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AIME
Ashani’s story
Ashani Ponnamperuma was completely disengaged with Indigenous Australia and had never met an Indigenous person before joining AIME in 2010.
Over the course of two years, Ashani built up a strong mentoring relationship with an AIME mentee. She went above and beyond the requirements of her role by regularly attending the Reservoir High ALC (AIME Learning Centre) to assist her mentee academically.
Ashani has believed in and supported her mentee to have the confidence and conviction that she can complete year 12.
Ashani now has a deep and firsthand understanding of Indigenous Australia and, with the other like- minded Mentors, is helping AIME change this nation’s bleak statistics in Indigenous education.
AIME is the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience, a program that gives you the chance to mentor an Indigenous high school student.
As an AIME mentor, you:
- help close the gap in Indigenous education by providing a direct link to the university experience for your mentee;
- engage with the local Indigenous community
- receive 10 hours of training in areas such as cultural awareness, child protection and mentoring techniques
- have your commitment recorded on your academic transcript.
Comments from past mentors:
“You get the chance to help improve your Mentee’s outlook on school and life. You learn so much about yourself when placed in situations you may not have been before.”
“One of the most rewarding things I’ve done so far. Being able to grow with your mentee is priceless. You think at the beginning you’re only there to help them, until you realize how much you’ve grown too.”
Get involved
Contact AIME’s Program Coordinator at RMIT, Addie Walsh, at aw@aimementoring.com to stay in touch with AIME find out how you can get involved in 2012.
Find out more about their great work at AIME Mentoring.