Author/publication Year/publication type | Type of program | Program location | Target population | No. of participants | Program aim | Mentoring strategies | Publication classification/Quality of study design | Outcomes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dawes & Dawes, 2005 Journal Article | Mentoring program for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander offenders | Detention Centre | Young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men | 48 | Successful transition of students back into their family and wider communities | Mentors trained, including cultural awareness | Program description | Positive relationships |
 |  | Far North Queensland |  |  |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  | Volunteer mentors |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  | Mentee choice of mentors |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  | Reduce reoffending behaviour and establish links to further education and employment pathways |  |  | |
 |  |  |  |  | Matched on interests |  |  | |
 |  |  |  |  | One-on-one weekly |  |  | |
 |  |  |  |  | Role-modelling |  |  | |
 |  |  |  |  | Listening |  |  | |
 |  |  |  |  | Relationship building activities e.g. chess, fishing |  |  | |
 |  |  |  |  | Literacy, numeracy; vocationally-oriented curriculum (building and construction, art, horticulture, hospitality) |  |  | |
 |  |  |  |  | Links to, and support of Education Queensland |  |  | |
 |  |  |  |  | Funding Education Queensland and Cleveland Education & Training Centre |  |  | |
Burgess & Dyer, 2009 Journal Article | Workplace Mentoring Program | University of Newcastle NSW | Indigenous Australian university trainees | 13 | Assist Indigenous job seekers enter the mainstream workforce | 12 month Indigenous paid traineeship: combination of study, hands-on-learning and formal and peer mentoring | Original Research | University Certificates. |
Descriptive | 12/20 completions: 8/20 completions with university employment; 4/20 completions with external university employment | |||||||
Strong | ||||||||
Trained mentors (cultural awareness) | ||||||||
One-on-one mentoring | ||||||||
Mentors matched to gender and ethnicity | ||||||||
Voluntary participation | ||||||||
Flexible to the needs of mentees | ||||||||
Partnerships with local Indigenous communities and community organisations | ||||||||
Volunteer external mentors | ||||||||
Psychological, role-modelling, counselling, acceptance/confirmation, friendship, career development | ||||||||
Funding the University of Newcastle | ||||||||
Paase & Adams, 2011 Journal Article | Indigenous peer mentoring program | Chronic disease prevention | Indigenous people living in the inner suburbs of west Melbourne | Not reported | Developing a mentoring model to improve the health of Indigenous people | Consultation with Local Indigenous people | Program Description | Smoking cessation |
Skill acquisition | ||||||||
Melbourne | ||||||||
Voluntary participation (mentees) | Increased expression of identity | |||||||
Built on existing strengths | ||||||||
Tailored to local needs and culture | Reduction in cultural isolation | |||||||
Local knowledge linked with existing services and programs | ||||||||
Partnerships with organisations | ||||||||
Group mentoring | ||||||||
Indigenous program team, peer mentors and peers locally employed | ||||||||
Formal & informal mentoring | ||||||||
Volunteer mentors | ||||||||
Trained peer mentors (as mentors and skill development); ongoing support | ||||||||
Matched cultural/socio-economic background and/or interests | ||||||||
Tribal Warriors, 2011 Journal Article | Post-release mentoring program for young Aboriginal offenders | Redfern Community | Aboriginal young people (7-25 years) recently released from correctional centres | 50 participants | Encourage education, self-respect and independence (post-release) for young Aboriginal offenders | Mentors walk with mentees through many aspects of life e.g. appointments etc. | Program Description | Developed a mentoring certificate course.Decreased re-offending including decrease of 80% in men charged with robbery |
Redfern, NSW | ||||||||
One-on-one mentoring | ||||||||
Elder leadership | ||||||||
Elder and police collaboration | ||||||||
Police-mentee and police-community liaison | ||||||||
Improved relationships between police and the Aboriginal community | ||||||||
Paid mentors | ||||||||
Mentors trained, including cultural awareness | ||||||||
Training, employment and education opportunities e.g. Certified maritime training | ||||||||
Health and wellbeing training including family violence, substance abuse, fitness | ||||||||
Cultural participation | ||||||||
Funded by Department of Community Services; Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs; Centrelink; Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations | ||||||||
Nasir, 2008 Conference Paper | Mentoring program for Indigenous apprentices | Group training organisation – public sector Not reported | Indigenous apprentices | 10 Indigenous apprentices, 4 field officers, 2 group training organisation managers, 3 host employer supervisors and 1 trainer | To improve the recruitment, retention and completion of apprenticeships by Indigenous Australians | Mentors recruited into the organisation | Original research | Critiqued for being ineffective |
