September 2011 – No. 1

Communication Update 

Hi to all in the YMAP family,

Plenty of news, but not as much time as I’d like to document everything for you all. As you all know, it’s YMAP’s busiest time of the year and five schools in five days is a challenge for all of us.

Thankfully we have assembled some gorgeous mentoring teams and thanks to you amazing folks we are successfully addressing some of the needs of those most vulnerable in our partner schools. Karina and I are so grateful for that.

Let’s lead with of the positive stuff – and there has been a heap.

As I’ve already expressed to our Gilmore Girls College mentors, my job has its perks, as it does also for mentors, so I thought it important to share the good news with you all.

The Gilmore Girls program has had its ups and downs, but I think, at times, we have probably not stopped to ‘smell the roses’ and realize that maybe we (or more specifically, you mentors) are doing something very right.

Although circumstances have dictated that both our mentoring and student numbers have dwindled over the journey, there has been a dedicated group of about seven students and a similar number of mentors who have presented at every available opportunity on a Thursday afternoon and, clearly, the relationships are having the desired effect.

We were due to end at Gilmore Girls on September 1, however it was not until we recently announced this to the students that I was reminded how much the mentoring experience meant to them. They literally begged and pleaded for the mentors to stay on for a little longer and last week they asked the mentors if they would. You mentors – as gorgeous as you are – agreed!

So this is a semi-formal reminder that we will now be going for an extra two weeks at the school and our end date is now Thursday, Sept.15.

Further to that, when I spoke to teacher Norelle Irvin about the proposed extension, she was more than keen to have it go ahead. She told me that she felt at least three of the students “had really got  taken something significant out of the program” and that “they have really showed some positive change.” So it goes without saying that once again I can only offer my heartfelt thanks for your efforts as mentors.

More terrific news; we can now confirm that we will be returning to Spirit West (part of the Western Bulldogs community program) in Footscray later this year, after a absence of some 18 months.

The details of the program are yet to be confirmed, but it appears likely that we will be going in on Thursday afternoons starting in Term Four (probably in the second week of October). Belinda Batty from Spirit West said she was “thrilled” that YMAP will be returning and, for those of you who haven’t seen the work they do, I promise that the programs there are always challenging but very enjoyable in equal parts.

We will probably be needing somewhere between six to ten mentors for the 2012 program, but a big, bubbly thank you to the cluster of five Victoria University Youth Work placement students who have already offered to get involved. Karina and I both agree that our placement students this year, from VU, RMIT and Kangan Batman, have been as capable and enthusiastic as any in recent years. So keep up the great work gals and guys, because on what we’ve seen you will make great workers in the sector.

Please let Karina and I know if you may be interested in the Spirit West program. And it will be a terrific challenge too for Karina, who will be running her own program for the first time. By getting involved that means you will be both supporting Karina and – bonus – you won’t have to put up with me!

I knew that would make you happy.

And just a couple of info dot points:

-       Do not forget that school holidays are fast approaching, with term three ending on Friday, September 23, and term four commencing on Monday, October 10;

-       Also, for those of you relying on email contact with me, please don’t. As I am out and about each day of the week at moment I don’t get to check my emails as often as I like and I would hate to think anyone thought I was ignoring them. Unfortunately I need to be at my office computer to get your valued emails because, as those of you that know me well enough will testify, I have no idea about I Pods, E Pods, Blackberrys etc. My knowledge of modern technology ended with the fax machine; and

-       Thanks to the remarkably well-connected Glenn Newbold, who did our promotional DVD last year, YMAP will be featuring soon on community television station Channel 31. I don’t know the airdate yet, but it is apparently still a couple of weeks away on a program called ‘Melbourne 22’. It’s a terrific promotion for YMAP and the M&MV LLEN.

So there. Just wanted to let you all know the positive news and say, once again, what lovely people you all truly are. Seriously, without you YMAP doesn’t exist.

Greg Blake (Youth Worker)

Co-ordinator

Youth Mentoring Assisted Pathways Program (YMAP)

Maribyrnong Moonee Valley LLEN

40 Bellair Street , Kensington

P.O. Box 78 Flemington 3031

03 93767251

Mobile – 0422 763 522

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