As a psychology student, Mia was looking for ways to extend her training and gain further experience ‘in the field’. In the process of upskilling herself she has also positively influenced the lives of numerous young people.
Recently graduated psychology student Mia spoke with us about how her Raise mentoring experience complemented her studies and provided unexpected experiences and rewards.
"Many of the volunteering options open to psychology students were pretty full on, working with groups of extremely vulnerable people or people in distress. Or they required a big commitment without providing additional training. I was looking for something to complement what I was studying without an overwhelming commitment." Mia says.
Helping students become career ready
One of Mia’s friends had mentored and suggested Raise. Mia tells us “Raise is pretty unique for psychology students because it is one-to-one and face-to-face which replicates the clinical environment we’ll be working in. Essentially there is an initial attraction to the program because it feels like preparation for our future careers.”
Comprehensive training
The expert training then provided by Raise equipped Mia with additional skills and opened up a whole new world. “I’d been thinking and learning about counselling and psychology. Raise taught me the distinction between counselling and mentoring and I was surprised and delighted to learn completely new skills and have that mentoring experience” Mia enthuses.
Mia completed her mentor training online and felt well prepared for her volunteer role. “The training was really comprehensive and the role playing sessions were great - helpful and informative” says Mia.
Valuable real world learnings
Mia enjoyed her first year of mentoring so much she completed another two years of volunteering. During this time there are two things that really stood out to her as surprising about the Raise program.
She tells us “firstly, I never cease to be amazed that the young people who come to the program just love being there. They want to come, they enjoy it, and they really look forward to seeing their mentors. I was astonished by this in my first year but it has continued to happen every year. You don’t normally find this enthusiasm in teenagers for programs.
“Secondly, I grew up on the north shore of Sydney and went to a private school, so my experience was limited to that background. I’ve now mentored at different schools outside of my area, and been exposed to so many different teenage situations and issues. One school had a large migrant population. There I met teenagers who’ve come to Australia for a better education, may live with grandparents and be separated from their parents who still live overseas. Their families have often sacrificed a lot so these kids can get this education, and they value that. I’m not used to 14 year olds who value education so highly. Other teens at other schools have had an entirely different life, they may be struggling and skipping school. Different schools and different teens have different issues. These programs have broadened my world view so much and provided experiences I could not have had elsewhere.”
Why Raise works
Mia has derived some key learnings from her time as a mentor and tells us that during her first three years of mentoring she could see that the fundamental thing Raise provides is quite different to what other programs offer.
“Raise is powerful because of the emphasis on consistency – always showing up - just for that one teenager. This might be the only time someone has shown up for these teens with no other motive than to be there just for them, saying to them - I’m here for you, I’m not here to judge you, my goal is just to get to know you and prove to you that you’re a great kid. There are not many opportunities where teenagers have an adult present who is not judging them or telling them what to do. Teenagers are often seen as naughty because of what they’re going through. For a lot of these young people, this is the first time that someone has looked at them as a good kid. It’s so important that they’re told they’re good people.”
An enthusiastic recommendation
Mia is enthusiastic about why the experience of mentoring with Raise is so unique and meaningful. “It’s the most special feeling in the world to develop a relationship with someone you’ve never met before. To have a teenager who is trying to figure out who they are and where they fit in, trust you enough to be vulnerable is the biggest privilege ever. It is so rewarding to be the person they can rely on week after week, it’s the best feeling and it makes you want to keep coming back. You’re helping them understand who they are by seeing who they are. You’re making sure they have the confidence to believe they’re good and to ignore the negative things. The experience of the Raise program fundamentally changes them.”
Information for student mentors
