Now that the pandemic’s over, it’s time to re-engage our youth.

COVID-19 restrictions in all their various manifestations over the past two years, saw many of us become disconnected from society in one form or another.

But a new youth mentoring program in Orange is looking to bring our young back to the fold.

Volunteers in the community are now being sought in this one-on-one buddy program being launched at both Canobolas and Orange high schools.

“It’s re-engaging disengaged youth… they’ll be paired up with a volunteer mentor,” Head Teacher for Wellbeing at Canobalas High, Tristan Goodwin explained.

The program includes comprehensive training and support throughout the term of the project. 

“For those interested in re-engaging the students, we have a formal training program. For each session, there is an hour with the students and then an hour discussion afterwards between the group,” Mr Goodwin said.

Anyone who has an interest in helping students in danger of falling through the gaps in the system are encouraged to come forward, he said. “We’re thinking about industry leaders, sports leaders, parents, or even former students,” he said.

He added that mentoring offers unique benefits not available in other forms of support programs for disaffected youth.

“One-to-one mentoring provides a very holistic approach, informing the future pathways of these students. It encompasses the holistic needs of the child.

“It’s a really good means to reconnect to school life. To reconnect to the school and to themselves,” Mr Goodwin added.

The program is designed to develop in students the coping skills that we all need in these anxious times. 

The two local high schools are new partners in the program operated by youth mentoring organisation, Raise Foundation at schools all around Australia.

The group recently announced what it describes as its “evidence-based youth mentoring program” for the first time in Canobolas High School and Orange High School with up to 15 students from each school who will benefit from the Raise early-intervention mentoring program in 2022.

Based in high schools across Australia, Raise provides young people with a caring, independent volunteer mentor who shows up each week, with time to listen, empowering young people to talk through life’s challenges.

The positive impact of having a mentor in your life is well-recognised, CEO of Raise Foundation, Vicki Condon (AM), said.

“When people donate their time to listen, young people learn to cope better with life’s challenges while benefiting from one-to-one support,” she said.

“We evaluate and report on our programs, so we know the positive impact that Raise mentoring has community-wide. The young people who graduate, experience growth in resilience, help-seeking skills, sense of school belonging, and hope for the future. 

“One of the strongest predictors of how a child develops in terms of happiness, academic success, resilience, and meaningful relationships, is whether at least one adult has consistently shown up for them.”

Ms Condon is putting a call-out for volunteer support from the local community: “Our team recruits, trains, and screens everyday people to become successful youth mentors, and that is what we’re looking for in each of these school communities.

“Right now, our team is recruiting volunteers to be trained to mentor young people at Canobolas High School and Orange High School, who are taking part in our program in 2022.

“The program will run during terms two and three this year, and we provide ongoing support from our local team of Program Counsellors,” she added.

While it’s not a cure-all, one-on-one mentoring does have a high rate of success, supporters say.

“It’s one of a range of suites that we can use to help students become reconnected to their school and community,” Canobolas Principal Brett Blaker said.

“It’s about being reconnected, redeveloping a sense of community,” Head Teacher for Wellbeing at Orange High, Monica Peasley concluded.

Apply to mentor here at: raise.org.au/mentor.