Descriptive | ||||||||
Untrained, unsupported mentors | Weak | |||||||
Appointed mentors | ||||||||
Mentors have dual roles in the organisation | ||||||||
One-on-one mentoring | ||||||||
Funding local training organisation | ||||||||
MacCallum, Beltman & Palmer, 2005 Conference Paper | National Indigenous Mentoring Pilots Project | Secondary Schools; detention centres; residential schools 53 sites across Australia | Indigenous high school students | 53 sites 483 mentees 332 mentors | To trial mentoring approaches to improve literacy, numeracy, attendance and participation of high school students. | One-on-one mentoring | Original Research Descriptive Strong | Mentees: Increased self-confidence and self-esteem; school attendance; retention; and participation in classroom tasks |
Trained volunteer mentors | ||||||||
1 hour per week | ||||||||
Exposure to employment pathways, community work and further education | ||||||||
To raise students’ expectations of success and the expectations of their parents and teachers | ||||||||
Enhanced valuing of school and connections between school and work | ||||||||
Awards Celebrations | ||||||||
Life skills | ||||||||
Role-modelling | ||||||||
Identity building | Increased ability to solve personal and social problems | |||||||
Motivational speakers | ||||||||
Social activities- fishing, gardening, dance, art, sport, camps | Development of leadership and life skills | |||||||
Reconciliatory approach | ||||||||
Improved relationships with, and between peers, teachers and family members | ||||||||
Vocational educational experiences | ||||||||
Recognition of Indigeneity | ||||||||
Improved literacy and numeracy | ||||||||
Respectful relationships | ||||||||
Mentor humour | Mentors: improved knowledge of Indigenous culture and youth issues; development of strong relationships with students; enhanced personal development and self-esteem. | |||||||
Involvement of families and communities | ||||||||
Genealogy program | ||||||||
Networking for employment | ||||||||
Funding Department of Education, Science & Training | ||||||||
School and Community: enhanced links between school and community; increased involved of families in school; awareness of, and access to local Indigenous role-models; development of inter-school relationships; positive contact between Indigenous and non-Indigenous families. | ||||||||
Stacey, 2004 Report | Panyappi Indigenous youth mentoring service | Indigenous Youth Mentoring Program South Australia | Indigenous youth ‘at-risk’ at of being a victim of crime or engaging in offending behaviour. | 30 Urban (inner city) Indigenous youth 10-17 years | To intervene in pathways of offending behaviour | Works from a development perspective | Original Research | Marked change in offending behaviour |
Family-inclusive approach | Descriptive | |||||||
To decrease each young participant’s contact with the juvenile justice system and/or agencies associated with this system. | Attitude shift | |||||||
Accredited trained paid mentors including cultural awareness | ||||||||
Strong | ||||||||
Decreased frequency of offending | ||||||||
Mentor support and supervision | ||||||||
Increased self-belief, and personal and cultural identity | ||||||||
To promote self-discovery and self-determination by young people participating in the program their family and wider community | Formal longer-term mentoring | |||||||
Referrals but voluntary | ||||||||
participation | Reduced stress | |||||||
Cultural fit | Decreased contact with the juvenile justice system | |||||||
Developing a positive, caring and non- | ||||||||
judgemental relationship | Reduced formal cautions, court orders, family conferences and convictions | |||||||
One-on-one intensive support – 15-20 hrs/wk | ||||||||
Building networks of support around the individual – schools, youth health, welfare | ||||||||
Services enabled to work better with young people and their families | ||||||||
Support of external agencies | ||||||||
Group strategies | ||||||||
Mentoring beyond the trouble period | ||||||||
Role-modelling | ||||||||
Accompanying mentees to appointments | ||||||||
Access to education, training and recreation | ||||||||
Genealogy program | ||||||||
Mentoring timeframe 2-17 months | ||||||||
Art program | ||||||||
Encouraging relationships with family, parents and community | ||||||||
Enabling opportunities to experience success | ||||||||
Tutoring | ||||||||
Life skills | ||||||||
Providing a safe environment | ||||||||
Funding Attorney Generals Department | ||||||||
Brereton &Taufatofua, 2010 Report | Indigenous Australian Mentoring Programs in employment | Workplaces Australia-wide | Indigenous Australians | Not relevant | Overview of Indigenous mentoring programs across Australia aimed at increasing participation in employment | Tailored to individual needs | Review Descriptive | Only ‘expected’ outcomes reported |
Flexibility of the workplace | ||||||||
