Youth Mentoring

Volunteer male mentors, from all walks of life, share their wisdom and life experience with young men needing a constructive influence in their lives who benefit from the support and friendship a mentor provides.

Menslink’s Mentoring Program pairs men who have survived their adolescence with young blokes aged 10-16 who are still on their way there.

Our volunteer mentors are regular guys. They’re not superheroes. They’re genuine people. Some are tradies, some are professionals, some like sports, and others prefer the theatre. But what they all have in common is that they were once a young bloke in their teens. They’ve lived it … and survived (and maybe picked up a few tricks along the way).

Menslink mentors are not parent figures or counsellors. Think of a mentor like a supportive uncle or an older brother. They’re not a counsellor or replacement father, and they’re certainly not there to tell young men how to live their lives.

Menslink mentors are unpaid volunteers. They do it because they want to, not because they want a dollar for it. We check them out, and so do the cops (that’s how it works these days). And we spell out to them the commitment required to fulfil the role.

A Menslink mentoring relationship lasts for 2 years and during that time we get regular individual feedback from all involved: young bloke, mentor and parents.

Mentoring involves 1-1 catch-ups between the young guy and mentor, as well as Menslink group events where we do fun stuff together like laser tag, ten-pin bowling or even just watching a good movie.

One of the programs available to young men in the mentoring program is the Menslink Wilderness Experience – a 3-day, 2-night outdoor adventure.