By Cam Lucadou-Wells
An aptly-named program that aims to empower 60 disaffected young people has been launched by South East Community Links.
The MERLE (Mentor, Empower, Reflect, Learn, Earn) pilot program shares the same proactive, lofty aims of SECL’s late founder Merle Mitchell.
SECL chief executive Peter McNamara said the naming honours Ms Mitchell’s legacy as a “renowned and respected grassroots social justice advocate”.
The federally-funded program helps young people, particularly from culturally diverse backgrounds, across the South East to “gain life skills to reach their potential”.
It aims to keep the participants “on track” at school, moving onto further education, training and employment as well as “building resilience, a sense of belonging and a brighter future”.
“It helps to create an environment where young people experience positive involvement at home, school, with friends and in the community,” Mr McNamara said.
“Key elements of the program include one-on-one and group mentoring; leadership development; and financial and life skills.”
Staff from SECL work across school, family and community to provide wrap-around support.
MERLE was launched with much verve – including a peppy poetry rap performance by students – at one of its partner schools Hampton Park Secondary College on 10 August.
On hand was Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil – who spoke admiringly of her long-time friends Ms Mitchell and her late husband Eric.
She told of how the couple loved and never judged young people. Their home welcomed and was often filled with youth.
Ms O’Neil said it was an honour to launch the program, named after “one of the first activists in Springvale”.
Ms Mitchell was one of the first to stand up and help a large influx of refugees from South East Asia in the 1970s and 1980s to be accepted as “real Australians”, she said.
“(MERLE) is named after someone who was highly important to our community.
“She was someone who devoted her entire working life to helping other people.”
Other guest speakers Holt MP Cassandra Fernando and Dandenong writer-activist Candy Bowers also passionately addressed Hampton Park student leaders about making a positive difference.
Sally Mitchell, who is Merle and Eric’s daughter, said the program perfectly married her mother’s social justice advocacy and her father’s mentoring of young people.
“Both would really appreciate and value the program and the impact it can have on young people.”
The program will be open – but not exclusively – to students from Hampton Park, Lyndhurst and Noble Park Secondary Colleges.
SECL youth engagement manager Junior Melo said the program would also include other schools and receive external referrals.
“We aim to be reaching as many young people as we can.”
