Cairns Youth Mentoring Scheme
Monthly Newsletter

June 2008 : Volume 8, Issue 3

Brought to you by Centacare Cairns

Coming Events

Tuesday, 12th
Mentor Training Info Session
Thursday, 14th
Action Group Meeting
Saturday, 16th
Mentor Training Workshop
Sunday, 31st
Celebration

October
Sunday, 12th
Bunning's BBQ Fundraiser

Recipe of the Month

Rich Hot Chocolate

With the weather cooling during winter this may be a yummy recipe you could make with your mentor or mentee in the FLC kitchen facilities.

Ingredients:

• 1 litre milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 300g dark or milk chocolate, chopped

Method

1. Place milk, vanilla and cinnamon stick in a deep saucepan and slowly bring to the boil over low-medium heat.
2. Add chocolate then, using a hand whisk, whisk until frothy and chocolate has melted.
3. Discard cinnamon stick then ladle immediately among small mugs.

Recipe from www.taste.com.au

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Thank You

CYMS would like to thank the following for their support over the past few months:

• Flexible Learning Centre for use of their resources and support to the CYMS team;
• Far North Queensland Volunteers for assisting the Scheme with volunteer interviews and mentor recruitment;
• Cairns Colonial Club for their generosity with providing nibbles and venue for the National Volunteer Week function;
• Rainforest Dome for their generosity in providing discounted tickets for CYMS Celebration;
• Big Cat Green Island Cruises for their donation of prizes;
• Rotary Cairns North for their invitation to participate in Dream Flight;
• cityofcairns.com for maintaining the CYMS Website;
• Atlas Projects for assisting with the CYMS Newsletter; and
• Action Group members for their assistance with the Dream Flight.

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Feedback

For people who receive the newsletter via email you will notice the different format. CYMS is trialing this format so feedback is welcome. Please let us know if it is easier to read and more appealing.

Please send info, photos and stories for the next newsletter. Any/all items of happenings, what you are doing, what you hope to do, what you missed out on doing.

All items are of interest to other mentors and mentees. Email the office or call us on 4041 5844.

Brought to you by
Centacare Cairns

Co-ordinator's News

Hi ,

I hope you are all coping with the cold snap. Well, cold for Cairns anyway!

Time has flown and it is just about time for me to head off, get married and have my holiday. I would love to send you all a postcard but it's not practical so instead I will include a picture of me at the Eiffel Tower in the next newsletter. Also thanks to all who have been sending me best wishes.

The Scheme will certainly be functioning well without me. Erna, the administration assistant will be there when not at TAFE along with Matt Simpson from Centacare's Youth Support Coordination Program who will be in the office two days a week to take enquires, register new mentees and mentors, monitor existing matches and carry out matches.

Mentors, please continue to register activities with Matt via phone, email or text. Matt will be available to be contacted directly with any concerns or questions. Furthermore, Tom O'Donnell from the Flexible Learning Centre will be available during office hours on 4080 9220 as well as Helga Biro from Centacare Cairns on 4044 0130. If a mentor has an urgent matter that requires addressing please contact the appropriate support service available. If you would like a list of services available please contact the Scheme asap.

May has been a busy month of activity with the National Volunteer Week Mentor Social and the Celebration at the Cairns Wildlife Dome. Both of these events had a significant number of people participate and were lots of fun. It is always fantastic to see the community embracing the Scheme and providing us with special consideration. A special thanks goes to the Cairns Colonial Club and Cairns Wildlife Dome for making both events possible.

Planning is under way for a fun major fundraiser later in the year so stay tuned to hear all the details. I also hope to see you at the next Celebration in August where we will all get to test out our bowling skills.

Please make Matt feel welcome while I am away.

Kind Regards,
Anita Andacic
CYMS Co-ordinator

Dream Flight

CYMS was once again invited to participate in a Dream Flight which is a charity flight where young people have the opportunity to have a free 2-hour flight on a Qantas Airplane. As the Scheme was advised about the event on very short notice an invitation was emailed out to mentees and mentors.

