Future Foundations is a recognised charity founded in early 2011. We are committed to empowering the lives of young people through community arts programs and creative mentoring. Participants complete the program with new and enhanced creative and life skills, and the confidence to achieve their goals.
As a Creative Mentor with Future Foundations, you will be responsible for mentoring a child between 9-13 years old to help bring their creative vision to light, whether it be a painting, drawing, poetry or a short film. Creative skills are highly valued. However, it is more important to be a positive role model.
Roles and Responsibilities
- Attendance and participation in the full program; group outings, workshops, meetings, training & closing of the mentor program
- Helps Mentees to identify and achieve goals
- Be a positive role model and coach
- Build mutual respect and instil trust
- Focus on building and encouraging self-esteem
- Distinguishes between facilitating options and solving problems
- Maintains confidentiality and sets clear boundaries in line with the program
- Not expected or encouraged to engage with the Mentee outside the established program
Skills and Experience
- Creative skills in visual, artistic or music forum
- Exceptional ability to genuinely listen and understand
- Advanced communication skills
- Kind, patient, caring, sensitive
- Empathetic and positive
- Reliable, committed and dedicated
- Punctual and trustworthy
- Non-judgmental and open-minded
- Shows honesty and integrity, and leads by example
- Shows self-awareness and knows own limitations
Your duties will include attendance at our initial mentor and mentee inductions and a Cultural Tour (art excursion) in Melbourne’s CBD. This will be followed by creative workshops every Saturday morning from 10:00AM – 1:00PM at either Lalor East Primary School or Noble Park Primary School, where your duties will be to work with your assigned Mentee as outlined above and to assist in set up and pack down.
You will also be required to attend and assist with the final Exhibition of the Mentees’ artworks. Training will be provided at a Training and Induction Session. You must be available to attend a Meet the Parents evening.
Program Workshop Responsibilities
- Mentors are assigned to 1 – 2 mentees, gender match where possible
- At the workshops, you should share your artistic/creative knowledge and experience. Help the children with their creative concept and how to reach the artistic outcome – what is the best way, introduce them skills and resources (e.g other artists work or way of doing things).
- Please be responsive to the Program Coordinator, please reply quickly even if it is a simple yes or no answer.
- If a Mentor can’t attend one week – let the Program Coordinator know, in advance and arrange for someone else to work with your mentee
- Don’t let your artistic direction overtake the child’s ideas, this is about the child feeling fully involved and having something that can be shown at the end for them to look back on
Future Foundation Policies
- Complete required documentation within the program including: a Volunteer Working with Children Check, Volunteer Police check and a completed Creative Mentor Application Form
- Evaluation process on an ongoing basis
- Liaison within the Future Foundations Program Coordinator
Completed Application
An application will be considered once it has been lodged online here: 2024 Future Foundations Mentor Application. Please get your application in to be considered, as waiting to obtain your Volunteer Working with Children Check and Volunteer Police Check can take some time.
Successful applicants will be contacted directly by one of the Future Foundations team.
Being a Creative Mentor in the Future Foundations Program gives you the opportunity to learn from young people from culturally diverse backgrounds, as well as the satisfaction of making a real difference in the life of a young person.