Resources, training and support for the mentor and mentee | ||||||||
Cultural awareness training for Indigenous and non-Indigenous mentors | ||||||||
Acknowledging difference | ||||||||
Incorporating and valuing local knowledge | ||||||||
Experiential learning | ||||||||
Formal evaluation for program improvement | ||||||||
Role-modelling | ||||||||
Links to support resources and services | ||||||||
Appropriate empathy and listening skills | ||||||||
Accountability and reliability of mentors and mentees | ||||||||
Developing rapport and building trust | ||||||||
Setting and reaching goals for the mentee | ||||||||
Bridging closure to the relationship | ||||||||
Funding not relevant | ||||||||
Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience, 2009 Report | Youth Mentoring into Education | Australian secondary schools | Indigenous secondary school students Years 9-12 | 4 universities; 13 staff; 325 mentees; 500 mentors; 30 high schools | Increase Year 10 & 12 progression rates | One-on-one mentoring | Case Report | Increases across progressions for Years 9-10 (88% AIME compared to 81% National); Years 10-11 (81% AIME compared to 59% National); Years 11-12 (92% AIME compared to 63% National) |
Descriptive | ||||||||
Increase Year 12 to university progression | Voluntary participation | |||||||
East Coast of Australia | ||||||||
Voluntary mentors | ||||||||
Work with 6000 Indigenous secondary school students by 2020 | ||||||||
1 hour/wk for17 week intensive program | ||||||||
Learning Centres | ||||||||
Community & University Engagement | ||||||||
Increases Year 12 completion (73% AIME compared 60% National) | ||||||||
Role-models | ||||||||
Shared social activities | ||||||||
Increases Year 12 to university (38% AIME compared to 1.25% National) | ||||||||
Funding partners (Universities), philanthropic organisations, in-kind support, fund-raising | ||||||||
Linking in mentees family and community | ||||||||
Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience, 2010 Report | Youth Mentoring into Education | Australian secondary schools East Coast of Australia | Indigenous secondary school students Years 9-12 | 7 universities; 388 mentees | Increase Year 10 & 12 progression rates | One-on-one mentoring | Case Report Descriptive | Increases across progressions for Years 9-10 (88% AIME compared to 91.5% National); Years 10-11 (87% AIME compared to 74% National); Years 11-12 (86% AIME compared to |
Increase Year 12 to university progression | ||||||||
Work with 6000 Indigenous secondary school students by 2020 | ||||||||
 | Voluntary participation | |||||||
Voluntary mentors | ||||||||
1 hour/wk for17 week | ||||||||
intensive program | ||||||||
Learning Centres | ||||||||
66.7% National) Increases Year 12 completion (100% AIME compared 71.8% National) | ||||||||
Community & University Engagement | ||||||||
Role-models | ||||||||
Shared social activities | Increases Year 12 to university (38% AIME compared to 10% National) | |||||||
Funding partners (Universities), philanthropic organisations, in-kind support, fund-raising | ||||||||
Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience, 2011 Report | Youth Mentoring into Education | Australian secondary schools | Indigenous secondary school students Years 9-12 | 10 universities;30 staff; 566 mentees | Increase Year 10 & 12 progression rates | One-on-one mentoring | Case Report Descriptive | Â |
Voluntary participation | ||||||||
Increase Year 12 to university progression | Voluntary mentors | |||||||
East Coast of Australia | ||||||||
Work with 6000 Indigenous secondary school students by 2020 | 1 hour/wk for17 week intensive program | |||||||
Learning Centres | ||||||||
Community & University Engagement | ||||||||
Role-models | ||||||||
Shared social activities | ||||||||
Funding partners (Universities), philanthropic organisations, in-kind support, fund-raising | ||||||||
Department of Local Government, 1999 Report | Aboriginal Political Mentoring Program | Local Councils | Local Aboriginal community members | 27 participants | Encourage Aboriginal people to run for local elections | Voluntary participation by mentees but selection process | Original Research | Not able to be definitively assessed: Increased political participation - 11/27 ran for election and 2 were elected |
Kyogle Area NSW | ||||||||
Intervention Research | ||||||||
Educate the Aboriginal community on the local government process and the importance of Aboriginal input into local government | ||||||||
Strong | ||||||||
Mentors - existing relationships with mentee and Aboriginal community; understanding of Aboriginal culture; vast experience of local government and supervision | Increases across progressions for Years 9-10 (97% AIME compared to 91.5% National); Years 10-11 (92.6% AIME compared to 74% National); Years 11-12 (79% AIME compared to 66.7% National) | |||||||
Mutual matching | ||||||||
One-on-one mentoring but multiple mentors | ||||||||
Increases Year 12 completion (87.5% AIME compared 71.8% National) | ||||||||
Supported in political activities and social support | Increases Year 12 to university (35.7% AIME compared to 10% National) | |||||||
6 months + relationship | ||||||||
