For clinicians & referring services
Could a mentor suit the man you’re supporting?
Free, one-to-one life mentoring gives him a sounding board, perspective and space to work towards his own goals. Here’s where it fits, and how to help him take the next step.
Men 18+ · Trained volunteer mentors · Non-clinical
01 / Where mentoring fits
He might want perspective on a life change, someone to reflect with, or support to work towards a goal. He chooses what matters to him.
Mentoring is non-clinical. It does not provide counselling, diagnosis, treatment, medication advice or crisis care.
It is not a domestic and family violence intervention or a men’s behaviour change program. Specialist needs remain with the relevant services.
Before you refer
He needs to choose mentorship for himself, be willing to take part regularly and want to work towards something that matters to him. He doesn’t need a polished goal before he starts; identifying it can be part of the conversation.
Mentorship is goal-focused and timebound, with an ending agreed by mentor and mentee. Connection matters, but MM is not an ongoing friendship or companionship service.
Active substance dependence, unmanaged mental health symptoms or current harmful behaviour may prevent safe participation. Mentoring is not suitable when these needs are unsupported, require specialist intervention beyond a volunteer’s role, or put anyone’s safety at risk.
Needs for specialist disability assistance, personal care, substantial communication or behaviour support, or supervision may also exceed what a volunteer mentor can provide. MM is not an NDIS disability support service.
A diagnosis or disability alone does not decide suitability. What matters is the support he needs and whether he can participate safely within the mentoring role.
If specialist support is in place or being sought, speak with our intake team first. We consider his current needs, readiness, support arrangements and what a volunteer mentor can reasonably provide.
Where specialist support is needed, mentorship can only sit alongside appropriate care. A mentor must never be the sole support for those needs. Seeking specialist help does not, by itself, make current harmful behaviour or an unsafe situation suitable for mentoring.
Discuss current or recent criminal matters, violent offending, threats or other concerns about mentor or participant safety with intake. These are assessed in the man’s individual circumstances; safety concerns may prevent a match.
Call 1300 583 925 to discuss the referral process and agree a suitable way to share any sensitive information. Please don’t send health records or details of alleged or past offences by ordinary email or an unapproved form. Suitability is an individual intake decision; a referral does not guarantee acceptance or a match.
For urgent concerns, use your clinical, safeguarding and emergency pathways.
02 / Our Model of Care
Read the original Model of Care for the detail behind mentoring, from preparation and matching through to a planned ending.
The continuum runs from Healthy to Unsettled, Struggling, Healing and Healthy. Mentoring Men is shown either side of crisis: across Healthy and Unsettled on the left, and Healing and Healthy on the right. In Crisis sits within Struggling. (Reference: Beyond Blue)
View the scope-of-practice diagram and its full explanation.
Read scope of practice ↗The vertical axis runs from Poor mental wellbeing — LANGUISHING to FLOURISHING — High Mental Wellbeing. The horizontal axis runs from Severe and or Persistent Mental Illness to No or Minimal Mental Illness. Each quadrant describes high or low wellbeing, with or without a diagnosed mental illness. The dashed region on the left is outside of Mentoring Men’s scope. The light grey region shows Mentoring Men’s scope of practice. The darker curved region shows the optimum support area, extending slightly left of the vertical axis. The diagram is conceptual and has no numerical scale. (Queensland Mental Health Commission, 2015)
View the model and the accompanying wellbeing explanation.
Explore the dual-axis model ↗Diagrams recreated from the original Model of Care. Model of Care, Version 1.22 · May 2025.
Read the full Model of Care ↗03 / Making a referral
Explain the offer, check he wants to hear from us, then let our team discuss the fit with him.
Explain the mentoring role, its limits and regular catch-ups. Ask what he would value in a mentor. Give him time to decide.
Before sharing details, make sure he knows about the referral and agrees to MM contacting him. Agree safe contact details and what information can be shared.
Our team contacts him, confirms his consent and considers suitability, availability and matching. A referral is not acceptance or a guaranteed immediate match.
With his agreement, use the Mentee Referral Form to share the information needed for our intake team to contact him. Please don’t include clinical records.
Continue planned care. Agree what can be shared with our team, who to contact if concerns arise and what updates would help. Ask intake what’s possible.
If he prefers to explore or apply himself, share the short introduction below. He can choose when to take the next step.
Share the introduction ↗04 / Resources for your service
Choose your setting for a practical way to introduce mentoring. The scope and referral process stay the same.
Raise mentoring when a man wants perspective on a challenge, personal goal or life change. Explain the difference between a volunteer mentor and clinical care.
Referral steps ↓Mentoring can offer regular reflection alongside ongoing care. Discuss goals, boundaries and agreed communication. Family safety concerns remain with specialist and safeguarding pathways.
Check the scope ↑Life after service can bring changes in routine, identity and connection. Ask what experience and qualities he would value in a mentor; a particular background or match is not guaranteed.
An introduction to share ↗Start with what he wants to work towards. He may value a sounding board around work, family, purpose or connection. Keep the invitation practical and leave the choice with him.
An introduction to share ↗Make the first conversation easier
A short, printable introduction he can read at his own pace. What mentoring offers, what it doesn’t, and how to get started.