and you helped me to shine a different light to my future,” Vicki explains. “I wish every young person in Australia could experience the difference it makes to have a mentor like you.”

Only 36% of young people seek the help they need (LSAC, 2017). A positive neutral mentor is able to make a young person feel confident and able to ask for help beyond the Raise program.

Click here to watch Vicki’s full letter read.

Benefit #5 – Mentors empower and encourage

Chairman of Coca Cola Amatil, Ilana Atlas AO has been fortunate to have many mentors in her life who have guided her. She thanks her most influential mentor for being her biggest cheerleader, guide and, if things didn’t go as planned, the person who would help her get back on her feet and keep going.

 “You always listened and guided me to work it out for myself,” Ilana writes. “You watched me make some big mistakes, and you were always there to pick me up, dust me off, work out what went wrong and send me back into the world.”

The ability to listen and really understand what a young person is going through is one of the most important skills a mentor can possess. Our industry-leading training places a key focus on active listening and how it can transform and enhance a mentor/mentee relationship.

Click here to watch Ilana’s full letter read.

Benefit #5 – Mentors inspire resilience

Lionize CEO Mikey Taylor thanks his mentor for playing a pivotal role in shaping the person he is and path he’s chosen in life. From a young age he learned determination, resilience and persistence.

“I watched and by example you taught me resilience. You taught me the value of a calm demeanour.” Mikey shares.  “I saw you keep your head while all about you were losing theirs. I saw you conquer business and personal adversities with humility, with fortitude and the will to always carry on.”

We all suffer setbacks in life and having the ability to bounce back and keep trying after failure is key for a young person. Raise mentors help their mentees realise their potential and overcome the obstacles it may take to reach their goals.

Click here to watch Mikey’s full letter read.

The Raise mentoring program

From vulnerable and disengaged to resilient, capable and connected – our mentor program helps young people thrive. It’s a unique one-to-one mentoring experience that increases your sense of purpose and provides an opportunity to make a difference and real connection with the community.

Everyone who applies to become a youth mentor will receive free industry-leading training that will arm you with the skills you need to help a young person feel heard, valued and supported, such as active listening, goal setting and communication skills. You’ll be able to apply these learnings to your personal and professional life, providing the amazing opportunity of growth and self-development while giving back to your community at the same time.

Are you ready to join our mentoring movement? Be the difference a mentor makes.