Bankstown Sports Club recently supported the Raise Foundation by providing $25,964 in funding through the ClubGRANTS scheme, to help facilitate their youth mentoring program at Canterbury Boys High School.

In Australia, young people are experiencing increased challenges that impact their mental health, and yet so many don’t have someone they can go to for support. Studies show that one in five young people feel lonely most, or all, of the time, three in ten find it hard to turn to friends and family if they needed help and suicide is one of the leading causes of death for young people across the globe.

Since 2008, the Raise Foundation has delivered over 1,000 early intervention, evidence-based youth mentoring programs in schools across Australia. The young people in the program are supported over two school terms by a trained volunteer community mentor and qualified program counsellor, to achieve positive outcomes in social and emotional wellbeing, mental health and school engagement.

Representatives from Bankstown Sports Club were recently invited to attend the graduation ceremony at the culmination of the program where they had the opportunity to meet both participants and the fantastic team of volunteer mentors to learn about how the program has positively impacted their wellbeing.

This program highlights the fantastic work of volunteers within the Canterbury-Bankstown community, who give their time to support and mentor others.