Colony Mentoring Services - CMS

CMS provides young people 12 -25 years at risk of disengaging from family, education or community with opportunities and positive experiences that improve health and well being, relationships with others, engagement in education, connectedness to the community and hope for the future. Colony School Based Mentoring program engages a mentor with a mentee for a minimum of an hour per week to undertake mutually agreed activities, interests and projects for a block of 12 weeks. Colony Workplace Mentoring program engages a mentee with a mentor in a workplace for a block of 5 weeks. It is a requirement of CMS that young people referred to the programs has a case manager/ youth worker to support their participation. The mentor and the mentoring relationship is fully supported by the CMS Coordinator.

Case Studies
Jack attended a flexible learning program for young people who have disengaged from mainstream education. Mentor ‘Bob’ is a practising magician/juggler. At initial meetings, Bob engaged Jack in juggling and learning balancing skills on a ‘rolla bolla’. Jack displayed considerable talent in the skills being shown. Within a few weeks he learnt how to juggle whilst balancing on the rolla bolla, eventually displaying his skills to family and friends in an end of year performance. The skills of juggling and balance require an immense amount of concentration and calm which assisted with the overall positive dynamic of the group. Jack displayed an increase level of commitment and positive attitude towards his education and his attendance dramatically increased. Jack also demonstrated self motivation over the school holidays to seek out and attend performances by others in his own time. On returning to school he requested that the mentoring relationship continue and that he and Bob explore further pathways to street and circus performing including gaining a buskers license and working towards a complete performance.

Mentors are required to:

• Be at least 21 years of age
• Undertake initial training provided free by Colony 47
• Provide mentoring to a mentee within the policy and procedures of Colony 47 and CMS
• Commit to meet regularly with a young person (mentee) over a block of time to support the young person to achieve personal goals, agreed activities and tasks
• To undertake and pass a National Police Check.