Let’s get to know Max

Max is our first mentor at Pathfinders Specialised Mentoring Program. He’s a young adult (28) with Certificate III in Commercial Cookery, Statement of Attainment in Accidental Counselling, First Aid, 200hr YTT (Yoga) and a Bachelor of Arts (sociology).

His hobbies and interests are playing guitar, listening to music, reading history, physics and classical literature, writing and drawing, weights, running, yoga, bushwalking and riding bikes.

I became a mentor because I feel like youngsters need an adult
who is willing to listen to their problems.

What skills can you share with young people during mentoring and how would this benefit young people?

My skills are varied and I enjoy sharing everything I know with the young people I spend time with. I can teach young people about a balanced diet and how to cook within a budget. This is a very important skill and can greatly benefit young people for the rest of their lives.

I love to exercise and share my accumulated knowledge of the body and how it functions. I like to share this knowledge with an emphasis on mindfulness and being present with how their body feels. This is important as so many people feel disconnected with their body and this can lead to illnesses being ignored. A love for exercise is an important feeling to foster for the future.

I can help young people with their assignments and show them how to write and structure essays. This can aid young people in future studies.

I know how to do basic maintenance on vehicles, for older youth this will be invaluable for their future and save them money.

Why did you become a mentor?

I became a mentor because I feel like youngsters need an adult who is willing to listen to their problems. I do not pretend to always have the answers, but having someone who has been there or someone willing to be 100% with you is often better than a solution. I remember what it was like to be young and it was not always easy and to help young people take that load off for a while is the best reason I can think of.

What do you think young people get out of mentoring?

When a young person chooses to engage with a mentor, they get someone who isn’t their usual guy. This means they have someone to open up to with no strings attached! They also get a solid support foundation from their mentor which leads them to feeling better and more assured of themselves. Ultimately, young people who engage often with a mentor receive an increased self-esteem, a furthered appreciation of life and an easier path through their issues.

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