Being a volunteer mentor with Gettin’ Ready 4 Life Inc.

A good education is so important in life and something that should be supported in the youth of today.

One of my goals for 2021 was to find a way I could support a young person by offering my time, skills and experience. Through a business connection, an opportunity presented to be part of a mentoring program for high school students with an organisation called Gettin’ Ready 4 Life Inc.

Greg Blake, co-founder of Gettin’ Ready 4 Life Inc., runs a school mentor program for year 12 VCAL classes at Braybrook College and next term Year 11 classes will also be included.  Volunteer mentors, like myself, are matched with two students and we meet once a week for 1.5 hours to discuss anything, but mostly their path for the future after school. As their mentor, I share information about my own experiences as well as provide them support and guidance for when they finish school at the end of the year.

These students have so much to offer, they just don’t know it yet. This program allows me to contribute to their life experience and mentor them in a constructive way so they can take positive steps forward into the world that awaits them.

A little bit about Gettin’ Ready 4 Life Inc.

Greg Blake has been a Youth Worker for two decades and a significant part of his career has been running school mentor programs. The program has run continuously at Braybrook College for 18 years, a testament to the difference it makes for students. Having the support of a mentor with life experience, willing to be there and support them, building a relationship each week that can’t be built with a parent or teacher, sees incremental shifts in a student with their confidence and motivation to achieve their goals.

What it means to me as a mentor

I was fortunate enough to have amazing opportunities growing up including attending a really good high school which included non-academic endeavours as well as study. Although, money was never abundant growing up, my parents always found a way to ensure that we had as many life experiences as possible as well as a great education. Given those privileges, I have a fundamental belief (a responsibility) that we should be able to support those who are less fortunate, to share those experiences and give them a helping hand. The Gettin’ Ready 4 Life Inc mentoring program gives me the opportunity to make a difference in a young person’s life now and in their future. Every student has something amazing to share in this world. They may just need some help to find it.

I have really enjoyed being part of the program. Both Greg and his partner Paige do amazing work supporting these students. I love Greg’s belief that ‘we are creating the runway for young people to help them ‘take off’’. Thank you to both Greg and Paige for providing me the opportunity to be involved.

Interested in being involved?

Gettin’ Ready 4 Life Inc. need more mentors for Year 11 VCAL classes starting in Term 3 on Wednesdays, from 11:20am to around 12:45pm. These students are exiting the school system this year and need all the support they can get. If you or someone you know would love to make a difference in the life of a young person, contact Greg on 0478 484 424 or Paige at runway@gr4life.org.au.