Mentoring

 

Why mentoring?

Everyone’s path is their own. Everyone’s transition to a new future will look different. There’s no “one size fits all” solution. One way of tailoring support is through mentoring.

We partner the women from the refuge with carefully vetted mentors to work with them on an one-on-one basis. The mentoring program is about matching skills and knowledge to specific needs. 
Examples of needs that suit mentoring:

  • Goal settings
  • Making plans
  • Seeking employment (preparing CV, job interview skills etc.)
  • Monitoring progress and staying motivated
  • Personal development. 

The optional “mentoring conversation” will be available at the make-over sessions. One or more lead mentors will be available in a quiet corner.

Any of the women can take the opportunity to explore if mentoring has something to offer them in a one-on-one conversation.

If yes, the specific need or needs would be identifies and a process/timing agreed tpo meet with a possible mentor/s.

Mentoring is a privileged opportunity to share someone’s journey and support them to succeed, as they:

  • Identify vision and goals
  • Make a plan
  • Secure Assistance
  • Track progress
  • Encounter barriers
  • Solve problems
  • Celebrate success
  • Review and adapt plan

 

Women to Women Mentoring

The Path of Hope mentoring program provides mentoring and assistance to women who are vulnerable or currently experiencing domestic violence.

The program is about empowering women to have confidence to take control of their lives, trust their decisions and learn or re-learn important day-to day life skills. Its aim is to enable women to re-enter their communities as strong, independent, confident and productive women.

 

Kid to Kid Mentoring

"I’m bored 

This is the fifth school I have been to in the last 3 years and they are still trying to get me to learn all this boring Maths. Seriously, will this do me any good? Do I really need to know this stuff? What is the point? I mean if I listen really carefully I understand what is going on, but in the end will it really make a difference? 

Mum has been going through some hard times and I really think that supporting her is the best thing I should be doing now. She tells me that school work is important, but really? I have had so many teachers and they all mean well, but what do they know? 

Well a different thing happened to me the other day. We are in this place that is looking after us. We really feel safe, which is something we have not felt in a long time. No yelling and people that really care about us. 

A couple of times a week we get to go to this place called the ‘Hangout’ and kids just a bit older than us come and spend some time with us. On one afternoon, it is girls who come and another afternoon boys. They are definitely NOT teachers. In fact they seem to want to get out and play just as much as we want to. But they keep insisting that we do a bit of homework before we can chill a little. I had a really hard assignment from my school and I sort of understood what it was about but there was no way I was going to ask a teacher. But maybe this guy could help me? I was amazed when he said ‘hey this is a REALLY hard topic, I can remember doing this. It is so unfair for teachers to be asking you to do this, but it’s not impossible and here is what I did’ That was like a breath of fresh air. So I was not the only person in the world not understanding something. And after a bit of hard work the assignment started to make sense. In fact, I can hardly wait to see the teachers face when they see I have solved the problems. All I need is a bit of self-confidence and I reckon I can just about do anything."

 

Police Cadets Mentoring

"I am excited that Police Cadets are choosing to come on board with this program to encourage, support and provide their time to our resident children who are survivors of Family Domestic Violence. I think this program will benefit our children by providing positive role models of strong men and women in the Police force. This will give our children a different perspective of Police men and women, showing these children that Police people care and value them and are here to help. 

For the Police Cadets I think this experience of coming alongside families at Graceville Centre will give them great insight for the families and children they will come across in their field of work. I think it is important for the Police Cadets to spend time with children affected from Family Domestic Violence and see the effects of this in their lives."

 

How you can help

Contact Us if you would like to find out how you can help.