For 10 years Raise has been running their youth mentoring programs in schools in Queensland, all the time powered by expertly trained, generous volunteer mentors.
Raise was founded with the vision to support young people in the often challenging early teen years as they transition from childhood and primary school to adolescence and high school.
Having a trusted, independent mentor to support young people during these years helps them survive and thrive in adolescence and beyond.
For 10 years Raise has been running their youth mentoring programs in schools in Queensland, all the time powered by expertly trained, generous volunteer mentors.
These people, from all walks and stages of life, help young people develop the skills they need to face life’s challenges with confidence and resilience, creating hope for the future.
These mentees and mentors are listening and learning from each other, building strong communities and a brighter future for everyone.
Raise mentors see the positive impact youth mentoring has and tell us the benefits are mutual.
Tripty has been a Raise mentor for 5 years and tells us
“I am passionate about empowering youth. That passion motivates me to keep returning to mentor for Raise.
“Involving community members to mentor young people creates a feeling of belonging, and inclusion. Mentors come together for a common cause, creating a feeling of purpose and meaning. These factors combine together to enable thriving communities.
“My advice to people considering mentoring is - You won't regret it!"
Elizabeth has been a raise mentor for 5 years and recommends it to others
“I decided to mentor based on a desire to give back to the wider community and contribute in a small way to support youth wellbeing with an organisation focusing on early intervention. Raise is doing an excellent job of supporting young people through its evidence-based programs. I value its professionalism and sustainability. Raise does a fantastic job supporting and valuing its volunteers.
“It seems loneliness, homelessness and youth mental health are more pressing issues each year for young people. Raise is creating thriving communities, with partner schools through diligent collaboration and support of school staff, mentees, and mentors. The professional delivery of the Raise Program also delivers broad-ranging educational outcomes for stakeholders.
“Regularly, each week, there are small magic mentoring moments sprinkled throughout the hour. I always enjoy pointing out, and backing with evidence, my mentee's strengths that they don't know they have. Their look of surprise and pleasure can be priceless. My advice to people considering mentoring is - Go for it! It’s a great decision all round. You will make a positive contribution, often just by being present."
Sam has supported young people through Raise mentoring for 5 years
“Having migrated to this awesome country over 10 years ago, I wanted to give something back. With my passion for guiding and helping our next generation of youth, Raise was the best way to do this. I was quite apprehensive at first as I wasn't sure how, or if, I could be a good mentor and add value. However, I was pleasantly surprised with my first experience and saw the immense growth in my mentee and the positive impact. We both had tears at the graduation ceremony. The enriching experience motivated me to continue as a mentor for Raise.
“Young people today face many challenges, especially through wide exposure to social media. They are forced to try and fit in to unreasonable expectations, and the pressure that would bring on a young mind would be immense. More often than not they resort to unhealthy habits both physical and mental. Programs like Raise help young people to get through these challenges with confidence, equipped with better skills to overcome them.
“Raise helps young people be confident, understand their worth and identify their true potential. It equips them with skills to set goals for their future, have hope and live with a positive mindset. This in turn will create a community of positive and confident youth, enriching the lives of everyone.
“One of my mentees found it difficult to communicate with and have trust in adults to ask for help. We discussed this during the mentor sessions. At the end of the program, they wrote me a note about their experience, highlighting that they would work towards improving their communication with adults and how to ask for help when they need it. This was a magical moment for me. Until then I didn't even realise that we were making any progress in some of the topics we covered. It emphasised that the Raise program is making very positive impacts on the mentees.
"It is a very fulfilling experience and I would say to anyone considering mentoring - You would be making a lifelong positive impact on a young person. Your contribution will make them resilient and able to navigate life with more confidence. It will make a huge difference in their lives. Our community will be better for it."
David tells us why he has given back through mentoring for 8 years
“I had a career as a teacher and principal, and wanted to use these skills after retiring, volunteering in something I am passionate about. I continued mentoring because I love to give back - working with young people, learning from young people and the other volunteers.
“Young people are increasingly facing challenges; mixed families, broken families, more stress, technology, global and climate changes, stress after leaving school, but I also see they have incredible resilience. Raise changes lives one conversation, one mentee at a time.
“Some of the best moments have been when mentees are excited to tell me about their week, previous mentees saying hello when they see me at the school, and a mentee telling me that the letter I wrote him for his graduation is special to him and he still reads it. My advice to people thinking of mentoring is - Just do it, you will grow and be rewarded. The common thing that binds us is we all want to help young people, we are building our own community."
