PODCAST: SEASON 3, EPISODE 16: Supporting migrant and refugee youth with Enda Gilbert

In this episode we’re joined by Enda Gilbert, an educator, parental burnout practitioner and coach. Enda shared important and practical tips on how we can best support migrant and refugee young people.

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Sound bite

A lot of them are transitioning from refugee camp. So yes, sometimes they do have schools in the refugee camps, but a lot of the time they don’t. So therefore, being in the classroom, it’s really something new for them to be in formal education.

generic intro

Hello and welcome to the youth mentor podcast. This is your short burst of inspiration tips and research about teens for parents, educators, and mentors. I’m your host, Amanda Rootsey, founder of teen personal development school Shine From Within and coach to incredible youth mentors all over the world. Now I certainly don’t know it all.

So I interview the experts about what’s going on for youth today. From psychological insights to really practical advice, this is your moment of inspiration, motivation, and a few laughs amidst the ever changing world of teens and tweens.

Episode Intro

[00:00:52] Hello. I can’t wait for you to listen to this episode with Enda Gilbert. Honestly it’s incredible. We started off by talking about her work with migrant and refugee young people and the ways that, um, adults around young people that have been through this experience, how we can best support them and some of the things that we need to be aware of, uh, which was so, so insightful.

[00:01:13] And then we also talked about the work that Enda does with parents, and she gave this incredible five step kind of process to build really high quality partnerships with adolescents, whether you’re a parent or an educator, or a mentor or a coach. Um, some really, really, uh, deep, beautiful things that we can do to make sure that we’re, we’re providing the best support that we can.

[00:01:35] So there’s a lot of gold in this episode, and I can’t wait for you to have a listen. Enjoy.

Episode Begins

[00:01:41] Amanda: Yay. Welcome and I’m so excited to have you here on the Youth Mentor Podcast. 

[00:01:45] Enda: Thank you for having me. I’m really excited as to be here with you. 

[00:01:52] Amanda: Me too. Yeah. I guess you have such a wealth of knowledge, um, in, in supporting young people and in supporting parents, and, um, I can’t wait to dive into all of this with you. To start us off, would you mind telling us a little bit about yourself? 

[00:02:08] Enda: Of course, I’m from the island of Seychelles. Um, but I’ve been calling Western Australia home for the last 21 years, and, uh, I’ve been in the field of education for 26 years now, and all this time I’ve been working with, uh, adolescent, um, Um, 12 to 16 years old and the last 10 years cause of my position that I work in, um, I work with the caregivers as well and I focus a lot on students wellbeing.

[00:02:49] And I work all these years I’ve worked mainly with, uh, refugee and migrants, adolescent, um, Living in Western Australia, uh, with a 15 year old, so, 

[00:03:05] Amanda: Yeah. Wow. So you’re a parent too. So we can, I can ask you parent questions too. Yes. You’re in the thick of it with, with.

[00:03:17] So I’d love to, I’d love to start with just a really big question of, um, you know, as you mentioned you’ve worked so much in, the space of supporting migrant and refugee young people. Are there, are there particular challenges that you see that they’re facing in their day-to-day life with, with all of the work that you are doing?

[00:03:39] Enda: Yeah. The key challenge that, um, I found it’s the learning of the language, of course. Okay. So that’s the most important. That’s the, the biggest one. So the key challenge is, uh, learning English, right? And uh, although many of them, they speak several languages, but they don’t come from countries that speak English, right? And, uh, so they struggle a lot. And also because when they come, they’re still in the settling process and there are a lot of things happening for them.

[00:04:21] Um, family finding a home or even just adapting to the new culture. So therefore they find it really hard to focus at school. And also, um, A lot of them are transitioning from refugee camp. So yes, sometimes they do have schools in the refugee camps, but a lot of the time they don’t. So therefore, um, being in the classroom, it’s really, um, Something new for them to be in formal education.

[00:04:54] And then we have the ones that were in limbo, meaning that they didn’t go to school at all. They were just there waiting for their visa to be approved and all that. So again, they’ve never been to school. So that’s, it’s a huge things for them. Right. And um, because our system, the educational system here in Australia, so when they come, if they.

[00:05:20] Don’t live in an area where there’s an intensive English center. They have to go into a mainstream school. And in the mainstream school they are placing class of course, according to their age, not the educational level. So you can have a 15 year old, um, with no English at all, will be placed in a year 10 class.

