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Students from years 8/9 will benefit from participating in the early intervention program by getting the chance to work one-on-one with their own mentor.

Raise understands the importance of a neutral positive role model in the lives of young people particularly after the challenges of COVID during 2020.

Positive outcomes of the program include:

Volunteers are recruited from the local community to become mentors to students selected by the school.

Raise mentors also benefit from the program by being able to give back and connect with community, increase their sense of purpose and make a real difference in a young person's life.

Raise is able to run these two mentoring programs thanks to significant funding from The Southern Highland Foundation whose mission is to help establish, and support a tradition of philanthropy by providing a simple and effective way to give something of real value back to the community.

Jennifer Bott, Director of Southern Highlands Foundation said she was thrilled to be partnered with Raise Foundation.

"The Southern Highlands Foundation is thrilled to support the introduction of the Raise mentoring program into the Southern Highlands," she said.

"This will give young people unique opportunities to grow and fulfil their potential. We hope that this partnership with Raise will be a long and successful joint venture.

"We are enormously appreciative of the enthusiastic engagement of both Moss Vale and Bowral High Schools to this end."

Moss Vale High School principal Patricia Holmes said she was grateful and excited for the opportunity to partner with the Raise Mentoring program.

"I believe that now more than ever, this program will be of great value to our students, and will provide support and guidance to help them reach their potential, she said.

Bowral High School principal Jason Conroy said he was extremely excited to join forces with Raise in 2021.

"It is important that we provide such important opportunities for our young people," he said.

"I believe that our partnership with Raise will significantly enhance the social and emotional development of all participants involved throughout the course of the program."

Raise has a strategic impact plan to extend its youth mentoring programs to every school in the country, prioritizing young people at risk of disengaging. Taking the program into these two Southern Highlands schools thanks to The Southern Highland Foundation is a part of the broader expansion plans.

Kathleen Vella, Raise National Program Director said she was excited to be able to further expand the Raise Youth Mentoring Program to the Southern Highlands and support more young people living in regional areas.

The two schools currently need 30 volunteers from the community to mentor their students.

Youth mentoring is a rewarding experience that makes a real difference.

Raise's best practice in-school mentoring (ISMO) programs have run in high schools over 400 times in the last 12 years and has helped more than 6300 students.

Established in 2001 the Southern Highland Foundation is a community foundation and a registered charity overseen by a local, volunteer board of directors.

The Foundation's aim is to connect with the Wingecarribee Shire to strengthen community, create a charitable ethos and generate hope for the long term.

The foundation can assist those in need, provide opportunities and create initiatives to harness community impact and rebuilding.

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Lessons learnt in childhood can be invaluable for adults

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