Wheatbelt & Beyond Youth Mentoring

Wheatbelt & Beyond Youth Mentoring’s (WBYM) mission is to support our Rural Regional and Remote young people as they make the often-challenging transition from adolescence to adulthood within the social and physical constraints of isolation.

We are committed to building our young people’s self-confidence through a holistic nurturing network of adult mentors, families, communities and organisations so that they become life-long contributors and are able to cease the opportunities offered in life while stepping up to the many challenges that arise.

WBYM commenced at Bruce Rock DHS in 2011 and has evolved over the years into an all-inclusive, simple, consistent, flexible and cost-effective program that has evaluated data and years of feedback from mentors, mentees and parents to prove it is sustainable and effective. It is now in 7 schools across the Wheatbelt.

Secondary students are matched one on one with an adult from outside our community. Time is provided during school for students to communicate with their mentors via email and video conference. Other methods of communication are allowed with parent permission. Our Year 5 / 6 class will also have a class mentor.  Students are trained and school staff support them to engage fully with the program, including good topics of conversation, goal setting and reflection.