Confidence does not usually appear because someone tells a young person to “try harder”.
For many young people, confidence grows through relationship, consistency, encouragement and repeated experiences of success. It grows when someone shows up, believes in their potential, and helps them take the next step at a pace that feels possible.
That is the heart of youth mentoring.
At Kickstart Youth Services, we support children, young people and young adults aged 8–30 through mentoring, community access, group activities, camps and respite. Our mentors work as positive role models, helping young people build confidence, independence, connection and practical life skills through real-world experiences.
As Kickstart founder Mark Catamora says:
“Mentoring is about showing up consistently, believing in a young person’s potential, and leading by example — every single shift.”
What is youth mentoring?
Youth mentoring is relationship-based support that helps a young person work toward goals, build skills and develop confidence with a consistent support person beside them.
A mentor is not there to lecture, fix or take over.
A good mentor helps a young person:
- feel seen and supported
- build trust
- explore interests
- practise life skills
- set realistic goals
- try new activities
- develop routines
- build social confidence
- work toward independence
- connect with study, employment or community opportunities
- experience positive role modelling
At Kickstart, mentoring often happens through activity. That might mean fishing, fitness, cooking, hiking, 4×4 adventures, basketball, board games, applying for a course, working on a routine or attending a group activity.
The activity matters — but it is not the whole point.
The activity is the doorway. The relationship is the work.
Why mentoring matters for young people
Young people may need mentoring for many different reasons.
Some may be socially isolated. Some may struggle to trust adults or services. Some may have low motivation, anxiety, complex needs, disability-related barriers, trauma histories, care-team involvement, or difficulty turning goals into practical steps.
A young person may want more independence, but not know where to start.
A parent or carer may see potential, but feel unsure how to help the young person engage.
A Support Coordinator may be looking for a provider who can do more than simply deliver hours.
Youth mentoring can help bridge that gap.
Mentoring builds confidence through consistency
One of Kickstart’s core values is Committed:
“We show up for young people through life’s challenges — steady, reliable and dedicated to seeing them thrive, no matter how hard the road.”
That is important because some young people need time before they believe support will last.
A mentor may need to show up consistently across many small moments:
- arriving when they said they would
- remembering what the young person enjoys
- staying calm when plans change
- encouraging without pushing too hard
- celebrating small wins
- helping the young person try again after setbacks
Over time, those small moments can build trust.
Trust creates space for confidence.
Mentoring builds independence through practical life skills
Independence is not just one big milestone. It is built through everyday skills.
A mentor might support a young person to:
- cook a simple meal
- clean or organise their space
- go shopping
- plan their week
- attend appointments or activities
- use public spaces more confidently
- build a health or fitness routine
- practise communication
- explore hobbies
- work toward getting a licence
- prepare for TAFE, volunteering or employment
These practical steps can help a young person feel more capable.
At Kickstart, our support is goal-oriented but flexible. Not every session has to be a big breakthrough. Sometimes progress begins with a conversation, a walk, a game, a grocery run or trying a familiar activity in a new way.
That flexibility matters because trust often comes before progress.
Mentoring helps young people connect with what they care about
Many young people engage better when support starts with their interests.
That might be sport, cars, gaming, outdoor adventures, animals, cooking, music, fishing, fitness, art, board games, or spending time with people who understand them.
When mentoring begins with something the young person actually cares about, it can lower the pressure and open the door to growth.
For example:
- fishing can become a way to practise patience, planning and conversation
- fitness can become a way to build routine and self-esteem
- cooking can become a step toward daily living skills
- group activities can become a way to practise social confidence
- a drive or walk can become a safer space for conversation
- applying for a course can become a step toward purpose
Interest-based mentoring helps turn support from something done “to” a young person into something built with them.
Mentoring supports belonging, hope and purpose
Kickstart’s mission is:
“We exist to create belonging, inspire hope and unlock purpose in young people.”
That mission matters because many young people do not just need activities. They need to feel that they belong somewhere, that someone believes in them, and that their future can look different.
NDIS social inclusion research found that community participation can support belonging, connection, confidence, safety, relationships and opportunities for future participation, employment or study.
Mentoring can support those outcomes by helping a young person take practical steps into the community with someone consistent beside them.
For some young people, hope begins with one positive experience.
For others, it begins with a mentor who keeps showing up.
