The message of this Shell Cove mural is loud, clear, and colourful: you don’t need to be a high-flying CEO to be a mentor and change the trajectory of a young person for the better. Photo: Youth Frontiers.
You might not see it in yourself — but someone else does. That’s the powerful message behind a vibrant new mural at Shellharbour Marina.
The message is from Youth Frontiers — a mentorship program for young people aged 10 to 17 who have been in contact with child protection or the justice system.
The mural depicts young people, their hands arranged into hearts, reaching towards the words: ‘I see a mentor in you’.
The hope, according to the mural’s facilitating artist Stephanie Quirk, is that passersby realise the accessibility of this transformative volunteering opportunity.
Any woman aged 18 or over, living in the Illawarra with a car and driver’s licence is eligible for Youth Frontiers.
“I had mentors as a young person, and the impact that had in my life was immense,” Stephanie says.
“I hope anyone who is at a stage in their lives when they want to make a difference in a young person’s life, sees this mural and realises they can do this.”
Organised by Kao Kreative director Courtney Beaton and Youth Frontiers’ Megan Lennard, the concept was chalked out ahead of time for Youth Frontiers volunteer mentors and mentees to bring it to life under Stephanie’s guidance.
It was a simulation of the Youth Frontiers ecosystem at work.
“The mentor and mentees arrived in pairs and it was really lovely to see the trust in their interactions,” Stephanie says.
“As the volunteers worked side by side, even though they didn’t know each other very well, it became a little bit more about the group dynamic. There was collaboration and a lot of encouragement going back and forth.
“I think these kinds of activities set the stage for great things. It’s a chance for young people to be more visible and know their voices matter, and that’s so important.”
The Youth Frontiers mentorship program promotes community engagement and relationship building through one-on-one mentoring.
Mentors are volunteers from the local community from all walks of life, and with training and ongoing support provided, no experience is necessary.
More details are available via a QR code posted next to the mural.
“Lots of people walking past stopped to chat with us as we painted. I love how art can connect people like that,” Stephanie says.
“One woman scanned the QR code near the mural even as we were painting it, to get more information about the Youth Frontiers program. It was pretty awesome.”
For more information contact Youth Frontiers.
