The interest in the program shown by the wider community and those who registered as mentors, was a clear indicator that South Australians recognise the value in those who have served and are genuinely invested in supporting them as they transition back into civilian life.
The Veterans Mentoring Program has officially concluded with a dynamic final event that highlighted and celebrated the success of the program.
The pilot program which launched in July last year, was developed to further enhance the professional capabilities of former Australian Defence Force members and enable them to confidently shape their next career pathway.
Following the announcement of the program in April 2021, Veterans SA was inundated with mentor registrations from professionals with a diverse range of experience who were keen to support the growth of those taking part in the program.
Veterans SA Director, Chantelle Bohan, said the pilot program had been well received by participating mentors and mentees who registered for the program.
“The interest in the program shown by the wider community and those who registered as mentors, was a clear indicator that South Australians recognise the value in those who have served and are genuinely invested in supporting them as they transition back into civilian life,” Ms Bohan said.
“It also takes a great deal of courage to put yourself out there and acknowledge that you could benefit from a program like this, and I commend all of our mentees for having the self-awareness and foresight to recognise this as a great opportunity for their personal growth.”
Some of the successes that have resulted from the program include:
- At least four participants have been successful in applying for and gaining meaningful employment, supported by coaching and connections provided by their mentor.
- One of the mentees was successful in their application for a scholarship after encouragement and guidance from their mentor.
- One of our mentees gained the confidence to grasp an opportunity to appear in media following encouragement and support in the development of presentation skills from their mentor.
Veterans SA has also received feedback from multiple participants indicating that they have experienced a significant shift in confidence and expanded knowledge of what additional supports are ‘out there’ as they continue their transition journey from defence.
The closing event also provided participants with the opportunity to network and continue to build relationships with industry leaders and professionals who support the veteran community. The feedback from these guests was that they walked away with a much deeper understanding of the unique and diverse capabilities that former ADF members can bring not only to the workplace but to the wider South Australian community.
An evaluation report will be provided to Veterans SA in the coming weeks that will assist in determining the appropriate path forward for the Veterans’ Mentoring Program.
The feedback from the participants at the closing event was captured by a graphic recorder, who created a visual map of the journey of our participants throughout the program.