[00:05:45] Okay. And so you can imagine the pressure of like, I don’t even know the language. I don’t know what’s happening around me, what’s going on. And they need extra support. And unfortunately, due to funding, not all or not all school, are able to provide them with that extra support to support them, you know, and also not having the language at all.

[00:06:08] They need to be. Um, in an Intensive English Centre for them to get the basic. Okay, so that’s a main issue as well. And. Also there’s pressure from their family to go and find a part-time job to support the family. So again, they find it really hard to to balance like I’m trying to learn here, but at the same time, they have to work to support the family.

[00:06:36] So all these creates all sort of issues for them and a lot of pressure. And of course not forgetting the discrimination and racism that happened in school and outside as well. So that’s the main one. Yeah. 

[00:06:52] Amanda: Just one or two. The small things. Yeah. Yeah. Well that’s, um, that just sounds so intense, you know, to think about how challenging adolescence is with the best of circumstances and when you know the language and when you’ve lived in a place your whole life and you look like the other students and all of those things. Yes. Yeah. Gosh, that must be so hard for them. 

[00:07:14] Enda: Yeah. And then there’s a big one as well. Don’t forget the, the cultural adjustment.

[00:07:20] Yeah, that’s a, yeah, that’s a huge one for them. And also, um, how can I put this? They find it hard. They find it hard to please they family in the sense that, okay, I’ve moved to this new country and they realize that. I have to, I have to try to fit in. Cuz as you know, youth, they want to belong. They wanna be part of the group.

[00:07:49] They wanna fit in, right? So, um, what happened is sometimes a lot of them, they, they’re not forgetting their culture. They more into the new culture because they wanna fit in, they wanna belong. And that’s where a lot of issues started at home because the parents or, or the guardians, um, are not happy because they feel that they’re rejecting their own culture, you know?

[00:08:19] And so they don’t understand like, It’s like what the youth is thinking is that I need to be able to participate in what’s happening in my town, in my school and, and try to fit in, you know, um, otherwise what happen if they don’t do that, they get left behind or they bullied or they are seen as different. So this creates a, a big issues because in my line of work I noticed that a lot of problem, a lot of problems stem from this, where the youth is trying to fit in, but the parents are finding it hard to really understand, you know, to, to let go. Yeah. 

[00:09:01] Amanda: I can imagine that would be so challenging and, and it must be challenging for their, for their kids too, you know, like I imagine they, they, um, want to hold onto their cultural roots and be connected with their family all the time too, but feeling that pressure to make a life here and, and reduce the possibility of, of conflicts and harm, like with their peers.

[00:09:27] Enda: And a lot of the time, like, um, There are some that sort of like give up like okay, the pressure is too intense. Alright. So they sort of like, like we call de-culturation. So where they sort of like, you know what, I’m just gonna forget everything.

[00:09:50] Or I’m just gonna forget what my parents, my guardians are telling me to hold onto this, to, you know, I’m just gonna do my best to fit in and to belong, you know, because, um, they can’t find that balance or they don’t have that support and understanding, you know, of the people around them, of their loved ones.

[00:10:13] So that’s why they give up all together and they, yeah. Yeah. 

[00:10:19] Amanda: Wow. And so do you, do you work in one of those intensive, do you work in an intensive language center? 

[00:10:25] Enda: Yes. Yes. Um, I work in an intensive English center and I lead a team of, there are 16 of us. Wow. Um, yes, so with, we have teachers and also educational assistant.

[00:10:37] Right. And, uh, we focused a lot. Of course, the aim of an intensive English center is to equip them with the language. Because depending on the visa that they own, they can only stay in an intensive English center for either one year or two years. Right? And then whether they’re ready or not, they have to move to the mainstream, right?

[00:11:05] Mm-hmm. So when we teaching them, we have to have that balance where their wellbeing matters a lot to us. You know, and we have to take in consideration because all of them are all of us. Sorry, all of us are trauma trained and all that. Because remember, they, they’re coming with a lot of trauma, you know, um, loss, displacement.

[00:11:33] So all these things, they come with all these things and, uh, To be, so we have to be gentle and compassionate with them along the way. Yes, we do have a curriculum to follow to make sure that we prepare them, but to us, their wellbeing is matter. Masori matters a lot, and also we don’t place them in an intensive English center.

