We have been excited to get underway with our Stars Peer Mentor training this week.

Obviously it's always an exciting time, but this year it has an extra-special feeling because the Year 12s that are volunteering as mentors are the first year group at MGC who had Stars as Year 9s! So, having had the experience of Stars as the 'little sisters' they are now giving back as 'big sisters'.

Graeme Dingle Foundation’s Stars Coordinator Gemma Miller says it is a “milestone moment. We are so proud and moved to see this come full circle”.

A record 78 senior students are on board as Stars Peer Mentors for 2023 – with 5 of them returning for a second year of service: Alise Pettigrew, Arna Davis, Kate Burrow, Mikayla Auty, and Samantha Walding. The mentors are also headed up by their Stars Manutaki for 2023, Delyth James-Sitters and Sophie Ridley-Scott.

The Stars Peer Mentors had their induction at the end of 2022, and then kicked in to training this week ahead of the start of term. The students headed out to Outward Bound and had a blast learning skills and strategies, and about their roles as mentors - via experiential learning leadership sessions like an Amazing Race, the ‘Parallel Sorting Network’ and lots more. The mentors come away with a lot of tools in their toolbox, as well as useful strategies to equip them to be successful leaders and mentors.

The Stars Manutaki said, “it is really helpful to learn about effective leadership and behaviour management, and to see this in action by the facilitators, so we know ‘what good looks like’”.

Gemma said, “we’re pumped to get this year underway - and we’re ready to hit the ground running next week when we begin our Stars classes for the year!” Year 9s will be meeting their Stars Peer Mentors on Thursday afternoon, and doing some fun things together to begin to get to know each other. Stars sessions formally begin on Wednesday 8th February.

Want to know more about Stars? Stars is made up of three main parts:

1. The Adventure Camp / Mahi Tahi Days

All Year 9s have the opportunity to attend camp (accompanied by their Stars Peer Mentors) - free of charge! Camp kickstarts the programme with professional outdoor facilitators take students through a series of outdoor and indoor activities to develop positive relationships, resilience, and teamwork. Marlborough Lines is the Principal Sponsor of the camp, and the camp is delivered by the Graeme Dingle Foundation Marlborough at the Outward Bound Anakiwa site.

1. Peer Mentoring via weekly lessons

Year 12 and 13 students are trained to be Stars Peer Mentors (for their Year 9s) and together they follow a structured weekly programme that addresses key life skills like goal setting, time management, good communication skills and building positive relationships.

1. Community Projects

In Term 3, students plan, organise and spend time giving something back to their community - which also reinforces a sense of purpose and connection for the students and is a great way to round out the year.