Willing and Able Mentoring
(WAM) Program
A Great Opportunity For UOW Students With A
Disability
The Willing and Able Mentoring (WAM) Program
provides university students with a disability the opportunity
to interact with mentors from leading organisations in the
students' field of interest. Each student is mentored for
a series of approximately eight discussion meetings, for around
1 to 2 hrs, during Spring Session.
During the mentor discussion meetings the following strategies
will be focused on:
- Gathering information about the career environment they
are heading towards
- Refining interview skills
- Experiencing the workplace culture (e.g. staff meetings)
- Developing better skills in presenting a professional
profile
- Disclosure and demystifying disability and related workplace
issues (e.g. workplace modifications).
Below are examples of the mentor organisations that have participated
so far…….
National Australia Bank, Royal Melbourne Zoological
Gardens, Victoria Police, Queensland Police, IBM, Telstra,
The Children's Hospitals in Melbourne and Sydney, Baker and
McKenzie Solicitors (Melbourne and Sydney offices), Senator
Lyn Allison, Business Enterprise Centres SA Inc., Westpac
Sydney, Australian Council of Trade Unions, Royal Australian
Institute of Architects, Disability Discrimination Legal Service,
Sheraton Towers Hotel, AusAid in Canberra, Peach Marketing
Consultants Sydney, Various state and federal government departments,
The ABC, Holden, Hewlett-Packard Corporation, Environment
Protection Authority Rockhampton, Western Australia Institute
of Sport, and many more.
Interested In Applying?
Contact Robyn Gleeson in the UOW
Careers Service on 02 4221 3970
or email rgleeson@uow.edu.au
before 30th June 2006 to be part of the next
WAM group
For the latest information on the WAM Application
Form and WAM guidelines visit: www.graduatecareers.com.au/content/view/full/318.
Why WAM?
The premise underlying the WAM Program is
that people who have a disability, despite being as talented
as their peers, are often overlooked in the fierce competition
for career opportunities due to negative self-concepts, community
stereotypes, and general negative beliefs or assumptions about
their ability.
WAM has the potential to reduce those negative
beliefs, and enhance personal/professional strategies (e.g.
networking skills) to assist people who have a disability
become more competitive in that challenging transition from
study to career.
Other benefits, which may flow from the WAM
concept, include more general positive cultural compliance
and development in the workplace and clarification of essential
requirements of job roles in the workplace.
Feedback and Evaluations
The feedback and evaluations from Mentors and Mentees has
been overwhelmingly positive.
The following examples of responses from the students typify
the feedback:
"This program was a great help to me, not only
to give me a better understanding [of my field] but as my
mentor had a similar physical disability to me, she made
me realize that my own experience will be the way to gauge
whether I can do everything required [in my chosen field].
I definitely feel more focused and have clear ideas about
my goals now."
And another: "Based on my experience with the
program I would like to see everything done to continue
the funding. Finding a job these days is difficult enough
without having a disability, this type of program therefore
is extremely useful."
The Mentors' evaluations has been similarly positive with
most agreeing that they had benefited from the program as
well, and all saying they would be involved in future programs:
"I found this program beneficial to my understanding
of the barriers that confront disabled persons. [The student]
was great to work with and I'm sure his positive outlook
will enable him to succeed in his chosen career." And
finally: "I would like to congratulate you and your
team for putting together a most worthwhile program, and
I look forward to being involved in future programs that
may be suitable for our organization."
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