Role of LDATs

Broadly speaking, the Local Drug Action Team is responsible for:

• overseeing the design, delivery and monitoring of the Mentoring Program, including management and governance. A volunteer or paid Mentoring Program Coordinator is required
• program quality and performance
• communications with mentors, mentees, parents/carers, stakeholders and relevant organisations
• program reporting to advisory group or board of directors and funding bodies
• promotion of the program
• managing relationships with partners, sponsors and funding bodies
• supervision of staff and non-mentor volunteers.¹⁹

Management and governance

Local Drug Action Teams are responsible for the management and governance of the Mentoring Program.

Mentoring programs require a management and governance structure underpinned by well-developed and targeted organisational policies and procedures, including:

• a suitable governance structure (e.g. a board of directors, management committee) that ensures the legal, ethical and financial accountability of the program
• an advisory group and/or external stakeholders who provide guidance on program design and the ongoing relevance of the mentoring program
• formalised Memorandums of Understanding/partnership agreements between the program and all major partners
• a Community Action Plan that outlines the program’s aims (what the program hopes to achieve), objectives (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-based), and measures of success (measurable impacts and outputs which the program is expected to achieve). Absolute clarity of the purpose of the Mentoring Program is needed from the very beginning. Whose interests are being served? By who and in what way/s?
• an information management system that aligns with the host organisation’s privacy and confidentiality policies
• a communications plan that differentiates between internal and external stakeholders
• a detailed program budget and sustainability plan with sufficient income to ensure key elements of program operation are achievable
• a comprehensive set of program operations and organisational governance and management policies and procedures which are reviewed every two years.¹

Mentoring Program Coordinator

Mentoring programs require a Coordinator to manage the various aspects of program delivery and monitoring. The Coordinator role may be a volunteer or paid position.

A checklist of what to look for in a Coordinator, and an example of a Mentoring Program Coordinator Position Description are provided as a guide for Local Drug Action Teams.

What to look for in a Coordinator:

• knowledge of mentoring
• experience in program management and evaluation
• excellent communication skills
• well-developed organisational skills
• well-developed networks and knowledge of the youth sector
• experience in coaching and supervision of staff
• submission and report writing
• skills and knowledge of evaluation and continuous improvement techniques
• commitment to stay for a period of time¹⁹
• commitment to the Vision, Mission and Values Statement of the Mentoring Program.

Sample mentoring program coordinator position description

Learn: sample mentoring program coordinator PD

‍Mentoring Program Coordinator PD