Transcript for ‘Why I became a PACE Mentor’
Meet Maria Haramis, Tara Gregory, and Stevie Rooney from QBE Insurance Group, along with Pam King, Legal Aid NSW and Jo Shaw, ANZ.
Maria Haramis, QBE Insurance Group
I remember going in and thinking to myself what a wonderful opportunity it would be for me, to share some of my experiences and to take part in a journey with another person.
Pam King, Legal Aid NSW
I felt that, as someone who's had a long and well established career,I may have something to offer a person with disability, so I volunteered to be a mentor.
Tara Gregory,QBE Insurance Group
My mentoring relationship with my mentee is a really strong bond between the both of us in a very short period of time.
I think we have a lot of common interests and a lot of common values, which really helped us grow that relationship from the outset.
It's really nice to see him grow through the program in finding out his skill sets, developing those, and really exploring what options he has in the marketplace outside of university.
Jo Shaw, ANZ
He's, you know, a really interesting guy, lots of skills, lots of experience. Perhaps his only weakness is just the confidence to go out there and sell himself.
Maria Haramis, QBE Insurance Group
Well, I was pleasantly surprised by what good rapport Yvonne and I had. I was also pleasantly surprised by how well AND was able to match the mentors with the mentees.
Tara Gregory,QBE Insurance Group
I've learnt a lot from the mentoring process. I didn't really know what I was going to gain from it when I started, but the most significant would be being able to share what I've learnt from the industry, my lessons and learnings from other people who have helped me through, and being able to instil them with my mentee.
Jo Shaw, ANZ
You know, I learnt, actually... is that adjustments come in all different shapes and sizes.
Stevie Rooney, QBE Insurance Group
For me, just a better appreciation of the experience of, in this case, a young person living with a disability in the community in Australia.
Acknowledging that, getting a better understanding.
Maria Haramis, QBE Insurance Group
Well, the most significant thing that I've learnt is the importance of being open-minded.
Tara Gregory,QBE Insurance Group
Not only are you able to share your skills and knowledge with your mentee, but also it gives me a light of what's actually happening and being able to help someone outside of my day-to-day work role.
Jo Shaw, ANZ
Oh, look, go ahead and do it. You fail 100% of the things you don't try. But I would recommend it, and I would absolutely do it again if the opportunity came up.
Stevie Rooney, QBE Insurance Group
You know, we're all very busy in our roles. But I think these opportunities to kind of stop, step back, and deliver value to someone who is in a position where it's hopefully going to benefit them, it's something that is easily done.
I think the program allows you to kind of, you know, accommodate it and integrate it into your working life.
Maria Haramis, QBE Insurance Group
I'd say don't hesitate, just do it. I think what you get out of the experience is just so rewarding and so enriching.
(DELICATE MUSIC)
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