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| Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience | |
|---|---|
| Name | Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience |
| Founded | 2006 |
| Type | Non-profit |
| Headquarters | Melbourne |
| Area served | Australia |
| Focus | Indigenous youth mentoring, education, employment |
Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience is an Australian non-profit organisation founded in Melbourne in 2006 to provide mentoring and support for Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander students. The organisation operates mentoring programs across urban and regional sites to connect young people with community leaders, educators and employers associated with institutions such as University of Melbourne, Deakin University, Monash University, RMIT University and La Trobe University. AIME partners with agencies and schools including Victorian Department of Education-affiliated networks, Catholic Education Melbourne, Department of Education and Training (Australia), and Indigenous advocacy groups such as Reconciliation Australia and Australian Indigenous Education Foundation.
The organisation was established in response to recognition by stakeholders at forums with Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, Australian Human Rights Commission, and state education authorities that Indigenous retention to Year 12 and transition to tertiary study required culturally sustaining mentoring models. Early pilots involved collaboration with Flinders University outreach, Swinburne University of Technology community engagement teams, and local Aboriginal community-controlled organisations like Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation and Aboriginal Legal Service. Over time AIME expanded through partnerships with philanthropic bodies including Westpac Foundation, Myer Foundation, and trusts such as Gandel Foundation, and through engagement with corporate partners like BHP and ANZ Banking Group.
AIME's stated mission aligns with initiatives promoted by Closing the Gap frameworks and national strategies developed by entities such as Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Australia). Core objectives include increasing Indigenous student attainment recognised by certificates and awards like the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank, bolstering pathways into institutions such as TAFE NSW, Charles Darwin University, and metropolitan universities, and supporting transitions into employers including Commonwealth Bank and government agencies exemplified by Australian Public Service Commission engagement programs. The organisation frames goals within the standards of bodies such as Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission and incorporates community input from elders connected to organisations like National Congress of Australia's First Peoples.
AIME runs school-based mentoring, summer bridging and campus immersion programs modelled on proven interventions referenced by Australian Research Council-funded studies and evaluations conducted with partners like The University of Queensland and Griffith University. Activities include weekly mentoring sessions on school campuses, weekend leadership camps, and university campus visits at institutions such as University of Sydney, University of Western Australia, and University of Adelaide. Employment pathway activities include vocational training linkages with TAFE Queensland, apprenticeships registered with Australian Apprenticeships, and work placements facilitated with corporate partners including Telstra, Wesfarmers, and Lendlease. Cultural support integrates connections to Indigenous cultural centres like Koorie Heritage Trust and legal and health referrals through agencies such as Blacktown Aboriginal Medical Service and Central Australian Aboriginal Legal Aid Service.
Independent evaluations conducted by researchers affiliated with Monash University, Murdoch University, and University of Melbourne report improvements in school attendance, retention to Year 12, and post-school transitions into tertiary study and employment. Outcome measures cited in reports to funders including Paul Ramsay Foundation and Gandel Philanthropy show comparative increases in completion rates and university enrollment among program participants relative to regional baselines compiled by Australian Bureau of Statistics and National Centre for Vocational Education Research. Case studies highlight individual progress where mentors from organisations such as Accenture and PwC Australia supported mentees into internships and positions within public and private sectors.
AIME’s model relies on multi-sector partnerships with higher education institutions including University of Newcastle and James Cook University, Indigenous peak bodies such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission-era networks, corporate partners like Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Macquarie Group, and philanthropic funders including Ian Potter Foundation. Government funding streams have included grants administered by National Indigenous Australians Agency and state-based education grants from departments like NSW Department of Education. The organisation also receives in-kind support from university campuses, community centres, and professional firms that supply volunteer mentors and workplace placements.
Governance is overseen by a board comprising directors with backgrounds in higher education, Indigenous affairs and corporate governance, including affiliations with organisations such as Australian Council for Educational Research, Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, and major universities. Executive leadership historically includes chief executives with prior roles in Indigenous education policy or university outreach programs, often liaising with ministers and offices such as the Minister for Indigenous Australians and peak advisory councils like Indigenous Business Australia.
Critics and independent reviewers have pointed to challenges common to community-based interventions: scaling culturally appropriate models while maintaining fidelity, navigating funding volatility from corporate cycles and government budgets, and ensuring long-term tracking as highlighted by audits from entities like Australian National Audit Office and reviews by Productivity Commission (Australia). Debates in academic forums at Australian Association for Research in Education and policy think tanks including Institute of Public Affairs and Grattan Institute have discussed the balance between university-led models and community-controlled solutions, data sovereignty concerns raised by Indigenous Data Network advocates, and the need for sustained local governance by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations.
Category:Youth organisations in Australia