has been operating since 2002 in New Zealand, and was developed by Great Potentials with input from the University of Auckland Faculty of Education and the NZ Youth Mentoring Network. It is informed by international best practice. This programme addresses the gap between those who do well in education and those who do not, in the context of the strong correlation between socio-economic status and educational outcomes.

MATES releases the potential and altruism of successful university students to act as mentor/tutors to younger students.

MATES Mentors are usually just a few years older than the students they mentors, which helps demystify tertiary education for mentees and gives valuable them role models for making positive life choices.

MATES assists with transition from high school where many Mentees are the first in their family to consider University. 

Through MATES students also gain a "cohort" to share the experience with, which, together with the support of their Mentor and makes success more likely.

 is unique in New Zealand because it:

is modeled on the successful Perach project developed in Israel

uses a combination of mentoring and tutoring components

uses young people exclusively as mentors, project support and coordinators

pays mentors to help with their tertiary fees and living costs

involves an agreement between the schools, mentors, mentee and mentee's family

provides invaluable professional development to coordinators

provides sound evaluation of the programme and its outcomes for future improvements

 OUTCOMES: Destinations Study 2018

In June 2018 we conducted a Destinations Study for MATES Senior Alumni who graduated in 2016 and 2017 and discovered that:

	89%	of MATES alumni were attending University
	97%	of MATES alumni were full-time students

Junior 2019

After the tremendous success of the MATES Senior programme, MATES Junior was launched in 2008. MATES Junior mentees are Year 8 students at risk of not engaging in secondary school, thus being at risk of poor life choices and reduced opportunities. MATES Junior helps prepare students for the transition from intermediate to secondary school and gives them a greater chance of success.

	Schools: Avondale Intermediate; Finlayson Park School; Papakura Intermediate School; Mangere East Primary
	76 mentees		100 Homework sessions
	53% females 47% males		average attendance: 85% present
	55% Pasifika 29% Māori 4% European 12% Asian		2,196 programme hours
	97% of mentees improved in resilience		Mentees showed significant improvement in writing
	98% of mentees improved in capability		85% of mentees reported that they feel more confident about going into Year 9

 Senior 2019

MATES Senior helps high school students who have the potential to achieve, but significant obstacles to success, make the transition to tertiary study by providing a Mentor/Tutor who has the academic and personal skills to support and guide them. Many MATES Mentees are the first in their family to consider University making the transition to tertiary education an unfamiliar and unknown experience.  Through MATES they have a cohort to share the experience, easing the transition with the support of their Mentor and each other, making success more likely.

	Schools: Aorere College; Auckland Girls Grammar School; De La Salle College; Kelston Boys High School; Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate; Southern Cross Campus College; Waitakere College
	122 mentees		140 Homework sessions
	55% females 45% males		average attendance: 86% present
	77% Pasifika 11% Māori 7% Asian 3% European		2168 programme hours
	98% of mentees improved in resilience		80% achieved University Entrance
	98% of mentees improved in capability		96% said MATES helped them feel more confident for the future

 Senior Outcomes: NCEA Level 3

The rate of MATES mentees' NCEA Level 3 achievement in 2019 was 89%, compared to to the national average in 2018 of 58% and 40% for Decile 1-3 schools. (National statistics for 2019 still to be received) 

	Evaluation Reports
	MATES Annual Evaluation Report 2019
	MATES Annual Evaluation Report 2018
	MATES Annual Evaluation Report 2017
	MATES Annual Evaluation Report 2016