Connection, challenge, and change: the narratives of university students mentoring young Indigenous Australians

Authors

Sarah O'Shea, University of WollongongFollow
Valerie Harwood, University of WollongongFollow
Lisa Kervin, University of WollongongFollow
Nici Humphry, University of WollongongFollow

RIS ID

86144

Publication Details

O'Shea, S., Harwood, V., Kervin, L. & Humphry, N. (2013). Connection, challenge, and change: the narratives of university students mentoring young Indigenous Australians. Mentoring and Tutoring, 21 (4), 392-411.

Abstract

In this article, we highlighted the stories of university student mentors who are involved in the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME). The AIME program works with young Indigenous school students, at primary and secondary school levels, to encourage continued participation in education and to consider university as a viable life goal. The AIME program is explored from the perspective of the university students who are selected to mentor young Australian Indigenous school students. Adopting a narrative inquiry approach, the article presents richly descriptive insight into the motivations of these mentors and highlights how this experience has impacted upon them. While the research presented focuses on narratives of mentors, the data indicate that the AIME program employs an innovative approach to mentoring that enhances cultural understanding for mentors.