Mentoring

Pride In Action

We aren’t going to sugar coat this one. Our Mentoring Services are aimed at helping turn around children where nothing else has helped.

Government agencies are often seen as an ambulance at the bottom of the cliff for kids in need. We aim to be there for the kids who are standing at the edge of the cliff.

It doesn’t matter why a child has arrived at that point, the consequences of our most at risk children not getting the help they need are a major, ongoing cost to the individual, their families and communities and the country as a whole.

It often starts with disruptions at school, which lead to truancy and expulsion. With time on their hands these children can spiral into antisocial behaviour, low level crime and drugs, and being chased by government agencies and the police. Without help, unemployment, jail and even suicide are possible end results.

The good news is that Pride Lands can help!

We’ve turned around the lives of many young people since we launched the mentoring service in April 2020.

SPONSOR A MENTOR TO HELP A CHILD OR YOUTH

Pride in School

We provide our Mentoring Services where the child needs them most.

For many of the children that we work with, the impacts of their behaviours are felt most at school, so this is where we provide our Pride in School Mentoring. We start working with the child where they are most comfortable, in the playground, playing fields or gardens. We get to know the child, work out what situations they can cope with and what triggers them, and begin to coach them how to moderate their own behaviour.

As it becomes possible, we slowly integrate them back into the classroom, and help guide them when playing and working with their classmates.

We aim to get the child to the point where their behaviour allows them to take part in their class without us being there, and give their teachers and other support staff an insight into how best to work with the child to get good outcomes for everyone.

Pride in the City

It’s really common for the children we work with to have been suspended or expelled from school when we first meet them.

This is usually down to them having challenges or behaviours that are excessively disruptive to their class and school, or that make the school environment unsafe for themselves or other children.

These are the kids that we see as being at the most risk, the ones that most need our help.

As a result we put together what we call Pride in the City. We set up our head office in Central Wellington to function as a “school away from school” for the cubs we mentor. They come to us, or we pick them up, and they spend all or part of the day with their dedicated mentor, doing a mixture of school work, fun and play. We use regular “brain breaks”, and healthy snacks as rewards for periods of good concentration and work, and help the children develop self-awareness of what helps them learn well.

We also do regular, very varied field trips into the city, and while most kids think these are great fun, they let us see what situations they can and can’t handle well, and are a key part of our process of resocialising them.

Pride at Home

Filling the gaps between mentoring at school and our office.

The beauty of Pride at Home is being able to go into a young person’s home to implement routine and structure that helps alleviate pressure on them and their family, to help them function well together and enjoy each other’s company and time.

It also gives us the opportunity to give parents and their wider families some advice on how to manage the mentee and hopefully take charge of the mentoring role and not need us anymore, as the young person develops their self-confidence and positive outlook on life.

We often use Pride at Home as the final stage of helping a young person. We work with them via Pride in the City till they can go back to school. Then we use Pride in School to help them ensure that their transition back to school is a success. Finally, we go into their home to help them and their family build a solid foundation for the future.

The end game

There is no better outcome for us than getting a child to the point where they no longer need our Mentoring services.

For kids that use our Pride in the City service, the goal is to get them to the point where they can go back to school. If needed, we stay with them as they make the transition to school, to help them and their teacher make the process as smooth and successful as possible.

For Pride in School support, when the cub has the strategies, techniques and self awareness that they need to be happy in class our work is done. We also try to pass on to teachers and support staff the key things we’ve learnt about the child during our time with them – what helps them cope, and what makes things harder for them.

For Pride at Home, everyone in the family can tell when the domestic situation starts to calm down and work better. Once the young person and their family shift from behaviour patterns and interactions that were causing issues to ones that are positive for everyone, we know our job is done.

Pride Internships are an option for kids that need a bit more support, and a structured exit plan as they graduate from other Pride Lands services. Interns help out at Pride Lands and gain work experience and valuable leadership and life skills. We also help out with CV’s and job applications for interns that are moving on from Pride Lands.

Our Mentors

Our Mentoring Services are provided by our very best staff members that have the most experience with challenged children. Mentors have the skills and techniques needed to build a rapport with these often difficult cubs, and work with them effectively to turn their lives around.

Moses who set up Pride Lands was the original Mentor, but as a “child whisperer”, he instinctively knew what help and support would work for at risk cubs. Over the years, and with expert help, he has refined a process for finding staff members to work with who have the core personality traits and understanding needed to be a great Mentor. He has also slowly built a way to teach trainee Mentors the skills and techniques that let them work with, help and support the children in their care.

Being a Mentor at Pride Lands is the top rung of our helping children “ladder”, and is usually preceded by many years of working with the larger groups of cubs at our Before and After School Care and Holiday Programmes, and progressing on to providing our One-on-One Support Services.

Here at Pride Lands we are all about doing the very best we can for the children who come to us.

Where?

At the child’s school, at our head office in Central Wellington, or wherever else the child needs us.

When?

This service is available every day of the week (Monday to Sundays) including public holidays.

Who?

5 – 17 year olds.

How much?

$36 per hour ($50.91 per hour on Public Holidays). Additional cost apply for transport and some field trips Discounts are available, see Our Fees page.

Transport options?

If our Mentor is travelling to and from where the child is (school or home) we charge our normal Shuttle Service rate for one person. For transport with the child, our standard transport options are available (see Shuttle Services).

Enrolling a child for Mentoring.

Because we need to get a detailed insight into children that might benefit from our Mentoring Services you can’t enrol a child using our standard enrolment platform, or you can download, print and fill in an enrolment form using the button below.

Mentoring - Application Form