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ABOUT VME

Now in its fourth year, 2023 will see the Exchange maturing, shifting its focus from development to activation of its 70+ volunteers, strengthening the regional mentoring network, and working to secure long-term sustainability.

  • About – Insight– VME intro

    Vocational Mentoring Exchange (VME)

    The Inner Northern LLEN is excited to continue coordinating the Exchange, its associated programs and professional network. It will be an exciting year but also one of yet more change as we add a new mentoring stream, continue to grapple with the impacts of COVID-19 and for school-based programs, the shift from VCAL to a new applied learning curriculum that is embedded in the VCE – VCE Vocational Major.

How it all began

The genesis for the Vocational Mentoring Exchange came from the 2015 work of the Inner Northern Youth Employment Taskforce (INLLEN & partners). Further research in 2016 undertaken by the Inner North Community Foundation (INCF) explored opportunities to enhance and scale up youth mentoring across Melbourne’s inner north.

Research and Pilot Project

In 2017, the Inner Northern LLEN partnered with NORTH Link and secured a Victorian Government Innovation Fund grant to run a pilot program. With 10 VCAL students from Sydney Road Community School and Brunswick High School, and support from 8 volunteer mentors, the VME Mentoring Matters program was born. The 10-week program had immediate impacts on the destination of those young people.

Partnerships and Funding

In 2019, to get the VME established, INLLEN partnered with EdConnect Australia and secured funding from the Ian Potter Foundation to establish the school-based VME Mentoring Matters program. The INLLEN secured additional seed funding from the Inner North Community Foundation, Clifton Hill North Fitzroy Community Bank and Bob Eatt Foundation.

With the original seed funding from the Ian Potter Foundation coming to an end in 2022, we farewell and thank the Foundation and EdConnect Australia for their support.

INLLEN continues to seek additional funding that will enable the Exchange to broaden its reach and ensure its long-term sustainability.

If you, or anyone you are connected with, is able to provide financial support, please contact Rochelle Darby, INLLEN [email protected]

Implementation

Despite the challenges wrought by COVID-19 in 2020-2022, the Exchange has continued to grow, recruiting an amazing group of volunteers and passionate partners to now encompass four streams of school and community-based mentoring programs.

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Vocational Mentoring Exchange

711

Young People

2041

Mentoring Hours

41

Programs

112

Mentors

Volunteer Mentors

Our incredible bank of 70+ volunteer mentors come from a diverse range of professional and personal backgrounds, gender and age. This opportunity to give back or pay forward not only positively impacts themselves and their mentees but also the communities they live in.

School and Community Program Partners

VME’s school and 4 community partners collectively delivered 28 mentoring programs in 2021/22. This incredibly passionate group of professionals have welcomed mentors into their classrooms and organisations, embedding vocational mentoring in their curriculum and programs. Their ongoing support and dedication to improving outcomes for their students and young people truly brings the Exchange to life.

Local Industry Support

Our school-based mentoring programs have also enjoyed support from local businesses like The Post Office Hotel, Show Works, Silver Lynx Furniture and many more who have already hosted 40+ industry excursions and committed to more. This rare opportunity to explore new and different industries and hear from a range of staff about their role, profession, organisation, and industry is highly valued by students and teachers alike.

Sustainability

In this severely under resourced sector, the INLLEN and project partners are working to secure the long-term sustainability of the Exchange beyond 2023.

We sincerely thank the Inner Northern LLEN, Inner North Community Foundation, Northern Metropolitan Partnerships/Department of Jobs Precincts and Regions and Bendigo Bank Clifton Hill/North Fitzroy for re-committing to funding in 2023.

2024 Partners

We also acknowledge the fabulous support of our founding partners, EdConnect Australia, the Ian Potter Foundation and Bob Eatt Foundation who have all had such an impact on the development of the Exchange.

2022 - 23 Partners

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