Council on the Ageing (COTA) Victoria is extending its mentor program for people 50+ to become a mentor in order to support family and friend carers on their training and employment pathway.

Mentors and mentees will be provided with training on becoming a mentor and on training and employment pathways.

We are looking for both mentors and mentees in the northern and western metropolitan suburbs of Melbourne.

What’s involved?

COTA Victoria’s program is specifically for carers aged 50+ who are looking for work to enable them to find properly paid and sustainable work and become financially secure and reduce social isolation and loneliness. This program focuses on a preventative and practical approach that empowers carers who may have been out of the workforce for several years due to their caring role, providing them with the tools and support they need to either re-train or find paid work.

Using a co-design model, COTA Victoria engages and trains individuals with lived experience to mentor and provide peer support to carers who are looking for work.

Why should I become a mentor?

Becoming a mentor will allow you to use your professional skills and lived experience to support carers in your local community. We will provide free professional development training to you on how to become a mentor and expand on your community leadership skills.

The mentor training program focuses on a range of topics and will give you the tools and resources you need to coach your mentee on their vocational and employment pathway.

We are looking for you if you are:

• Passionate about supporting family/friend carers to get back into the workforce.
• Looking to enhance your own mentoring skills.
• Willing to participate in facilitated mentor training (face-to-face or online) delivered by COTA Victoria.
• Are available 4 hours per month to support your mentee for a minimum of 6 months.
• Prepared to travel to the northern or western suburbs of Melbourne.

To become a mentor, please fill in our expression of interest form and our Programs Support Officer will get back to you shortly.

Why should I become a mentee?

If you are currently unemployed and caring for someone (or have cared for someone) with a disability, mental health condition or frail and aged, we are keen to support you to either re-train or find sustainable work. We will provide you with training to help you understand your own strengths and skills and what your goals are and enable you to find the supports you need to reach your goals. We will match you with a professional mentor to support you on your employment pathway to either re-train, volunteer or find paid work.

You can join the program as a mentee, if you are:

• Looking for support to help you find suitable training or paid work.
• Willing to participate in facilitated group training (face-to-face or online) delivered by COTA Victoria.
• Available 4 hours per month to meet up with your mentor for a minimum of 6 months..
• Living in the northern or western suburbs of Melbourne.

To become a mentee, please fill in our expression of interest form and our Programs Support Officer will get back to you shortly.

Key dates

Date	Activity
April/May 2023	Mentor/Mentee Applications Open for 2023 program
May/June 2023	Mentor and Mentee Induction and Training
June 2023	Mentor/Mentee Matching
June – Dec 2023	Mentorship support

Contact us

For more information contact the Programs Support Officer, Sue Poscic at COTA Victoria directly on 03 9655 2120 or via email SPoscic@cotavic.org.au