Sebastian* is a shy fifth-grade student at a primary school in Frankston, Melbourne.
His father is in custody, and he’s found this loss very difficult to cope with.
Sebastian’s teachers and mother could see he wasn’t managing, and regular angry outbursts were making it difficult for him to make friends and focus.
His school, luckily, knew of our Rise mentoring program, which offers support for children like Sebastian, who are experiencing the complex emotions that come with having a parent in custody.
They contacted our team, and Sebastian was enrolled in the program.
He and his SHINE for Kids mentor quickly developed a rapport. In their regular one-on-one mentoring sessions, they focused on building trust, exploring emotions, and developing self-regulation strategies.
The steady improvement in Sebastian’s behaviour was noticed at school, and it was clear he was responding well to the sessions.
“He’s more comfortable getting involved in small group activities at school, which has helped him improve his social skills and confidence,” said his mentor.
“In our sessions, I give Sebastian opportunities to increase his collaboration skills and practice regulation. He enjoys playing team games and cooperative art projects, so we’ve used these a lot.”
Sebastian is making friends, and his teacher has informed us that there has been a noticeable decrease in classroom incidents.
At home, things are on the up as well, with his mother sharing that he’s more settled and she’s seen the difference since he started Rise. He’s been using calming techniques when he feels overwhelmed, a tool he’s learnt from his mentor.
His mother said, “It seems as if he is happier and doesn’t have as much weight on his shoulders”.
We’re so pleased to see the progress Sebastian has made.
His mentor said, “Sebastian told me that the best part of starting Rise is that he doesn’t feel so angry anymore and that he has made some new friends.
“I’ve also observed a significant shift in his ability to pause, reflect and choose different ways to respond to difficult emotions.
“Sebastian told me that he wants to keep learning how to ‘stay calm and not explode,’ and is proud of the progress he’s made.”
Recently, Sebastian’s mentor has been invited to support him in some whole-class activities, and said, “It has been wonderful to see him thrive when given opportunities for positive peer interaction in a structured, supportive environment.
“He has even taken on small leadership roles, such as helping others with their activities.”
Thank you to Angicare Victoria for supporting this program.
*Names and images changed to protect participant privacy.
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