An academic link for the disadvantaged
ASSIGNING mentors to disadvantaged school students can dramatically increase their chances of going on to further study.
Mentors are becoming commonplace in the corporate sector as a means of nurturing and developing staff.
In the school arena, however, they can also have positive results, helping students rise above fears they do not have what it takes to succeed.
“It’s about breaking down the mystique of university,’’ says Nat Heath, centre manager at the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME), which links school and university students to show the younger mentees possible study pathways.
“We bring (the school students) to university and they see that the mentors are not too different to them - that there’s no reason why they couldn’t follow the mentors’ footsteps and go to university.’’
Under AIME, students participate in weekly tutor squads, where mentors visit their school to provide support.
They are also given opportunities to develop greater selfconfidence through activities such as public speaking, hip hop, drama and speechwriting.
AIME, funded by the CocaCola Australia Foundation, boasts a Year 9 to university progression rate of more than 20 per cent - five times the national indigenous average, and moving towards the national non-indigenous average of 37.4 per cent.
Heath says a lack of selfconfidence holds many students back.
“Most students don’t believe in themselves,’’ he says.
“This is about trying to plant a seed in their head that they can do this.”
Year 11 student Abbey Orcher, 16, comes from a regional community she says is rife with social problems.
Before joining AIME, Orcher doubted her ability to finish school but now hopes to go on to university and find a career in indigenous affairs.
“I was never interested in school - ever,’’ says Orcher.
“I used to sit at the back (of class) and put my head down and watch.
“Now I’ve built my confidence up and the teachers say I’m the loudest kid in school. Now ... university is definitely on the cards.”
“At first, I didn’t think I would be able to but AIME showed me I can.’’