MENTORING FOR SURF THERAPY COACHES
“I have grown in self-confidence and ability to work towards my goals.”
Frentiese Davids, W4C mentee
““I am not the same person I was before having a SAYes mentor.” – W4C mentee.
Waves for Change Surf Therapy provides child-friendly mental health services for under resourced communities in South Africa. Surf therapy coaches, engaged from the communities they serve, are trained to deliver engaging mental health services in and out the water. Waves for Change supports their Surf Therapy coaches at many levels, including through partnership with SAYes, with one-to-one Mentoring.
The Waves for Change e-Mentorship Programme is focussed on layering and coordinating support for their young change makers, a crucial step in sustainable programming.
The Waves for Change e-Mentorship programme aims to improve resilience, independence and well-being among sport for mental health practitioners, who serve as powerful agents of community transformation. Mentors work with surf coaches to build transferable skills and competencies, supporting their personal and career progression through and beyond their role at Waves for change.
SAYes thoroughly prepares and supports independent volunteer mentors for the Waves for Change Programme, starting with a fit evaluation to understand if mentoring is the right social activation for them, providing extensive training in advance of the mentoring commencing and via regular touch points throughout the programme. Selected mentors attend a 24hr training course, and then connect with their mentee for a 9-month period, once a week on a video call. The programme includes monthly workshops, support groups, masterclasses and networking events for both mentors and mentees.
SAYes Mentoring offers real-world experience and scientific excellence in mentoring and behaviour change since 2008. We provide expert training, programming, support, and online tools for virtual volunteering for independent volunteers, companies, nonprofit organisations and governments all over the world.
Our Customised Partner Programmes for the youth sector are designed to improve the impact of the work youth organisations do by connecting your stakeholders (service users, patients, beneficiaries, students, and junior staff) to high-quality one-to-one formal mentorships. Mentoring offers high impact personal and professional growth for both mentors and mentees.
Mentors and mentees have access to the latest evidence-based tools, tactics and strategies – alongside courses, workgroups, support sessions, masterclasses and transition support throughout a programme cycle. Mentor mentee matches meet for one-hour a week over a nine-month programme cycle.
SAYes monitors programme rollout extensively, gathering weekly data on number of mentoring sessions, contact hours and challenges. We report quantitatively on this data at 3-month intervals, and provide additional qualitative analysis of meeting challenges and Individual Transition Plan content aggregated by domain. We also request programme ratings and reviews from participating youth partners.
2020 waves for change pilot PROGRAMME impact
SAYes evaluates programme impact both qualitatively and quantitively, providing a consolidated impact report at project completion. For all programmes we examine quantifiable changes in mentee decision-making and behaviour and the impact thereof on independence and well-being. Additional impact evaluations are available for programmes that introduce novel programme content.
“I used to plan without starting but now I follow my plan.”
W4C menTEE
“I have changed the way I see, think about, and take on situations and challenges in my life.”
W4C menTEE
“I used to feel lost -especially losing my job but now have explored options and focused on what I do want as opposed to what I could have lost and how to execute the tasks.”
W4C menTEE
Our hope is for you to become a powerful change-maker in society – a balanced and whole individual, taking care of yourself, your potential and your future, so that you are best positioned to inspire your community to do the same.
We are looking for movers, shakers and change-makers at Waves for Change – energetic and proactive surf coaches with the courage to plan, grow and develop, as well as a love for inspiring and uplifting others.
Mentoring profoundly changes lives. From relationships at home and at work to your sense of fulfilment, purpose, and enjoyment in life, the Waves for Change Mentoring Programme with SAYes will help you to design and action your personal transition plan (your life plan). You’ll work at your own pace, with the support of your own mentor, focused on improving your independence and well-being. Mentoring will help you discover what is next for you in life with a mentor to guide, champion and support you every step of the way.
2020 waves for change pilot PROGRAMME impact(mentees)
of Waves for Change mentees said “mentoring positively impacted both their independence and well-being.”
STEP 1
Interview & Training
with SAYes Liaison Teams
STEP 2
Programme Launch event
with special guests
STEP 3
STEP 4
Four 1-hour sessions with SAYes Transition Teams
to support mentee & mentor in the development of the mentee’s life plan
STEP 5
Attend Online Monthly Workgroups, Support Group and Masterclasses
with special guests
Graduation event
with special guests
STEP 7
Join the official SAYes Alumni Group
Free, and on WhatsApp
STEP 8
Optional Ambassador and Liaison opportunities
Apply to become a SAYes Ambassador or Mentee Liaison
“I’ve been with SAYes for 2 years, and it has given me a sense of belonging which is important to me and I have built confidence and built my network, and learned how to approach people. When I resigned, it gave me the strength by feeling supported and guided.”
W4C mentEE
“I know how to face challenges now, and I don’t get depressed like I used to. I learned a lot throughout SAYes mentor training, I feel so grateful to have a mentor in my life. My life has changed and I’m a positive person throughout all that is happening in my life.”
W4C mentEE
“My first year I did not have friends and I learnt a lot, and with my second mentor we worked on family and I now know how to build relationships and make new friends – I have broadened my circle and communication skills”
W4C mentEE
Throughout South Africa, many sport for development NGO’s do foundational work with communities by engaging young people as agents of change. Waves for Change supports their coaches through the Waves for Change e-mentoring programme with SAYes Mentoring. These young leaders experience the life-changing impact of one-one mentorships, strengthening their futures and the future of their communities.
When Fletcher Malata joined the SAYes Mentoring programme, he brought with him a dream—to build a video-editing business and shape a future defined by self-direction and purpose. What he found through mentorship with Eytan Nafte was not only guidance and encouragement, but a powerful process of self-discovery and transformation.
In its fourth year, the Waves for Change (W4C) Programme continued to create life-changing connections between mentors and mentees. One such connection—between Fletcher and Eytan—offers an inspiring glimpse into how structured mentoring, grounded in trust and meaningful dialogue, can shift perspectives, unlock potential, and move dreams forward.
SAYes and W4C recognise that post-programme initiatives are highly valuable and yet often underutilised aspects of social and community impact work. Skillfully crafted, post-programme support, can provide routes to sustainability and, crucially, can leverage the considerable good will, lived-experience, knowledge and skills generated within a programme cycle to further social and community impact. This is especially true in mentorship programmes where the generous sharing of perspective, support and social capital often translates into a strong desire to pass on this growth (and opportunity) through both small acts of kindness, as well as through innovative social change initiatives sparked by the experience
The SAYes post-programme model is focussed on fostering supportive communities invested in each other’s growth, and building networks that empower, inspire, innovate and take action. We aim to create lasting impact, continuing the cycle of mentorship and mutual support beyond each year of the W4C e-Mentorship programme.
SAYes regularly hosts networking events connecting current mentors and mentees with the wider network of alumni. We also engage alumni in ambassador and advisory roles each year improving the next iteration of our Programmes.
SAYes is committed to bringing the best mentorship support to under-served populations across the globe, and to helping our youth partners improve the impact of their services and support.
We are especially concerned to partner with organisations seeking to incorporate formal mentoring into their existing services and support, and committed to inclusive and evidence-based programming.
We work with local authority and government agencies, non-profit and voluntary organisations, schools, universities and colleges to provide customised programmes in support of the young people they serve
SAYes Mentoring Trust, registration no. IT 2774/2010.NPO no. 088-299-NPO, PBO no. 930 035 691, Section 18A, registered in South Africa.
Level One (135% B-BBEE procurement recognition)
SAYes Mentoring Ltd. charity no. 1127701 and company no. 06693065, registered in England and Wales.
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