A young person can understand how to catch a tram and still feel unsure doing it alone.
The timetable, the crowds and the chance of missing a stop can turn a simple trip into something they avoid. Sitting at a table and talking through the steps may help, but confidence usually grows once they have practised the trip with someone steady beside them.
This is where a good youth mentor can make a difference.
At Kickstart Youth Services, mentoring gives children, young people and young adults aged 8–30 opportunities to practise everyday skills through activities that fit their interests, goals and stage of life. The mentor is there to guide, model and encourage, while the young person stays involved in the decisions.
Life skills are usually built in ordinary moments
Life skills can sound like a formal program. In practice, they are often things people do each week without giving them much thought.
Planning an outing involves checking the time, choosing transport, bringing what is needed and adjusting if plans change. Cooking a meal can involve deciding what to make, working within a budget, buying ingredients and cleaning up. Joining an activity may mean introducing yourself, asking a question or staying long enough to become comfortable.
These moments give a young person something concrete to work with. A mentor can slow the task down, explain one part at a time and step back when the young person is ready to take over.
The goal is not to make every outing feel like a lesson. It is to use everyday experiences well.
Learn more about Kickstart’s youth-focused supports or submit a referral.
What life-skills mentoring can look like
The right activity depends on the young person. There is no standard list that suits everyone.
For one person, a useful session might involve planning a tram route and making the trip together. They may practise reading the stop information, asking the driver or another person for help, watching for their stop and working out what to do if the service changes.
Someone else might want to cook a meal they enjoy. The session could begin with choosing a recipe and making a shopping list, then move into comparing prices, paying at the checkout and preparing the food at home.
A younger participant may be working on getting ready for an activity, packing what they need or speaking up when something feels uncomfortable. An older participant may want support to organise appointments, explore a TAFE course, build a weekly routine or become more confident using community spaces.
The activity changes. The useful part is the chance to practise with support nearby.
Trust comes before practice
Young people are more likely to attempt something unfamiliar when they trust the person beside them.
That trust takes time. A mentor needs to show up, listen and learn what helps the young person stay engaged. Pushing too quickly can turn a useful challenge into another experience of feeling controlled or misunderstood.
Sometimes the first few sessions need to centre on connection. A shared interest, a quiet drive, sport or a familiar local activity may give the relationship somewhere to start. Once the young person feels more settled with the mentor, new tasks can be introduced at a pace that makes sense.
This does not mean avoiding challenge. It means getting the level of challenge right.
Keeping the young person in the driver’s seat
Support can become unhelpful when the worker takes over every task because it is quicker.
A mentor can instead ask, “Which part do you want to handle?” The young person might choose the route, speak to the shop assistant or prepare one part of the meal. Next time, they may take on more.
Mistakes are part of this. Missing a tram or forgetting an ingredient does not have to end the session. With calm support, it becomes a chance to work out the next step without embarrassment.
That approach protects the young person’s dignity. It also gives families and care teams a clearer picture of what the person can do now, where support is still useful and what might be worth practising next.
Connecting activities to the young person’s goals
A mentoring session should have a reason behind it, even when it feels relaxed.
A gym visit might connect with routine and community confidence. Shopping may help with planning, communication and managing money. A group activity can give someone a supported place to practise joining in, handling changes and spending time with peers.
The NSW Department of Communities and Justice youth mentoring evidence review includes personal and life-skills development among its core mentoring components. That review focuses on a narrower group of young people aged 10–17, so it should not be treated as a blanket guide for every participant. The practical point still matters: mentoring works best when activities are chosen with purpose and adapted to the young person.
If support is being considered through an NDIS plan, families and Support Coordinators should talk with the provider about how the proposed activities relate to the participant’s goals and funded supports. The NDIS also provides a guide to social and community participation supports. Funding and suitability depend on the individual plan and circumstances.
What families and Support Coordinators can ask
Before choosing a mentoring provider, ask how mentors turn goals into practical sessions. It is also worth asking how the provider matches workers, responds when a young person disengages and communicates progress without speaking over the participant.
A provider should be able to give clear examples. The answer should sound like more than supervision or filling time.
Useful questions include:
- How will the young person help choose activities and goals?
- What happens if an activity feels too difficult on the day?
- How do mentors know when to guide and when to step back?
- How will progress, concerns and changes be shared with the care team?
- How are the young person’s preferences and privacy protected?
Youth mentoring at Kickstart
Kickstart supports children, young people and young adults aged 8–30 through youth mentoring and community access across Melbourne and Victoria.
Sessions are shaped around the young person’s interests, goals and support needs. Depending on fit, that may involve transport practice, cooking, fitness, shopping, routines, community activities or simply building enough trust to attempt the next step.
The young person does not need to arrive confident or motivated. The starting point is finding an activity and mentor they can engage with, then building from there.
To discuss whether Kickstart may be a suitable fit, submit a referral or call 1800 229 736.
Frequently asked questions
What life skills can a youth mentor help someone practise?
This may include cooking, shopping, planning transport, managing routines, attending appointments, communicating needs, joining activities and becoming more comfortable in community settings. The focus should reflect the young person’s goals and preferences.
Is youth mentoring the same as general support work?
There can be overlap. Youth mentoring places particular emphasis on the relationship, positive role modelling and helping the young person build confidence through shared experiences. Families should ask each provider how mentoring is delivered rather than relying on the label alone.
What if the young person is not ready to work on a goal?
The mentor may need to begin with rapport and a familiar, low-pressure activity. Once trust develops, the young person may be more willing to try something new. Support should still have direction, but the pace needs to make sense for the person.
Does Kickstart support younger children as well as young adults?
Yes. Kickstart provides youth-focused support for children, young people and young adults aged 8–30. The activity, communication style and level of guidance are adjusted for the person’s age, goals and needs.