Funding Department of Local Government NSW | ||||||||
PASS Australia 2012 Web Page | Mentoring Program for Indigenous students in years 10, 11 and 12 | Secondary Schools Queensland | Indigenous secondary school students | 525 students in 2011 | To improve the lives of Indigenous Youth, through Education, Leadership and Mentoring, by providing them with the tools to become strong community leaders for the future | Group and one-on-one mentoring | Program Description | Program graduations |
Voluntary participation (mentees) Paid mentors | Vocational qualification - TAFE Certificates | |||||||
1 day per week for 2 years | ||||||||
Indigenous and non-Indigenous mentors | ||||||||
Paid employment | ||||||||
Exposure to employment pathways, community work and further education | ||||||||
6-9 Merit points towards School Certificate | ||||||||
Cultural program | ||||||||
Sports program | ||||||||
Career Pathways Program | ||||||||
Leadership | ||||||||
Education to employment transitioning | ||||||||
Industry work experience | ||||||||
Industry, community and school partners | ||||||||
Awards Celebrations | ||||||||
Funding Department of Education, Employment & Workplace Relations | ||||||||
New South Wales Government, 2010 Web Page | Workplace Mentoring Program for Aboriginal people working in the NSW public sector | Public Sector NSW | Aboriginal people working in the NSW public sector | Not relevant | Mentoring guidelines to improve employment, training and career development opportunities for Aboriginal people in the NSW public sector | Modelling desirable behaviours and attitudes | Program Description | Not relevant |
One-on-one mentoring | ||||||||
Helping the mentee understand the values of the agency | ||||||||
Actively listening to the mentee | ||||||||
Sharing your own relevant stories and experiences | ||||||||
Helping the mentee to identify their goals | ||||||||
Providing opportunities for learning and reflection | ||||||||
Understanding of cultural obligations | ||||||||
Encouraging the mentee to develop new skills | ||||||||
Offering career advice | ||||||||
Guiding the mentee to achieve objectives | ||||||||
Providing insights into the culture of the agency | ||||||||
Offering constructive feedback; and providing regular encouragement | ||||||||
Funding NSW Government | ||||||||
Show Me The Way Mentoring 2011 Web Page | Online mentoring program for Indigenous students | Schools NSW | Young Indigenous students in school or in school-based traineeships | 14 students in 2010 | To encourage Indigenous students to stay at school and go on to tertiary education. | Program matched to government policy | Program Description | New program - not reported |
 |  |  |  | 29 school-based trainees 2011 |  | Technology-driven mentoring strategies – online face-to-face mentoring contact; development of career videos |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  | To self-empower Indigenous students to understand what's involved in developing a career path in conjunction with learning/mentoring partners with real world experience. |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  | Mentor training including cultural training |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  | Voluntary participation (mentors/mentees) |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  | Mentor competency tested |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  | 30 mins/fortnight minimum participation |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  | Video workshops (careers and trades) |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  | One-on-one mentoring |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  | Role-modelling |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  | Matched mentoring to student needs |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  | Tailored to Indigenous youth |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  | Flexibility that meets the needs of individual students |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  | Minimal in-person face-to-face meeting |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  | Face-to-face literacy, numeracy and media literacy approaches; and training for students, teachers and corporate learning partners |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  | Professional program development |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  | Participation at school and home |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  | Partnerships students, school, staff and community |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  | Laptops supplied to students for access and engagement |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  | Implemented discretely, and in conjunction with existing school programs |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  | Continuous quality improvement strategies embedded in the program |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  | Reward system for participation |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  | Funding – charitable organisation and corporate partners |  |  |