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Connect Health & Community is excited to announce a new community partnership with Ormond Junior Football Club (OJFC) and youth wellbeing blog and resource A Path to Follow – the OJFC Youth Mentor Program.
This peer-to-peer mentoring program was born out of a desire to support the wellbeing of children of all ages. The OJFC Youth Mentor Program will leverage off young players’ common passion for football to introduce the concept of mentoring (via coaching), build relationships within the club and community, and promote kids’ health and wellbeing practices.
A mentor is an experienced and trusted adviser – something every young person needs, regardless of their age and stage. As part of the OJFC Youth Mentor Program:
There is no cost involved in participating in the OJFC Youth Mentor Program, which will include formal training for junior coaches/mentors and senior coaches/mentors to coach small groups of younger players in Junior Football, Auskick and Fair Go Footy teams. All training will be conducted by professional youth social workers from Connect Health & Community, who will work with an OJFC committee member.
Participants in the program will receive support throughout the season from Connect Health & Community’s youth social workers and their mentors, as well as from program leader Kirstie Edwards. Kirstie manages the Child, Youth & Family Team at Connect Health & Community and is also mum of three boys and the founder of A Path to Follow.
The benefits of peer-to-peer mentoring
Peer-to-peer mentoring (where older kids/young adults mentor younger kids) offers a wealth of benefits to both mentors and mentees, and, in footy-mad Victoria, sport is a great vehicle for this.
For mentors (junior coaches and senior coaches), benefits include:
For all mentees, having an older mentor or role model who has ‘been there’ recently can help with:
There is also an opportunity for mentors to take part in one-on-one mentoring, which again will also be supported by Connect Health & Community’s qualified youth social workers.
To find out more about the OJFC Youth Mentor Program, please visit the OJFC website or contact program leader Kirstie Edwards on 0478 310 145 or Kirstie.edwards@optusnet.com.au.
For more information on Connect Health & Community’s health services, including counselling and support for all age ranges, please call 03 9575 5333 or click here.
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