[00:12:00] We place them according to the academic level. Not their age, right? So for example, in a class you can have a 16 year old, a 14 and a 13 together, but they are all on the same level in terms of the academic level. So therefore, one, um, teaching is easier for the teacher, but also for the students. They feel more comfortable.

[00:12:32] Because we, we all like the same level we are on this journey together and we, so they feel more inclined to, to help each other and we find that they flourish because they don’t feel intimidated, you know? So, yeah. 

[00:12:51] Amanda: Wow. It makes me feel really sad for the ones that don’t get an opportunity to go into an intensive language center for this year or two.

[00:13:01] Enda: Yes. And uh, a lot of the time they, they, they struggle. I mean that, like I said now, um, because Okay, and migrants, when they come in, we have what we call, um, limited schooling. And then we have the one that’s had previous schooling, but it’s just, it wasn’t in English. Alright? Okay. Now, um, Research I’ve shown, and also in our, my experience now, the one that had previous schooling, even though it wasn’t in English, they tend to, um, master the language quicker because one, they already have schooling experience, so they know they have organizational skill.

[00:13:47] They know I have to do this, and so they have that skills. But the limited schooling, Those with interrupting schooling have never been to school before. They are the one that struggles or don’t make it because they require intensive support now. So yeah, it, it’s really hard if they’re in an area where there is no intensive English center, it’s gonna be, it’s a big struggle for them.

[00:14:18] Yeah. Wow. Mentally as well. Don’t forget the mental side of Covid also. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. 

[00:14:26] Amanda: And is there, is there a, um, is there an average amount of time that these. Kids are often in, um, refugee camps and, and waiting for visas and things like that? Or, or does it just vary really widely? 

[00:14:41] Enda: Yes. It, it varies widely.

[00:14:44] Um, you have the one that were born in refugee camp, like we have a 15 year old who turn up and they were born in a refugee camp, but, you know, wow. And then the one who’s been fortunate enough, they’ve been there maybe for a year or two years, you know, but, um, it, it does varies. And also depending on the camp where they’re coming from, some, some camps, the, the schooling are a little bit more.

[00:15:11] Um, more, not advanced, but at least they have more opportunities, you know, and they, they do have some resources, books and things like that. And then we have the camps that have nothing, but it’s just that, um, the teachers or people in the, in the camp who can speak a little bit of English, I educated, so they offer their time to, to support the, the, the youth.

[00:15:39] So it all depends on where they’re coming from in the camp they come from. Yeah. Yeah, 

[00:15:47] Amanda: And so, what are some, what are some traits or things that you feel like mentors and educators , can do? How can they make sure that they’re, considering some of this stuff and being really inclusive and supportive and nurturing for young people that might have gone through something like this that are, that are in their classes or their workshops or something.

[00:16:08] Enda: Okay. I’m gonna take time with this one cuz I know you deal a lot with mentors, so it can be very important for you. How can we be good at this. So what mentors need to consider that. Okay. Youth from refugee backgrounds, like I said. So they have experienced, um, trauma, um, persecution, loss and displacement.

[00:16:33] Okay? So therefore, the key role is to make sure as a mentor, um, they building positive and inclusive environment for them. Okay? Refugee youth are the same, like all youth. So what they want is to be seen, so they want to be consulted and they want to be heard regardless of the language barrier. Okay? So therefore, show interest in them and show interest in the culture as well.

[00:17:16] Now, Ask them question about the homeland, you know, um, the food they eat and, and all that. Because from my experience, I find that, well, 90% of them, they are willing to share. And, and when I talk to them about their culture, their eyes just lit up because, oh, finally someone is interested, you know, so they get to share.

[00:17:41] So this is a good thing to start if you wanna build a good relationship with them. Start by genuinely getting to know their culture. Okay? So that’s a very important thing for them. Okay. And by doing that, you are helping them to maintain that link with their culture. So then they will see that, oh, okay, my culture is important.

[00:18:06] I don’t have to just reject it so I can have both. Still give my culture and I can still adopt the new one, the new in, in where I’m living, you know? So it’s, it’s really important. And the next thing is give them time to come around. Okay. Because trust is a big issue for a lot of them, because remember the past where they come from.

