Mentors wanted in Taupō and Tūrangi

Mentoring could involve activities with the young person, or just offering a listening ear.

Volunteers are being sought for a youth mentoring programme in the Taupō district.

He Kāhui Tāngata was starting a mentoring programme that would pair young people aged 9 to 12 with an adult who could offer a guiding hand and a listening ear.

Commitment from mentors could be as little as one hour a week, but consistency and a commitment to showing up were equally important, said programme co-ordinator Shelley Robinson.

Anyone over 18 could apply to become a mentor; they did not need to come from a particular background, ethnicity or career.

There wasn’t a laundry list of requirements, she said — just commitment, being a caring person who can listen, and the ability to pass a police background check.

There was also hope these mentor-mentee relationships would last at least a year.

Mentoring might happen in a comfortable space in the young person’s school or out in the community, depending on their wants and needs.

It could involve doing activities or just chatting and listening.

The young people could be self-referred or come from schools or other agencies. The process was intended to provide a positive relationship and role model for the youngster.

Anyone who might be interested in becoming a mentor was invited to come along to the first workshop at REAP Central Plateau in Titiraupenga St, facilitated by the New Zealand Youth Mentoring Network.

The Introduction to Mentoring session on September 2, from 9am-4pm, would go over the foundations of mentoring and tips for communicating, practical tools that mentors can use in working with young people, and how to manage risks.

Robinson said having the Mentoring Network on board would help to equip prospective mentors with everything they needed to get started.

“They work with organisations and practitioners to promote safe and effective practise - we’ve got the top people doing it.”

Attending the workshop wasn’t locking anyone into a commitment, she said.

“They can come along, do the one-day workshop and then decide whether mentoring will be for them or not.”

RSVPs for the Introduction to Mentoring workshop should be sent to hktcoordinator@gmail.com or 027 234 2241 by August 22.