yes | Mentor program

Y.E.S KIN Club Mentors

A *wantok (mentor) is a person who through support, counsel, friendship, reinforcement, and constructive example helps another person, usually a young person under 24, to reach his or her work and life goals. Wantok relationships provide valuable support to young people, especially those with disabilities, by offering not only academic and career guidance, but also effective role models for leadership, interpersonal, life, and problem-solving skills. * Wantok is a loyal friend/network.

Each relationship will be different as every individual is unique; however, all effective mentoring relationships have certain things in common. For example, the longer the relationship continues, the more positive the outcome and relationships built on commonality are usually quicker to form. Strong relationships have better capacity building outcomes.

Join the “Kin” – Feel more independent, access the community safely and make friends!

We can support your young person or you in standard daily life tasks like travel in the community and personal care but who best to get advice and assistance about “life issue” then from a friend.

This is where the Wantok team can help.

Who wants mum and dad or a traditional carer to help you with :

Shaving, makeup, and hairstyle
Fashion tips and sewing
Getting a licence and maybe driving a car
Planning a party
Take you camping
Street awareness & travel training
Learning how to ask a girl out or plan a date
Budgeting & shopping
Playing a sport
Decorating your room or your space
Go to a movie
Learn to play the latest console game
Become a DJ

Gain your confidence and greater self-esteem by developing new skills with the reassuring presence of a wantok beside you.

The purpose of this program is to build a one-on-one program based on individualised goals and to provide a service that can build on previously identified goals by mental health professionals or to help transition to another stage of their life (junior school to high school, university, workforce, independent living).

Registration and enquiries

To kickstart the matching process click on the Enrolment form link or give us a call just give us call as we have a team of trained wantoks with capacity and more in the training phase.

Here’s what some parent some young ASD

Mother of a 12 year ASD son - “my son has learnt more social skills from Adam in two months then his OT in two years how can I get my funding redirected to more core”.
Mother of a 14 year old ASD boy - “my son never knew how to shop or buy a train ticket but going out with his wantok regularly into the city by train he is more prepared for that transition to high school.”
A dad of a 16 year old ASD boy - “my son doesn’t have a lot of friends or doesn’t go out much, he usually needs staff to encourage him out of the car to go to school. But when his wantok comes with his hat backwards he happily hops in the 4wd and off they go to music shops, talking driving tips on the way and how to apply for jobs”.
A mum of a 13 year old ASD child, “my child has never been to a school camp, would never go. But he slept under the shark tank up at the Sunshine coast with his mentor and another participant. The trust - the capacity building in just 3 months – I can’t believe it.”
A mum of a 17 year old ASD young man - “ he had an interview for a carpentry apprenticeship - but didn’t want me to take him. Said it would make his anxiety worst. His mentor took him on the train, waited outside the building during the panel interviews and kept his anxiety in check. They Kept texting him encouraging messages” He didn’t get it, but was a more pleasant experience then with mum.”
Same mum .. and is he going to listen to mum now he has a girlfriend.

Get stuck in the detail!

Y.E.S promote quality relationships and ensure:

Highly qualified staff
Screening of mentors – blue card, NDIS and police checks and skills specific
Structured and regularly monitored mentoring matches
Training for mentors, such as Sue Larkey Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder: Knowledge to Improve Student Learning, Participation and Outcomes
Mental Health First Aid
A focus on the needs and interests of youth, not the expectations of mentors
Appropriate levels of visibility and accountability built into the mentoring relationship
Regular reporting and visibility of tracking of goals for family and support coordinators

Research indicates that youth benefit from this matched wantok placement: and improvements are often seen in :

Interpersonal skills
Stronger relationships with parents, teachers, and peers
Enhanced self-esteem and self-confidence
Increased academic performance
Increased attendance rates
Better attitudes about school
Higher educational aspirations
Improved behaviour, both at home and at school
First-hand exposure to the workplace
Increased career awareness and ability to make vocational and educational choices
Decreased likelihood of dropping out of school
Decreased likelihood of initiating drug and alcohol use
Increase social and community engagement

Program fundamentals

Careful 1:1 matching
A commitment of 12 to 20 hours per month is made by both the family, the young person and the chosen wantok.
A set of goals is identified from input from the young person, friends, their family, and allied health professionals
Periodic ¼ review of the relationship undertaken by the program coordinator with input from all parties