[00:18:36] Okay. And, um, their journey. So a lot of them don’t, I mean, don’t take their unwillingness to participate or to respond to you. Don’t take it as rude or they’re ungrateful. It’s just that some of them, they do take time to trust. So you have to just give them time. Okay. And, uh, You are not expected to know everything as a mentor, but don’t assume as well, okay?

[00:19:10] And that’s why you need to ask a lot of question. And even if you need to require the help of an interpreter, please do so because, um, this is one thing I noticed, like sometimes like in my line of work, um, I would repress an interpreter, even if it’s just for five or 10 minutes, I would get an interpreter because I want, um, that student in front of me to feel understood and to feel that somebody is hearing me, you know?

[00:19:43] So, yeah. So it’s very important to, to ask question and ask for an interpreter to help to build that relationship with them. Okay. And, uh, another thing, a lot of the refugee youth, especially from the refugee side, I notice that a lot of them are head of the family, okay? Mm-hmm. So yeah, they are taking care of the family or the other person that the family rely on.

[00:20:13] So in other words, they have like an authority figure at home. Okay? And then, When they come to school or they’re, when they’re working with a mentor and you trying to, for example, let’s say you’re giving them an instruction on how to do something or, um, how I expect you to, to, to complete a task or an activity.

[00:20:37] Right. And a lot of them, they see it as like, I’m not taking orders from you cause I’m so used to being on the other side of the coin. I’m so used to be the one, I’m the one who be orders. So, you know, so, and I find that, uh, to get around this is have a one-on-one conversation. This is very important. So maybe on the side or one compensation, and explain your intention.

[00:21:05] My intention here is not to give you, My intention is to explain you, to make sure that you understand what is your power of you or how we have to, to do this thing. You get me. And, and like I said, it does take time, but they do come around because once they understand your intention and they know that, uh, okay then, um, just want to help me.

[00:21:29] So then they tend to settle down and just go with the flow. Can accept all the help and support. A lot of them, they do find it hard because mentoring is a new concept for a lot of them, and they do reject it at the beginning. What’s the point of me doing this? I don’t wanna talk to anyone, you know? But we just keep at it and eventually they do come around.

[00:21:56] Amanda: So much. Great. So much great insight there. And tips and, yeah. Yeah. Um, I love that. Yeah. We don’t have to know everything. We can just, just be interested and ask questions. Yeah, yeah. Yes. Which, which applies to working with all young people, doesn’t it? 

[00:22:15] Enda: Yeah. That’s it. You know, all young people and, and, but it’s just that with them, because there’s this language barrier.

[00:22:23] You know? Yeah. So, yeah, and that’s why I find that even like in the line of my work, like it can belittle misunderstanding between them. Alright. And then they come into my office and they trying to explain, they don’t have the language trying to explain that he started it and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

[00:22:40] So I always get an interpreter to give them a chance to explain because otherwise they feel like you’re not hearing me. Mm. You are not interesting or, you know, so yeah. It’s really, really important to, to make them feel hurt, make, I mean, show them that you’re hearing them. Mm. You know? Yeah. It’s really important.

[00:23:04] Amanda: Yeah. And do it properly with, with the support that you need. If you need that support, that need. Yeah. Yeah. Wow. Yeah. And, and really asking about their Yeah. The culture and um, what’s important to them and yes. Bringing those together. I love what you said about Yeah. It can have both. Yes. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:23:25] And how rich and beautiful to embrace both. 

[00:23:28] Enda: Exactly. Uh, and like, um, I take like myself, cuz my son was born here, right. And, uh, At the age of 18 months, I, um, I took him to my country for the first time. And since then, except when Covid, every year we go and visit. And my reason for doing this is because I want him to know my culture.

[00:23:53] Right. But he doesn’t speak my language, you know, doesn’t, but to me it’s like, I want you to meant to know it. But then again, I’m not gonna impose on him to like, to leave it like I leave it, if you know what I mean. But at least I just want you to, to know that you can have both. No, both. It’s, it’s important to have both.

[00:24:25] Amanda: oh, that sounds beautiful. Hmm. And so, um, the other work that I know that you do is as a, as a certified parental burnout practitioner. Mm-hmm. Um, can you tell us a little bit about that and how Yeah. How you support the parents in all of this? 

