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  • MATES Facts & Figures
  1. Our impact
  2. Facts and figures

MATES Facts & Figures

 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

Schools: Avondale Intermediate; Finlayson Park School; Papakura Intermediate School; Mangere East Primary

Mentees

76 mentees
Homework Sessions
100 Homework sessions

Gender

53% females
47% males
Attendance
average attendance:
85% present

Ethnicity

55% Pasifika
29% Māori
4% European
12% Asian
Time spent
2,196 programme hours

resilience

97% of mentees improved in resilience
academic skills
Mentees showed significant improvement in writing

capability

98% of mentees improved in capability
transition
85% of mentees reported that they feel more confident about going into
Year 9
MATES Junior academic improvements

 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

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

Mentees

122 mentees
Homework Sessions
140 Homework sessions

Gender

55% females
45% males
Attendance
average attendance:
86% present

Ethnicity

77% Pasifika
11% Māori
7% Asian
3% European
Time spent
2168 programme hours

resilience

98% of mentees improved in resilience
academic skills
80% achieved University Entrance

capability

98% of mentees improved in capability
transition
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) 

MATES NCEA Level 3 Results vs National average

MATES NCEA level 3 results - Maori & Pasifika students

What people say about MATES

Evaluation Reports

MATES Annual Evaluation Report 2019

MATES Annual Evaluation Report 2018

MATES Annual Evaluation Report 2017

MATES Annual Evaluation Report 2016

Published: 23rd January, 2020

Updated: 19th January, 2021

Author: Evie Wright

Related topics:
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