Ignite and Empower Mentoring Program
We are calling allied health professionals, teachers or skill specific coaches to mentor and support our instructors to be the best they can be, ignite their skills and make a life changing difference.
Mentors
AUA instructors develop expertise in a range of formal and informal ways. While formal courses provide a good foundation, our instructors also need to learn ‘on the job’ either on their own or ideally with someone more experienced such as an allied health professional, teacher or skill specific coach in cycling, swimming, movement, skateboarding, athletics or surfing.
“Behind every successful person, there is one elementary truth; somewhere, somehow, someone cared about their growth and development; this person was their mentor.”
(Kaye 1997).
Purpose of mentoring
By joining as a mentor with your knowledge and experiences, you will be able to:
encourage and support our instructors who are building the capability, skills and confidence of children with diverse abilities to learn cycling, swimming, skateboarding and fundamental movement
open up opportunities for them within the profession of inclusive sports coaching, teaching, disability support, allied health and sports management
build their leadership, inclusion support, communication support, working with families and other skills.
Mentors we need
While a good level of experience is a key attribute within the mentor community, we are also looking for leaders who are able to provide our instructors with a rich experience and a holistic knowledge base from all walks of life.
Mentors with the following qualities and skills (not all required):
Qualifications in cycling, swimming, skateboarding, surfing, athletics or specific sports coach or currently in training.
Qualifications in education (particularly special education) or currently in training.
Allied health qualifications or currently in training (Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Exercise Physiology, Speech Pathology, Dietetics).
Social work or psychology skills and experience working with children with diverse needs and their families.
Mentors with the following experience:
Delivering and assisting with a range of coaching activities that are high-quality, enjoyable and focused on the needs of participants.
Regularly giving, asking for and acting upon feedback to/from peers, mentors or others for your own self-reflection, growth and development.
Supporting the development and progression of others, through either formal management, mentoring roles or informal support.
Building collaborative relationships with others (both face-to-face and virtually) that support the sharing of practice, ideas and experiences through questioning and listening skills.
Mentors with the following attitude and lifestyle:
Committing 5 hours on Saturday mornings for 8-week terms (4 terms) and personal energy over a 12 month period.
A willingness to attend a training day.
Being prepared to share your own challenges, opportunities and experiences with others for the purposes of collective learning and reflection.
Wanting to develop the practice of the inclusive sport coaching community as a whole.
Being a positive role model who is able to motivate and encourage more children with diverse needs and their families to participate in cycling, swimming, skateboarding or community sport for recreation, fitness and competition.
A passion for inclusion.
An understanding of the importance of diversity and inclusion within coaching.
Skills in augmented language aids, sign language or disability specific support skills.
A desire and commitment to empowering the lives of young people.
A drive to building community capacity.
The following experience would also be really valuable but is not a requirement:
Prior experience of being a mentee or mentor in any context.
Social media, online networking and marketing.
Leadership and collaborative working within the cycling, skateboarding, swimming or other community sport, particularly in the area of disability inclusion.
How mentoring works
“Mentoring is where an instructor is being guided towards acquiring new knowledge, feedback, ideas, or advice by a more knowledgeable and experienced person who has both sporting and mentoring credibility”
What we can offer you?
An opportunity to make a difference.
A committed, connected team who cares and values inspiration.
A closed mentoring Facebook group to share knowledge and ideas, and to connect with other mentors.
A mentor guide and AUA training support.
After 200 hours of mentoring a mentor, you will receive an award presented at our annual Gala Awards Night.
How much time will I need to commit to the program?
Your initial engagement in the programme will be for 12 months. Over this period we estimate you will need to commit to on the ground support for 8 Saturdays per school term and outside mentoring as required.
As a coach you are also asked to engage in AUA training including a leadership development morning.
What will happen once I have been accepted?
We will provide you with an information pack on AUA Mentoring, match you with an instructor and provide guidance as to when training will occur.