“I have been matched with a young boy aged 6, he lives with dad only and so it was thought being female it would be a nurturing relationship, him not having any contact with his mother. I see him every Wednesday afternoon after school. This particular day I picked him up and we headed to school to shoot basketball hoops I asked him what was the best part about today … he said lunchtime and now! We had been seeing each other for approx 3 months, on this day, it was the first time he called me by name, he also reached for my hand to cross the road, instead of me taking his hand. He is a delightful child. Thank you for allowing me to be part of something very special. 3 Years on we still meet on a regular basis, he has turned into a delightful young boy who is doing very well at school.

“I definitely see this friendship continuing past the official end of the mentoring match. These kids are part of our lives now, and we are part of theirs. We have formed a really special connection with the children, and also with their mother and grandmother.”

“The kids really love Trish & Paul and they are really like grandparents to them. We are really lucky that Connect found them for us – they are strict and fair and gentle which is exactly what the boys need in their lives. They are always very excited to see them and spend time with them.”

Sometimes I wonder whether we are really making an impact, but as soon as I spend time with this child I see the spark in his eyes and in his brother's eyes too, and I know that even something as simple as just spending time with these kids is making a huge difference for them.
 They really look forward to seeing us come – they are usually waiting outside for us to arrive. We have formed a really special connection with the kids and we feel like part of each other’s families.

“Although it has taken [child’s name] a little while to come out of her shell with Yvonne, she seems to be building a really good connection with Yvonne now and comes back more comfortable and confident after each visit.
 Yvonne & [child] meet fortnightly on a Sunday afternoon for 2-3 hours.
 They choose activities together, and she is really enjoying all the activities they do - ice cream, beach walks, craft, swimming, gem fossicking, ten pin bowling.
 [Child] really loves having a special friendship with someone in her life who is just there for her.”

“Narelle and [child] are still catching up regularly - they work around Narelle's work roster.
 [Child] is now attending Homework Club one hour per week, and has improved significantly at school.
 [Child] has a lot of faith in Narelle and is very trusting of her, which is not common for her.”

“Maddy has been maintaining regular contact and visits even though she has moved away. She has always communicated to us when she can't come due to illness etc.
 Maddy has been very helpful with [Child] around preparing her for school - even helping her to choose contact for and decorate her school books. 
She really enjoys spending time with Maddy.”

“Steve often arrives with a plan in mind and says 'we're going on an adventure' and [Child] is always incredibly excited to see what they will get up to this time. He also gives [Child] the opportunity to come up with his own plans and suggestions.
 Steve is very generous with his time and knowledge, and this is making an amazing difference in [Child]’s life.

“Having a mentor is making a positive difference in [Child]’s life, and he is forming a great friendship with John.
 [Child] wants to finish school at the end of year 10 (current year), so is in the process of trying to work out what he wants to do after finishing school.
 John & [Child] catch up very regularly and do lots of different activities together, and he really enjoys their time together.”

“[Child] is very happy with the progress that Alana and [Child] have been making. Alana has been assisting [Child] to get to her Busy At Work appointments, so this practical assistance has also been highly beneficial to their mentoring relationship. Alana often goes above and beyond, and is making an incredible difference in [Child]’s life.”

“The match is going really well, and they have formed a really great friendship. They have lots of fun adventures together including the skateparks, beach, swimming pool, going for drives etc.”

“I initially did not know what to expect when joining the mentoring program with Connect Kids.  I have to admit that I was nervous as to how I could make a difference and I was skeptical as to how small portions of time spent with a mentee could be so beneficial. Now I can speak from experience and say that without a doubt this mentoring program is so valuable.  I had such an amazing experience with my last mentee, who was a beautiful 16 year old young lady who needed someone who really cared. She needed someone to give her courage, help motivate her, encourage her, and tell her she was awesome.  She needed guidance to develop a pathway with goals, she needed confidence and she also needed to have some fun in her life.  Without the mentoring program, this young lady ran the risk of just repeating a cycle that would not see her achieve the things she was so capable of.  I feel privileged to have shared this relationship and hope that she remains on track to break that cycle and hope that she looks back on our time together as fondly as I do.  Now time for another mentee… bring it on 🤗.  This mentoring program is not only beneficial, it is also rewarding.”

“I would like to thank Connect Kids for choosing a mentor for our grandchild, as we are grandparents raising a child with moderately high needs this has been a Godsend for us. [Child] was able to do rock climbing, roller skating, bike riding and many other activities that we are unable to take her to. All these were attended, with keeping in mind [Child]’s restricted diet, skin care (eczema) and sometimes difficult behaviours, (autism) which were managed with love and care. [Child] has had a new joy in her life, knowing that she had a mentor to take her out each fortnight. There were positive changes in her. She improved at school, also with her attitude and self esteem. This program certainly had a positive effect for her. This was such a welcome support for my husband and I, for [Child] to participate in activities that are difficult for us to attend with her. Her mentor moved on to have a baby and to relocate interstate. She continues to have contact with [Child] to this day. We cannot thank Gordon, his wife and Elaine enough for their insight into the need for such a program.”

“When [Child]’s mentor came on board , [Child] wasn’t not in a good place. Although very bright she had disengaged from school. Her parents both have significant alcohol issues and aren’t there for her. This is a perfect example of how our mentors are our eyes and ears for us so that we know when we have to step up and provide further supports or do a welfare check. [Child] has had a tumultuous couple of weeks since I last seen her. She seems to be very well supported by her mental health worker and social worker.”