[00:24:43] Enda: Okay. Um, so like I said, as a certified parental burnout and a life coach and an educator, Um, so I marry all this together.

[00:24:56] Mm-hmm. And I bring my experience and I support parents to manage and overcome burnout that comes with raising teenagers. Okay. And, um, um, too often, Amanda. The key focus of my coaching practice, right, is to help the parents to build nurturing, connection and partnership with their teenager. Okay? Now, too often we hear this, I’m sure you’ve heard this a lot, but to understand teenagers, you need to build good relationship with them.

[00:25:42] You know, it’s all about relationship, okay? Now this statement has become a bit cliche, right? Because still there are a lot of youth that feeling lonely and some of them feel lonely, and yet they living with their families and all that, that is still feel like, um, they’re not being heard or they don’t understand them, the parents doesn’t understand them and all that.

[00:26:12] So the question that we need to ask is, , how much are we investing in high quality relationship in our home, in the school, in all the program that we are devising, right? So therefore, in my coaching practice, I work with parents to be able to build this nurturing connection with the adolescence, and I focus on five key statements when I work with them. Okay. So what I focus on is, the first one is show me that I matter. So this is one thing. The youth, the, the, the adolescent wants know, show me that I matter. And how are we gonna do that? What, what do they mean by show me that I’m not, uh, what they mean is that, um, really pay attention to me.

[00:27:09] When we are together, you know, show me you enjoy being with me. Praise me for my efforts and achievements and things like that, right? Mm-hmm. And then the next one that we focus on is Stretch me. Okay. Stretch me to, so that I keep getting better. Right? Uh, meaning that, um, push me. To go further, I want you to push me to go further.

[00:27:34] I want you to, um, insist that I take responsibility for my action. You know, help me to learn from my mistakes and my step backs, right? And the next one is empower me to achieve my goals. You know, create opportunities for me to be empowered, guide me through situation, and, you know, support me, defend me when I need it as well.

[00:28:01] You know, and then treat me with respect and give me a say, right? So that is, take me seriously, treat me fairly, ask me what do I feel, okay. And, uh, involve me in decision as well. Right? And the last one we focus on, inspire me to expand my possibilities. You know, um, expose me to new ideas, to new experiences.

[00:28:30] Introduce me to people who can help me. Right? Um, why did I choose these five statements? Is because a lot of the time I noticed that, um, the relationship between the parents and the teenager, um, they might have some of the aspect, but either one or two is missing, you know, or so therefore, I tend to. Put this in a coaching program where we focus on all five and I give them together.

[00:29:00] So based on the, um, family, the situation, because all my programs are personalized depending on the circumstances and, and the dynamics of the family. Mm-hmm. So then we walk through all these five elements through strategies and, uh, coaching support to help them to build. That relationship with their children, with their teenagers especially.

[00:29:27] Right. And also because I’m a certified parental burnout, I do work with parents who doesn’t have teenagers because I support them to, to manage burnout, especially the mothers who are working and who are juggling motherhood and work. So I support them as well in doing that. 

[00:29:54] Amanda: Wow. You are just this incredible superhuman that does this amazing, amazing work.

[00:30:00] With your, with the young people at the intensive language center, the team, I imagine, I can imagine how supported your whole team would feel. The Yes. Yeah. Yeah. A beautiful mother. And then to think about, to hear the way that you work with parents too is just, just incredible. It, I, I had, um, tears in my eyes.

[00:30:20] You, as you talked about the five aspects, because you’re right. You know, we of course, yeah. We know that we want young people to feel heard. And that’s the thing that I hear the most. And it, it came up again in the youth mentor conference. They, they just want, they just want a space to feel heard. But when you talk about that, when you share that, Mm.

[00:30:39] Um, it can, can feel like, of course I listen, or of course I wanna build a good relationship, but to hear the real, that, those specific ways that you can do that and how much you can deepen that and that in working with you, you can learn really, really clear strategies to do that too and have that support.

[00:30:56] What a magical service.

[00:30:57] Enda: Yeah. Yeah. I know Amanda is just like, um, even in like my line of work that I do and, um, Um, I’ve turned a lot of moments of frustration and fighting into joy and connection. Right. And a lot of the time when I sit down, cause sometimes I have to be like the mediator. Mm-hmm. And when I sit down with the, the caregivers or the parents and the adolescent listen to both parties and what’s happening, and I notice that a lot of the time it’s like, Like the parents would say, yeah, but I, I listen, you know, I have this good relationship and all that, but then I always notice that there’s something missing, you know, and that’s why I said, um, I’m gonna come up with a framework that will try to encompass all these little things that it’s easy for us to miss it.

