May 2014 - Youth Mentoring News

Here everyone

In this month's e-news we feature a number of organisations that offer resources and seminars that we hope you will find of value when working with young people in your community. Please be in touch if you have any questions. 

Free online live mentoring webinars - well worth checking out!

MENTOR, The United States based National Mentoring Partnership facilitate's a Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series.  You can register to attend these free online live webinars which are held on the 3rd Thursday of each month at 1:00 PM - 2:15 PM EDT (ie: Friday 5.00am - 6.15am, NZ time). Alternatively you can access the archived webinars which provide some excellent content for programmes to draw on.  Recent webinars topics were:

• Going the distance - new insights on mentor retention
• Mentor screening and youth protection.

I took the opportunity to join last week's webinar.  The topic for discussion was Parents as Partners - research and strategies for engagment.  Renee Spencer who visited New Zealand 18 months ago together with two other presenters provided some excellent insights into the research that has been conducted on this topic and drew on practical examples of how programmes are successfully engaging parents.  I certainly found it to be a very worthwhile session. 

Next month's webinar topic is: Positive Youth Development and Mentoring: Putting Assets Into Practice  Thursday, June 20, 2014, 1:00 PM - 2:15 PM EDT. Click on the link to check out further details and to register for this.  Collaborative mentoring webinar series - 20 June 2014

Generation Next - Mental Health and Wellbeing
Seminar

Auckland, 1 August 2014

Generation Next is a not-for-profit social enterprise dedicated to enhancing the mental health and wellbeing of young people and their communities. They run a series of annual seminars in Australia and NZ. Feedback on these has been extremely positive.  They aim to provide participants with the knowledge and skills to help young people achieve and maintain their emotional, social, mental, and physical wellbeing.

The Mental Health & Wellbeing of Young People, being held in Auckland on Friday 1 August 2014 will feature local and international experts in child mental health and wellbeing, showcasing the latest updates on key health, social, and educational issues.   Download 2014 Brochure here ». 

Generations Next's regular newsletter is also well worth subscribing to. 

Skylight - Support resources available to help
a young person through tough times

Skylight, a not for profit trust supporting people of all ages who are facing a tough life situation of change, loss, trauma or grief - whatever the cause. They also assist those wanting to help them. www.skylight.org.nz; Ph: 0800 299 100 .

Skylight's resource packs may be a very helpful resource for your organisation and mentors to draw upon if you are supporting young people facing these types of life challenges.  The packs are free, however a donation is requested to help cover the costs. (As a guide, the average cost of a support pack is $30 and any donation towards costs will be gratefully received. Here is a link to further information. http://skylight.org.nz/uploads/files/sky_resource_centre_flier_for_web_2014.pdf

The Youth Collaborative - 6th Annual Hui & Pre Hui Research Workshop

Regrations are now open for the Youth Collaborative 6th Annual Hui and Pre Hui Research Workshop:  Developing Youth Wellbeing across all Sectors.

Thursday 10 & Friday 11 July 2014, Lincoln University, Christchurch. 

Pre hui research workshop is being held on the 9 July. Creating a research strategy for youth wellbeing.

Please go online to find your registration form, full Hui programme and more information www.collaborative.org.nz

The Hui is proudly supported by the Canterbury Youth Workers Collective and the DIA Youth Worker Training Scheme.

Ara Taiohi - Youth Sector Survey

Ara Taiohi the national body for the youth sector in Aotearoa New Zealand is currently conducting a survey to ensure they have a good understanding of the sector and to inform their strategic direction. They would really your participationg in this survey. Also, if you provide your contact details, you will go in the draw to win either a) a tablet to the value of $400 OR b) a smart phone to the value of $400 OR c) a digital camera to the value of $400 OR d) $400 worth of vouchers of the winners choice. The link to the survey is  http://bit.ly/1mEj8l8

Mentor Training - Registrations now open for our next MentorPlus workshop - Auckland, 28 and 29 July, 2014

Date:  28 and 29 July
Location:  Rosepark Hotel, Gladstone Road, Parnell 
Time:  Day 1:  9.30am - 4.30pm | Day 2:  9.00am to 4.00pm 
Cost:  $380 plus GST

This is an excellent workshop opportunity for people working with young people, who need to add a mentoring dimension to their role.

Our small group training workshops bring together youth workers, teachers, social workers, and community-based mentors working with young people. This diversity of participants supports opportunities to learn about different cultures, values and perspectives, and effective skills for working with New Zealand's diverse young people.

During the two day course attendees will learn key skills in:

• communicating effectively with a young person
• managing risk & behaviour when working with a young person
• helping young people explore their identity and culture, and
• assisting personal development

Read more about this programme.

Book now to avoid disappointment.

In closing

Please pass this e-newsletter on to others in your community that work with young people and have an interest in mentoring.  

Nicki McDonald

General Manager New Zealand Youth Mentoring Network | PO Box 99726 Newmarket M:    027 520 2981       | W:    09 521 8240       E: nicki@youthmentoring.org.nz | W: www.youthmentoring.org.nz