Thirty mentees and mentors participated in the flight which flew to Magnetic Island and Port Douglas. The flight was sponsored by many Cairns organizations and the money raised went to various charities. The CYMS group was lucky enough to have the opportunity to sit in business class on the airplane. A special thank you to Cairns North Rotary for inviting the Scheme to participate.

» Read about Ben and Frank's Dream Flight Experience

Coming Events

Recent Events: Mentor Social

The Cairns Youth Mentoring Scheme celebrated National Volunteer Week in 2008 by holding a Mentor Social Evening. The event was held at the Cairns Colonial Club on the 16th May where nibbles were served and mentors had the opportunity to socialize in a casual setting. More than 20 mentors participated in the event and were recognized as providing a significant and irreplaceable service to the community. Stay tuned to hear when the next mentor social will be happening.

Pictured are mentors Brian, Andy and Heather enjoying the company of other CYMS volunteers.

Recent Celebration at the
Cairns Wildlife Dome

Here are some photos from the most recent celebration held at the Cairns Wildlife Dome. Thank you to Rainforest Dome for their generosity in providing discounted tickets for CYMS Celebration.

Pictured are Leonie and Jessye presenting their project, and Andy and Josh who have their celebrating certificates. The bird was a lot of entertainment on the day, and I'm sure many of you remember.

Ben and Frank's
Dream Flight Experience

Frank's Perspective - 15/05/2008

I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to participate in a Dream Flight with my mentee, Ben. We arrived at the Cairns international terminal just before the appointed time of noon on Sunday 11 May. There was already a queue of excited children and adults waiting for their boarding passes. We joined the queue and it wasn't too long before we were served by friendly volunteers.

Ben and I waited with some of the other mentors and mentees from CYMS. Eventually our group was asked to proceed up the escalator and through to the departure lounge. This was the first time either of us had been "airside" in the international terminal, so we were able to see where one would normally pass through Customs.

Security presented more of a problem for me than for Ben, as my shoes set off the alarm! I removed them while Ben collected my watch, phone and keys from the conveyor belt after they had passed through the X-ray machine. We were then given the all clear to proceed to the departure gate, where our QANTAS Boeing 767 was waiting.

When everyone had boarded, we were told that there had been a problem with the paperwork and we had to clap and cheer very loudly to get things moving. On board were news crews from WIN and Seven. We were also joined by members of the Cairns Taipans, who later signed autographs.

Eventually the aircraft taxied to the runway and we were told to flap our arms to help the plane get off the ground. For many this was their first flight, and once we were in the air and able to remove seatbelts, children and adults were moving around the plane taking in the breathtaking scenery. There was some cloud cover, but we were still able to see parts of the Great Barrier Reef and various islands, including Hinchinbrook, as we trekked down the coast to Townsville.

As we approached our southern neighbour, air traffic control gave the pilot clearance to descend to 1500 feet and pass through the narrow passage separating Townsville from Magnetic Island. We were now so low that, as the plane turned, it seemed that one wing would almost dip into the water! Ben excitedly pointed out boats, landmarks and other features that were now clearly in view.

By this time, we began the journey back to Cairns where the plane rapidly ascended and soon we were over cloud once more. However, as we were landing from the north, the pilot took the opportunity to fly to Port Douglas, turn around, and descend parallel to the coast. As we were on the left side of the plane, this provided great views of Low Isles and parts of the Reef.

As the plane descended, we were told to plant our feet firmly on the floor to help the pilot apply the brakes. After a near perfect landing, everyone cheered. Taxiing to the terminal, we had the extra thrill of being given a "salute" as two fire engines, one on either side, dowsed the plane with high-pressure jets of water! Hungry Jacks were on hand to give us a welcome burger and drink as we left the terminal and proceeded to the car park.

All in all, it was a great day, well organised, and a treat for both myself and my mentee!