The path to Evolve…
After graduating university with a degree in sport, exercise and health sciences, Anna saw the role of health mentor as a great way to gain experience working with young people in an educational setting. With a large sporting and coaching background, Anna saw this as a challenging new way to expand her knowledge and expertise to a more personal level. Having only been at Evolve for 3 months, Anna has already made huge steps forwards in personal and professional development.
Highlights of being a Health Mentor…
One of the things Anna enjoys most about the job is the spontaneity and flexibility that always keeps her thinking on her feet. Working with Secondary school aged children is challenging, but every day is different and requires Anna to constantly approach new ways to build connections and meaningful relationships.
Having had minimal experience in schools before, Anna has loved the community of staff and students that grows with time. Despite having autonomy in the role, the support from both inside the school and in Evolve allows Anna to feel confident with the role and seeing how her support allows mentees to reach personal milestones.
Challenges of being a Health Mentor…
The biggest barrier that Anna finds impacts her job is the differing levels of support that children have in and outside of school. Sometimes it may feel that there is support from both sides that may be contradictory and can sometimes cause challenges with the effectiveness of mentoring. Becoming deeply invested in the journey of each mentee can mean that it is easy to want to help with absolutely everything that may be troubling them, however this is not always possible. However, Anna makes sure to utilise her time with mentees as much as possible and focus on what she can do, rather than what she can’t.
Significant Achievements…
One of Anna’s biggest achievements over her short time at Evolve so far has been supporting a year 11 mentee with their transition to college. Before working with Anna, the mentee had no ideas as to what they would do after school and a lack of aspiration. Through working with Anna to explore course options and write personal statements, the mentee has now developed a drive to achieve good grades in her exams and further her education in a subject she is passionate about. This is able to highlight the immediate impact that Anna is able to have on her mentees and how quickly rapport building can benefit the positive choices that mentees make.
Why are Health Mentors so important?
At school, one of the biggest questions I hear is ‘what’s the point in school?’. Anna finds that the children she works with don’t understand the value of school and see it as a kind of prison. They ask ‘Why do I need to learn algebra if it’s pointless in the real world?’. Children find it hard to understand that school is not purely about learning facts, but it is about growing the person and developing transferable skills that will produce young people who are able to cope with different demands of life. As a health mentor, rather than focusing on facts and discipline, Anna helps to support the person through their journey of self-growth and development.
