Community Capacity Building
The Mentoring and Capacity Building Initiative (MCBI) works in collaboration with the sector to initiate projects for the delivery of training, network forums, and build capacity and skills of volunteers, organisations and partnerships.
MCBI partners working in collaboration include a Whole of Victorian Government (WoVG) Working Group; the Victorian Youth Mentoring Alliance (VYMA) with His Excellency, Professor David de Kretser as the Patron; Regional Co-ordination Projects; the (National) Youth Mentoring Network (YMN); and the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust.
Each phase and piece of work is guided by these partners to ensure that the MCBI is meeting the needs of the sector and not duplicating effort. Project work such as the development of tools for the sector, are completed with these partners and also involves broader consultation with relevant programs, community organisations, local, state and federal governments and philanthropic trusts.
Partnership with the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust
An exciting partnership between the Office for Youth and the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust is helping build the capacity of communities and develop innovative ways of helping young people.
The partnership has afforded the opportunity to support the delivery of youth mentoring and helps young people reconnect with their communities as well as with education, employment or training.
The Victorian Government partnership with the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust has been instrumental in the development of youth mentoring in Victoria. Together we have made some exciting and significant achievements to place young people and mentoring organisations in a better position to support the needs of young Victorians. Through our partnership we have provided regional support to 159 Victorian youth mentoring programs, in turn supporting over 4,500 young people and over 4,200 volunteer adult mentors.
By working in partnership we can work towards achieving common goals and most importantly leverage resources to invest in local community development. Youth mentoring in Victoria is strengthened through collaboration and working together.
The Victorian Government and the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust are each providing further funding to run six regional coordination projects until the end of 2011 and initiate an evaluation of the efficacy of mentoring in Victoria. Importantly, the partnership also includes each providing $120,000 over three years to the Victorian Youth Mentoring Alliance.
Contact Name: Mr Chris Wootton, Grants Executive
Contact Phone: (03) 9631 2551
Contact Email: cwootton@hmstrust.org.au
Website: www.hmstrust.org.au
Victorian Youth Mentoring Alliance (VYMA)
The Victorian Youth Mentoring Alliance (VYMA) is an incorporated, non-government, representative organisation of youth mentoring programs in Victoria. Members represent the entire spread of youth mentoring programs operating in Victoria, including community-based programs, school-based programs, and cultural and faith based programs.
With significant growth in youth mentoring in recent years, the VYMA was established in recognition that a formal structure was needed to provide support and coordination to youth mentoring organisations as it expands and matures.
The VYMA supports the successful implementation of high quality mentoring practices in regional and urban communities. Their goal is to be an effective Alliance of youth mentoring programs that advances youth mentoring through:
Contact Name: Sarah Johnson, Executive Officer
Contact Phone: 0423 929 301
Contact Email: s.johnson@youthmentoringvic.org.au
Website: www.youthmentoringvic.org.au
Postal Address: PO Box 6017, Collingwood Nth VIC 3066
Australian Youth Mentoring Network
The Australian Youth Mentoring Network is an initiative of the National Youth Mentoring Partnership consisting of The Smith Family, Dusseldorp Skills Forum, Big Brothers Big Sisters Australia and Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR).
The Australian Youth Mentoring Network is a national hub for youth mentoring research, tools and resources. The Australian Youth Mentoring Network aims to work with interested youth mentoring organisations and practitioners to foster the growth and development of high quality mentoring programs for young people in Australia by providing a national base of collaboration, support, guidance and expertise.
Contact Name: Kathleen Vella, Executive Officer
Contact Phone: (02) 9085 7287
Contact Email: info@youthmentoring.org.au
Website: www.youthmentoring.org.au
NRGize Workshop
In September 2006, the Office for Youth partnered with the Youth Mentoring Network to deliver a Victorian 3 day mentoring training workshop for all organisations seeking to establish or strengthen their youth mentoring programs. The NRGize workshop was attended by 130 participants which included a training program for manager’s, coordinators and mentors. In partnership with the Youth Mentoring Network and the Victorian Youth Mentoring Alliance, NRGize was held for a second time in Melbourne from 19-21 August 2008 with 75 participants.
Web Site Updates
DPCD's websites are progressively being updated to reflect the changes following the establishment of the
department. This means you will continue to see some references to the Department for Victorian Communities
(DVC) as changes are being made.
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