Supporting our youth through mentoring program

THE HERVEY Bay Neighbourhood Centre (HBNC) play a pivotal role in the community with providing support for the Youth in our region and there is no better example of this support than with their Youth Mentoring program.

The program aims to assist young people 12-17 years old, who are experiencing difficulties at school to build their confidence and well-being, to fully participate in the community in positive, constructive and respectful ways. HBNC intend to provide the youth with support and guidance through planned relationships with adult role models from within the community.

Through a referral-based partnership with local schools, students are paired with a trained Volunteer Mentor who visits students one to two times per week at school and provides support by listening, assisting with goal settings and helping them to recognise their strengths and talents. Mentors support students by listening to their ideas and concerns and help them set and achieve goals.

Program Officer for the Youth Mentor Program, Greg Watkins, says there is a great opportunity for the local community to be involved.

“Youth Mentoring is always recruiting new mentors that have a keen interest in helping students in this program. If you are interested in giving back to the community and volunteering as a mentor, you just need to have or be willing to get a Working with Children Blue Card, and complete a free online mentoring training program,” says Greg.

Our Youth thrive and lead our community with technology adoption and the program has accommodated for this. The program also delivers the Youth First Aid VR Program utilising Virtual Reality (VR) technology to transform the way young people learn basic first aid skills. 88% of the students involved in the program said they had increased their knowledge around AOD (harmful alcohol and other drug) risks.

“The Your First Aid VR program was developed through a partnership with doctors at the University of Queensland Rural Clinical School Hervey Bay”, says Greg. “It immerses students in interactive emergency scenarios that youth are most likely to come across such as alcohol and drug overdose and violence from coward punching and fighting to learn basic DRSABC skills.”

A recent Impact Report by HBNC indicates the program has expanded in the last 12 months with services to surrounding areas of Hervey Bay including Torbanlea and Howard State Schools. This period reported 448 hours of mentoring sessions with eight local schools partnering with the delivery for mentoring.