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Unique mentor program gets resultsA unique Wellington Shire Council-funded mentor program in Yarram is yielding astounding results by bridging the generation gap to benefit younger and older members of the community. By Wellington Shire Council - 5th September 2005 - Back to News The pilot program involves four members of the Yarram Men’s Shed teaching woodwork, technical skills and life skills to eight local teenage boys.
The students, accompanied by Yarram Secondary College Integration Aid Damian Cripps, meet at The Workshop in the town every Friday.
Mr Cripps said: "These kids generally don’t respond well to mainstream classes but they have been really enthused since starting the program here. Their concentration, attitude and punctuality have improved dramatically.
"They can just relax and be themselves here, there is no peer pressure and they are just responding better than ever before … they appear to have much more confidence and are starting to think about careers and their future. It’s fantastic!"
Co-ordinator Mark Binding said the four members of the Yarram Men’s Shed, who worked with the lads, appeared to get just as much out of the program.
"The boys get some real positives from these blokes and the blokes get a hell of a kick out of seeing the kids achieve things and grow in confidence. I think the blokes really get a great deal of satisfaction out of putting something back into the community.
"They don’t talk down to the kids and they don’t take any rubbish from them if they try to act up – they tell them exactly the way it is and the kids respect them for it."
The men have been teaching the teenagers to build everything from a coffee table to a hovercraft. The boys even learn budgeting skills - part of the program involves them preparing lunch for the whole group every Friday.
"They are given some money and have to buy enough food to feed everyone, then cook it, serve it and then wash up the dishes at the end of it."
The teenagers agreed the program was "great" and the members of the Men Shed were "awesome" while the men said the lads had learnt respect and heard a different aspect on life.
Mr Binding said: "The program actually finished about a month ago but it has been so successful, we’ve been able to get enough money together to keep it going until the end of the year."
Wellington Council provided $5000 towards the 20-week program, which was also strongly supported by Yarram Community Learning Centre, Yarram Secondary College, the Men’s Shed and other community organisations.
Wellington Mayor Peter Gault said: "The Council was pleased to support this excellent initiative and delighted to see it was so successful."
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com
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