A brighter future for our youth
Tuesday, June 5, 2012 at 10:30AM 
With Special guests:
- Chad Kolcze
- Martin Fisk
Our show today features up front a beautiful and haunting song by Janis Vaile about Parental Alienation. Icicles (I will wait for you) will be part of an upcoming special on the topic.
After a long time away from the studio our return to the airwaves was graced by the presence of two people who are doing something about boys at greater risk. At a time when there are so many one-parent families we know these risks.
Boys in families without Dads are more at risk of suicide, to have behavioural problems, to drop out of school and they represent over 70% of the inmates in juvenile state institutions.
To help counter these social problems there are good people providing mentoring services and other assistance. Today we cross to Byron Bay in the north of New South Wales and then to the nation’s capital, Canberra, to hear what Chad Kolcze and Martin Fisk are doing about keeping our youth happy and healthy.
Chad Kolcze
Chad Kolcze is the Coordinator of the Uncle Project which was established in 1997 by youth and community worker Michael Light. Chad is ideal for his role as the Uncle coordinator with a background as a father, a teacher, the author of the RAD children’s books series and as a former professional sportsman.
Uncle is based in Byron Bay and has a management committee of seven local members of the community. Uncle is an incorporated community association registered for DGR status meaning that all donations are tax deductible.
Uncle supports one-on-one mentoring relationships and arranges a wide variety of activities with “uncles” who give their time to interact with their charges after getting the approval of Uncle and the relevant parent.
Chad tells us that it is not just the young men who benefit from mentoring; the mentors themselves gain a lot by participating in this service. After listening to this inspirational talk with Chad others may take his lead and decide to give something back after successfully navigating their own path in those early years between the ages of 6 and 12.
Chad’s choice of song is a great one from Paul Kelly with a special meaning for those wanting to get the best out of people.
Martin Fisk
Our next guest is Martin Fisk, the CEO of Menslink based in Canberra. Martin had a successful career in both public and private enterprise before deciding to devote his energies to the community sector. In April 2011 Martin joined Menslink, a dynamic not for profit association that supports young men through mentoring and a therapeutic life-coaching service.
Menslink has assisted over a thousand young men over the last decade to reach their full potential. It is so important that these young men develop social skills that will allow them to break out of the social isolation they feel.
The volunteer program provides services for young men over a wide age group and while they participate in activities such as abseiling, bushcraft and canoeing they are learning how to build resilience while forging some important relationships.
Martin is getting out and doing something about the problems in our community and that includes raising funds for a camping trip Menslink is offering to young blokes by putting his body on the line in the next Canberra half marathon.
Martin made an interesting choice in selecting a song. The message is that this is what we do not want, this is what we want to get away from, all encased in a good tune.
Song selections by our guests:
Chad Kolcze: From Little Things Big Things Grow by Paul Kelly
Martin Fisk: Just the Way You Are (Drunk at the Bar) by Brian McFadden