Mentors needed to encourage students
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Not for profit organisation OzChild is on the lookout for people interested in mentoring school students in Baw Baw Shire.
The mentor program is being rolled out across Victoria following the release of data showing school refusal from students had increased markedly in the last five years.
The program is one of a number of initiatives introduced by the Education Department following a submission to a Senate inquiry into school absenteeism and refusal. The inquiry revealed that between 2018 and 2021 the rate of school refusal grew by 50 per cent. In 2021 11,285 students in Victorian state schools were officially absent due to school refusal.
OzChild senior co-ordinator Sarah Savage said the figures did not capture the full scale of the problem as many more school refusal cases were recorded as medical issues or truancy.
She explained school refusal was distinct from truancy in that it was driven by anxiety about attending school and seems particularly stark in schools in disadvantaged and rural areas.
Ms Savage said evidence showed years six and seven students were particularly vulnerable to the problem. “It seems that the transition to high school from primary school is a real contributing factor to school refusal,” she said.
One of the key department initiatives to address the problem is the School Focussed Youth Service (SFYS). The primary purpose of SFYS is to address chronic absenteeism and disengagement from school. The pro
gram aims to identify students requiring support early and to provide extra support to help them remain involved in their learning.
Ozchild is managing the program for SFYS in Baw Baw, Latrobe and Wellington Shires.
The Baw Baw program is initially being introduced at Neerim South Primary School, Drouin Primary School and Drouin Secondary College.
Sarah said the program was aimed at students who are still attending school but have exhibited behaviour that could lead to school refusal. “The mentor program aims to pair
students and mentors with a view to providing the students with a supportive ear.”
School’s participating in the program identify students who may benefit from a mentor relationship and speak to their parents to get their buy-in. At this point OzChild will match the student with an appropriate mentor based on interests and life experience.
“Volunteer mentors only need to spend one hour per week with a student and all mentoring sessions take place on the school campus,” Sarah said. “Ideally, we are looking for a sixmonth commitment from mentors.”
Coordinator for the Baw Baw mentoring program and OzChild’s outreach coordinator at Warragul Regional College Claire Martel said the mentor program was a great opportunity for the mentors as well. “Mentors can get something valuable from the program themselves by engaging and providing their life experience to the students.”
OzChild is aiming to have the program up and running in Baw Baw at the beginning of term three and is hosting an information day about the program at the Goods Shed, Warragul Railway Station on Wednesday, May 31.
For further information contact Sarah Savage at ssavage@ozchild.org.au.