Plan-it Youth Community Mentoring Program had its first official meeting yesterday where prospective student mentors came to their inaugural training session.

After several sessions of training, the mentors – all of them volunteers from the community – will help students in setting their early career goals, recognising their strengths, and being a general source of support.

Mentor Peter Strang said he was looking forward to participating in the program and doing some good for the youth of the community.

Mr Strang said he had previously been a part of an Aboriginal Employment Strategy (AES) mentorship program but it had failed to get off the ground due to lack of funding.

He said the Plan-it program was an opportunity to have another go.

New England Region Plan-it Youth Community Mentoring Program coordinator Nicole Giandomenico said young people tended not to listen to their parents and teachers about setting career goals but often an outside voice helped them take notice of such an important phase.

Mrs Giandomenico said the program typically ran for an hour each week over six to eight weeks.

MSC Albert Street principal Geoff Robinson said the school was on the lookout for anyone who would like to volunteer a small amount of their time to do some good in the program.

“It’s a very manageable sort of time for people to do it,” Mr Robinson said.

Anyone interested in becoming a mentor can contact the school on 6752 1999.