What difference can one mentor make? For 15 young people, the answer is simple: everything.
When 75 year old Terry signed up as a Raise youth mentor in 2019, he wasn’t looking to create a legacy. He simply wanted to give back. What followed was five years of consistent, compassionate mentoring that changed the lives of vulnerable teenagers and left a lasting impact on his own family.
Terry’s story is a powerful reminder of why mentoring matters and how supporting a mentor can change the future for a young person doing it tough.
Showing up for young people when it matters most
Through Raise’s evidence-based youth mentoring program, Terry supported 15 teenagers aged 13–16.
Week after week, he showed up.
He listened without judgement.
He encouraged without pressure.
He believed in young people who were struggling to believe in themselves.
Terry wasn’t a psychologist or a teacher. He was a trained volunteer mentor who offered something many young people desperately need. A consistent, trusted connection. And that connection matters.
Research shows that young people who have at least one trusted adult in their life experience better mental health, stronger resilience and improved confidence. At Raise, we see this every day. When a young person feels heard, seen and valued, their world begins to shift. Terry helped create that shift.
A legacy of listening
Over five years, Terry mentored 15 young people navigating some of the most challenging years of adolescence. Each one carried forward something of his kindness through the skills they gained:
Greater confidence
Stronger self-belief
A sense that they mattered
That is the ripple effect of mentoring.
When Terry passed away in April 2024 at the age of 80, his daughter saw clearly how much Raise meant to him and how much mentoring had shaped his later years with purpose and connection. In lieu of flowers, Terry asked for donations to Raise. Because he knew mentoring changes lives.
Continuing the legacy: Sponsor a Mentor
Terry’s daughter Karen wanted to honour her father in a way that felt meaningful and lasting. In April 2024, she became a Raise Regular Giver, committing to donate monthly to support the training and provision of mentors like her Dad. Her monthly gift now helps ensure another young person has access to a safe, trusted adult. When you Sponsor a Mentor, you are funding:
Professional mentor training
Ongoing safeguarding
Structured, evidence-based mentoring sessions
Support for young people aged 13–16 during critical years
You are not just making a donation. You are making mentoring possible.
Why regular giving matters
Every year, thousands of teenagers around Australia experience loneliness, anxiety, low self-worth and disconnection.
We know early intervention works. We know mentoring works. But it only happens with sustainable funding. Regular monthly donations allow Raise to:
Plan ahead and reach more schools
Train more volunteer mentors
Support more vulnerable young people
Provide long-term, consistent support where it’s needed most
One monthly gift can help ensure a young person is not left to navigate adolescence alone.
One person can change everything
Terry’s legacy lives on:
In his daughter’s generosity
In the 15 young people he mentored
In every future mentee supported through regular giving
Terry proved something simple but powerful: One person showing up consistently can change the trajectory of a young life.
If Terry’s story resonates with you, please consider becoming a Regular Giver today.
Sponsor a Mentor and help a young person feel seen, heard and supported.
Because every young person deserves someone in their corner.
