By Parker McKenzie
The hills is now home to a Big Brothers Big Sisters mentorship program, as the organisation looks to build upon the recently launched Boronia program.
At the launch on Thursday 6 October at the Monbulk Living and Learning Centre, Big Brothers Big Sisters Australia CEO Mark Watt said he wanted to thank everyone in attendance for coming to support young people in the community.
“We’re talking about a family support program today that’s really needed and the beautiful thing about today is it’s coming up from the ground,” he said.
“The amazing volunteers who really pushed and created this, backed up by all of you who have come today, really shows that it’s a community-led program.”
Around 30 people attended the launch event, including Monbulk MP James Merlino and Yarra Ranges Councillors Johanna Skelton, Andrew Fullagar and David Eastham.
Current mentor Tamara, alongside her mentee Lily, said being involved in the program bought a lot of value to both Lily and herself personally.
“I’m so glad that I’ve been able to do this because not only have I been able to reach out to a young person, I’ve also been finding it to be quite mindful as well,” she said.
“It’s about an hour a week that we spend together, sometimes we go over which is okay, just depending on what you’re doing.”
Lily said she was introduced to the program through her school.
“There’s a lot of things that you don’t see behind the scenes and having someone there for you to talk to has been great,” she said.
The program partners young people aged seven to 17 with an adult for one-on-one, 12-month intensive mentorships designed to respond to the individual needs of young people.
Founder of Monbulk Youth Inc. Belinda Grooby said there has been a real change for young people recently with body image issues, alcoholism, depression and suicidal ideation on the rise.
“With young people facing all of these different things, what we need to do is embrace the fact that having mentors allows us to give children the tools they need to grow, develop and become really great adults and a part of the community,” she said.
“The people in this room are what is going to make the difference; they’re the ones that are going to change the lives of young people.”
Chairperson of the Steering Committee for BBBS mentoring in the Hills program Jeanette Pritchard said another mentorship she helped launch on Hamilton Island 20 years ago is not only still running, but thriving after expanding to 15 schools in the district.
“We have been contacted by a number of schools, they really do want this program,” she said.
“This will only work if the community gets behind it.”
In 2015 Mr Merlino, who at the time was minister for education, launched the Big Brothers Big Sisters Program at five schools; Sherbrooke Community School, Upwey High School, Boronia K-12 College, Bayswater Secondary College and Mater Christi College. The program ended in 2019, however, survey results of participants showed improved outcomes for those involved.
Mr Merlino said that while he was helping launch the event, the program was being funded by Yarra Ranges Council and community donations and not the state government.
“I know in my own experience — I’ve done a bit of reflection over the last little while since announcing my resignation — and there were some really key mentors for me the moment I got politically active in the early 1990s,” he said.
“It is a powerful thing. It provides self-esteem for kids that are particularly vulnerable and provides people with positive role models. It connects young people with people outside of their family and outside of their immediate friends.”
Sherbrooke Community School Principal Sue Holmes said the previous iteration of the mentorship program in the hills was “one of the most successful programs we had in our school for the mental wellbeing” of students.
“Families are overwhelmed, we are seeing in a lot of single families the parents are struggling,” she said.
“More than ever there is a place for this wellbeing programs which we can bring into the schools.”
Big Brothers Big Sisters Australia is a part of the world’s largest volunteer-supported mentoring network, operating out of 14 countries, and is looking for mentors to partner with young people in the hills and people interested in joining the steering committee.
You can find out more at the BigBrothersBigSisters mentoring in the Hills Facebook page, by visiting bigbrothersbigsisters.org.au or by emailing jeanette.pritchard@bbbsau.org if you have a specific question.
