With three decades between them, Poppy and Christopher never imagined they could have so much in common.
Poppy is a go-getting, high-achieving university student who has overcome many adversities in her life. Christopher is a father of three and a former globe-trotting sales professional.
Although they come from very different backgrounds, they’ve started what they believe will be a lifelong friendship.
Poppy discovered Youth Off The Streets’ National Scholarship Program through an online search for student scholarships.
“Due to some complicated circumstances, I ended up living independently in Year 11 and I had to move around a fair bit,” she reflects. “In Year 12, I was really lucky to find a good share house.
“My independence at a young age and having to shoulder the responsibilities you don’t usually have to, along with the normal pressures of being in Year 12, is what led me here.”
Though her initial motivation was to secure financial assistance, the National Scholarship Program includes mentorship support for the duration of the two-year scholarship, which interested Poppy.
“I thought what Youth Off The Streets was offering, in terms of giving me a mentor, was unique,” she says.
“For young people like me who receive this scholarship, our struggles often come from intergenerational trauma and the lack of a proper role model.”
“I think the opportunity to be matched up with a mentor who has life experience is wonderful.”
Poppy was excited to make the most of her mentorship experience.
“I think you can learn something from everybody you talk to. Everyone has amazing life experiences and can teach you something. I love to pick people’s brains and hear what they have to say – learn from their mistakes and their achievements.”
Christopher applied to be a mentor after hearing Father Chris Riley’s story.
“Father Riley’s story resonated with me – the fact that one man could do such amazing things,” he says.
“I searched for more information on Father Chris, stumbled upon Youth Off The Streets’ website and saw they were looking for mentors.
“I think back to my 18- or 19-year-old self, and I don’t think I had anyone I could talk to who was doing what I wanted to do – someone who could be like a sounding board for my thoughts,” he continues.
“It’s nice to now be in a position where someone can ask me questions, and I can help mentor and guide them.”
Through Youth Off The Streets’ careful matching process, Christopher and Poppy were paired at the end of 2021 and met virtually for the first time in early 2022.
At first, they feared how awkward it could be to meet someone through a screen, as they live in different states. But they immediately hit it off and discovered they had plenty in common.
Both are studying a Bachelor of Psychology and share an interest in business and entrepreneurship. Christopher’s daughter and Poppy even share the same passion for Irish dance.
They’re now six months into the two-year program and continue to pursue their education goals while looking forward to their calls every week.
Poppy is working her way into a highly competitive Master of Neuropsychology.
Christopher hopes to use his psychology degree to address the critical need for psychologists specialising in chronic pain.
“We talk about everything from university to business or just life in general,” says Poppy.
“I find it hard when you’re young to make the right decisions and learn how to navigate relationships. I always find getting Christopher’s point of view helpful.”
Poppy feels like her perspective matters when she’s speaking with Christopher.
“My mentor is willing to listen to me, and I think older people don’t always value a younger person’s voice,” she explains.
“I think that this mentor and mentee relationship means a lot more to me now than the money that came from the scholarship.”
Christopher feels like he learns as much from Poppy as she does from him.
“There are times in the mentoring sessions where I feel like I am the mentee, and she is the mentor,” he says.
Poppy and Christopher’s relationship is an example of the benefits of this year’s International Youth Day theme – ‘intergenerational solidarity’.
The proliferation of generational stereotypes and prejudices in the news and on social media have made it harder than ever to foster collaboration and solidarity across age groups.
We asked Poppy and Christopher why they believe it is important for people from different generations to work together.
“I think sometimes young people get overlooked by older people because they believe they are uneducated or their opinions are underdeveloped,” says Poppy.
“But you can’t just ignore a whole age group.
“The older generation has experience on their side while the younger generation has a new outlook on theirs. If you bring those together, I think we can create something special.”
Christopher believes that shifting our mentality from being opposing groups to being genuinely interested in each other is the key to building a positive future for individuals, our communities and society as a whole.
“If there is one image that can represent intergenerational solidarity, it would be a campfire. Everyone sitting side by side,” he says.
“I think it’s important to have the mindset to choose to look at someone and ask them questions because you’re interested in them as a person.
“Whatever your creed or orientation, age really doesn’t matter,” he continues.
“I think if people are genuinely interested in others, they’ll get on and realise they have a lot more in common than they do in differences.
“I heard this famous quote, ‘If you want to be interesting, be interested.’ And I think that is the most important mentality.”
Special thanks to the generous partners who have made the Access Group Solutions and GPT Group Scholarship possible.