What good youth mentoring should look like
Good mentoring should be:
1. Strengths-based
It should focus on potential, not just problems.
Young people should not feel defined by diagnosis, behaviour, past challenges or service history. They should be supported to discover what they can do, what they enjoy, and what they want to work toward.
2. Consistent
Mentoring works best when the young person experiences reliability over time.
Consistency builds trust, and trust makes it easier to try new things.
3. Practical
Mentoring should connect to real life.
That means supporting daily skills, routines, activities, relationships, study, employment, health, wellbeing and independence in ways that make sense for the young person.
4. Boundaried and safe
A mentor can be warm, encouraging and relatable while still being professional.
Healthy boundaries protect everyone. Mentors should be positive role models and guides, not personal friends or informal contacts outside approved channels.
5. Collaborative
Mentoring often works best when families, Support Coordinators, behaviour practitioners, schools, care teams and other professionals are aligned.
Good communication helps everyone understand what is working, where support is needed, and what progress looks like.
A real example of youth mentoring impact
A Kickstart parent described the change they saw after their young person started support:
“The amount of growth and positive change our family has seen… is amazing. From disengaged… to participating and creating goals… working on health, leisure opportunities… learning to drive and finding a TAFE course to enrol in.”
This kind of progress is not just about one activity or one shift.
It comes from consistency, relationship, interests, practical goals and a young person beginning to believe that change is possible.
For parents and carers: signs mentoring may help
Youth mentoring may be worth exploring if a young person:
- is isolated or withdrawn
- lacks motivation or confidence
- struggles to engage with services
- needs a positive role model
- wants more independence but needs support to start
- finds group settings difficult but may build up gradually
- responds better to activity-based support than office-based conversations
- needs help with routines, life skills or community participation
- has goals but needs practical support to work toward them
The goal is not to force change. The goal is to create the conditions where change becomes possible.
For Support Coordinators and referrers
Kickstart may be a good fit when a young person needs:
- youth-focused mentoring
- community access support
- support from positive role models
- practical life-skill development
- rapport-building through activities
- care-team communication
- support linked to NDIS goals
- confidence-building experiences
- group activities or respite options alongside mentoring
Referrers often look for providers who can engage young people who have not connected well with other services. In these situations, the match, the relationship and the consistency of support are critical.
As one case manager said about Kickstart:
“It is always our go to for mentoring & community participation support for our kids… their mentors [are] very dedicated to our young people, always trying new things and persisting through challenges.”
What progress can look like
Progress in youth mentoring may look like:
- attending a session consistently
- speaking more openly with a mentor
- trying a new activity
- joining a group activity
- cooking a meal
- building a routine
- going to the gym
- making a plan for study or work
- working toward a licence
- engaging with a care team
- handling a transition more calmly
- feeling proud of a small achievement
Not every win looks dramatic from the outside. But for a young person, one small step can be significant.
Ready to explore youth mentoring?
Kickstart supports children, young people and young adults aged 8–30 through youth mentoring and community access, group activities and camps, and Short Term Respite.
If you are a parent, carer, Support Coordinator or care team member looking for consistent, practical and relationship-based support, we would be happy to talk.
Not sure whether youth mentoring is the right fit? Kickstart can talk through the young person’s interests, goals and support needs before referral.
Submit a referral: https://www.kickstartvic.com.au/referral Call: 1800 229 736
FAQs
What does a youth mentor do?
A youth mentor provides relationship-based support that helps a young person build confidence, independence, life skills and community connection. At Kickstart, mentoring often happens through practical activities matched to the young person’s interests and goals.
Is a mentor the same as a support worker?
There can be overlap, but youth mentoring focuses strongly on relationship, role modelling, interests, goals and confidence-building. A mentor is a consistent guide and positive role model, not just someone supervising an activity.
What age group does Kickstart support?
Kickstart supports children, young people and young adults aged 8–30.
Can youth mentoring help if a young person is disengaged?
Yes, mentoring may help when support is gradual, consistent and based around the young person’s interests. Building trust can take time, especially if a young person has had difficult experiences with services or adults in the past.
What activities can happen during mentoring?
Activities may include fitness, fishing, hiking, cooking, basketball, board games, community outings, routines, study or employment preparation, group activities, or other interests connected to the young person’s goals.
Can Support Coordinators refer to Kickstart?
Yes. Support Coordinators, families, carers and care teams can submit a referral through Kickstart’s referral pathway.