[00:31:55] Because like you said, we do focus sometimes on. Yeah. Um, Um, how can I put this? Yeah. I give the, the youth, the, the space. I give him, I give him his space. You know, you can do this and do that, but what we don’t realize is that teenagers, they want boundaries. They want boundaries. Teenagers, because if we don’t give them boundaries, not just, um, they prefer when they have a structure.

[00:32:23] Yes, we’re not gonna be too rigid. But boundaries do guide them. Mm-hmm. So sometimes it’s these little things that maybe the parents need to, um, need that education or even that support to help me to put this in place, like boundaries. As you know, it can be really tricky because you can be too rigid, rigid, but at the same time you cannot be too lenient.

[00:32:48] So you need to have that, you know, you have to get that right balance, you know? So, yeah, it’s, it’s this thing that sort of like encourage me to just come up with that framework that will support the parents to, to build that connection, that partnership with their adolescence. Yeah. 

[00:33:11] Amanda: Amazing. 

[00:33:12] Enda: A lot of people will ask me, why don’t you work with adolescent because you have so much experience? And my answer is because I am an advocate that when parents thrive, their children flourish.

[00:33:30] Therefore, I devoting my time to work with the parents to empower them so that they can be their adolescents greatest life coach. Mm. So, yeah, so I work with them. I empower them and so that they can go out there and support their adolescents, you know? 

[00:33:56] Amanda: Wow. I feel like every youth mentor we have now around the world needs to be paired up with a parent coach like you, so that we’ve got both aspects covered and, and the whole kind of ecosystem, the whole family can feel really supported and flourish, as you said.

[00:34:11] Enda: Yeah. Yeah. And also I meant, um, I believe that, uh, again, this is my philosophy. I believe that, um, parents come first. I believe that parents come first because when you have a parent who, um, present who’s emotionally, physically, and spiritually, um, stable, then the child rips the reward. So, yeah. And another reason why I work a lot with parents, because I work with them, for them to be, to be stable, for them to give the best to their children, not leftover.

[00:34:51] You know, because yeah. And for you to be able to give the best for your children, of course you have to take care of yourself and you have to give the best to yourself. So yeah. Another reason why I tend to focus on the parent more. Yeah. Yeah. I love 

[00:35:09] Amanda: that. Yeah. I mean that’s, that’s always the challenge, I think with youth mentors and, and teachers from the conversations I’ve had is that, you know, we can, we can run the most incredible workshop and we can even have a three month one-on-one mentoring sessions, you know, a series with a young person.

[00:35:27] But, um, you know, the environment at home is where they are often the most. And that’s, yeah, that’s, that’s where, yeah.

[00:35:34] Enda: It’s true. It’s true. Even in at work, Amanda, um, with my team, they know that. Um, we build, we have a very strong connection with home. You know, I always on the phone with an interpreter talking to a parent, so if, if one of kids playing up, I would call the parents and, and find out what’s going on.

[00:35:59] So, because like you said, um, everything starts from home. Mm. You know, and then they bring it to school. What we see at school, um, of course is the aftermath, but it all starts from home. And that’s why I believe that we need to bridge that, that connection. And I’m fortunate enough in my position, cuz I am in charge of the wellbeing, students’ wellbeing.

[00:36:25] So I can make that difference in the sense that. I can create that connection with home and school and show parents as well that, you know what, anytime you wanna turn up, you wanna talk, come in, get an interpreter. If I have to, then we can talk, because like you said, it’s important that the home where this is where it all happen, it’s important that the youth, the adolescent, the child, they feel safe.

[00:36:58] They feel seen and heard at home because it’ll help them to thrive. But the parents as well, we need to take care of the parents also. Yeah. For them to be the best. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, I love that. 

[00:37:13] Amanda: Wow. And you get to, and you get to play with and work with the youth all day at work too, so you get the best of both worlds.

[00:37:21] Enda: I get the best of both worlds, you know? So, so that’s why I’m like, no. I work with the youth in my paid employment, but for my business I focus on parents. And of course I’m learning a lot from my youth for all these years. I’ve learned a lot from them. And this is, um, this is what puts me in a good place for me to help the parents.

