Category Award - Education, Science and Technology
Cris Kennedy - Recipient of the Education, Science and Technology Category Award
Nominated by Barnardos Mentoring Programs – Kids Friends Tutoring
Cris has been an active and firmly committed member of the Barnardos community since 2001 when he volunteered as an educational mentor. Cris works full-time, studies for his Masters degree, and also writes freelance for numerous Canberra publications.
Cris volunteers for Barnados Mentoring Programs. This program recruits and trains volunteers as friendship or educational mentors for young people who are in need, aged six to sixteen, and who live in the Canberra region. The focus of the program is to assist young people affected by poverty, social isolation, special learning needs, loss of a parent, chronic illness in the family, parental substance abuse or domestic violence
Cris initially volunteered as an educational mentor and has recently extended his involvement by volunteering in the dual role of educational/friendship mentor. During his years of involvement in the program, he has been matched with indigenous and non-indigenous students from a variety of backgrounds. He has shown tremendous dedication and has exceeded the basic time commitments required by the program.
Cris also displays a great degree of self-awareness, which enables him to effectively mentor young people facing confronting issues. He has proven to be an excellent role model for young people, developing strong supportive friendships. He has provided the young people he has mentored experiences and opportunities they would otherwise not have had.
Cris maintains regular and consistent contact with the young people he mentors, spending many hours supporting and encouraging their learning through activities and excursions at weekends.
He provides support to the Barnardos program above and beyond expectations.