With global lockdowns, we had to think of new ways of continuing to support our mentees. We opened up our mentoring programme worldwide and the response was fantastic. However, remote mentoring has its challenges, not least the cost of training, phones and data. The money raised will help towards these costs. SAYes Mentoring was founded in 2008 to improve personal, social, educational and employment outcomes for under-served children and young people in South Africa, through mentoring.
Young people living in residential care are supported through weekly mentoring sessions which take place remotely. Mentors are matched with a mentee. Workgroup content is focused on planning and preparation for life outside the home, as well as building informed choices and implementing healthy practices. This project will help to fund mobile phone costs and train more mentors which are vital links to the outside world, for those young people.
Young people can feel increasingly isolated - therefore being able to fund training for mentors and pay for mobile phones and data is key to building new relationships and helping to solve this problem. Mentoring sessions are focused on making informed choices and keeping to healthy practices in community-relevant settings. The bond between mentor and mentee also builds confidence, resilience and supports mental health.
Our primary objectives are improvements in independence and well-being. We measure our impact through a selection of psychometric indicators as well as community level indicators. In 2018 92% of our mentees from Children's Homes successfully completed an education grade/level. 50% of our high school graduates are now studying at a university or a vocational college and 38% are employed.
