Mentor partnerships with other agencies

Flexible activity

Having strong partnerships between the agency running the mentoring program and other services in the local area is important. Partnerships between agencies enable more efficient referrals of at-risk youth to the mentoring program, as well as for the ready referral of mentees to other services as needed. 

Relevant agencies may include:

• Youth counselling
• Health services
• Employment services
• Schools
• Family support services

Strong relationships with other agencies, schools in particular, can provide young people with everyday support they might need. 

How can it be implemented?

Organisations should:

• identify relevant services in their local area
• ensure these services are aware of the mentoring program and how to refer young people to the program
• ensure mentors and staff are aware of other local services and how to access them if needed
• maintain regular communication between services to identify and address emerging issues

What should I consider when working with Aboriginal people and communities?

• Strong interagency partnerships can also be used to offer parents access to a range of complementary programs. Addressing parent’s needs can reduce stress levels and improve daily function, which can have an impact on the parent-child relationship (Ware, 2013).  
• Mentoring with Aboriginal Elders can also help address barriers to accessing other needed services (Gupta 2020).

Who is the target group?

Developing strong interagency relationships is critical to all mentoring programs, regardless of target recipients. 

What else should I consider?

This activity came out of consultation with stakeholders and an additional search for mentoring programs with Aboriginal young people.