[00:37:44] I know what I’m talking about because, um, I’m leaving it and I’ve been doing it for years, so, yeah. Yeah, 

[00:37:52] Amanda: Yeah. Amazing. Yay. So how can people work with you? How can parents work with you? 

[00:37:59] Enda: Um, they can find me on Instagram at Gilbert Coaching, but, um, and Facebook as well. I know a lot of parents are on Facebook.

[00:38:10] They can find me on Facebook. And also I’ve got my website, www.endagilbert.com. So they can just click on contact and send me a message and then I will get in touch with them. But um, I do a lot of my things on Instagram. Mm-hmm. But I interact a lot in my email community as well, cuz I got a fairly big email community as well.

[00:38:37] So I interact a lot with my parents as well in my community. And I’ve got a private Facebook group, it’s called Burnout Roof Lounge. Ooh, yes. And this is where I do a lot of free coaching in there. And I talk to the parents. I give them tips. So like the name said, it’s Burnout of Lounge. So we talk about everything that will help them to manage burnout and kick burnout out so that they can thrive.

[00:39:08] So yeah, they can join the, this private Facebook group as well and they see me more in the group. 

[00:39:18] Amanda: I’ll make sure to pop all of the links for those things in the notes too. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It just sounds like you, um, uh, just have the most wonderful body of work and, um, incredible work that you do in the world every day.

[00:39:34] Yeah. It’s, it’s amazing. 

[00:39:36] Enda: I know Amanda, and, and I think I did tell you in my email that like, Um, I don’t wanna quit my day job yet because I feel I’m not ready to quit it yet. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Uh, I just love working with, um, the refugee and the migrant youth. I, I dunno, I feel like I, Australia’s doing a lot for, them’s doing a lot for them, but somehow they still need that group of people.

[00:40:07] With that experience to advocate for them. You know, if you know what I mean? Yeah. So it’s like, yeah, I love it. Yeah, 

[00:40:17] Amanda: I’m so, I’m so grateful that you could be here with us today and share so generously about what you see and, and learn in that space. Mm-hmm. With the, you know, providing us that insight to the refugee and migrant young people as well.

[00:40:31] And to, um, and those five parts of your framework are just incredible, I think for parents, but also mentors and, and educators too, I think to think about the different ways that we can Yes. 

[00:40:42] Enda: Connect and build relationships and, and yeah. And that’s my next thing that I. I I’m developing a, like a, like a course Yeah.

[00:40:52] On my framework so that the, the mentors, uh, anybody who works with the youth can take it and again, you know, to help them to really understand how to build high quality partnership with adolescents. Yeah. 

[00:41:11] Amanda: Oh, I love that. Yay. Yes. I’m so glad we connected on Instagram. How great is social media? 

[00:41:20] Enda: Cause with me, I connect with everyone that’s going, that’s working with the youth.

[00:41:29] Yes. So it just Good. Thank you for having me. You’re welcome. And I’m really honored that you’ve given me this opportunity too. To share not just what I love doing, but also to bring a little bit more awareness of, uh, the challenges that the refugee and migrant youth are facing.

[00:41:53] So, yeah, and for that, I’m grateful for giving me that opportunity. 

Outro

[00:42:00] How wonderful was that? Oh my goodness. Uh, so incredible and so grateful and thrilled that Enda was able to join us, uh, for this episode. If you would like more support from Enda, make sure to check out any of the links, uh, in the, in the show notes here or over at shinefromwithin.com au. We always do a post with the transcript and any notes.

[00:42:22] Um, so that you can find, find Edna and, and work with her. And, uh, something that we have got in the works actually here at Shine from Within is a Pocket Mentor Course. So, you know, we have our, our Youth Mentor Training certification, but um, this will be for the people that really want some mentoring skills to, um, to keep in their back pocket for, for when they’re around young people and when they’re having conversations with young people.

[00:42:47] So we’re pulling out just some of the, some kind of mini lessons around how you can be a really great mentor from, from listening skills and, and, uh, really powerful questions. You can ask them, uh, what’s going on for young people today and, um, team development 101 so that you can understand what they might be going through in terms of, you know, what’s happening in their, in their beautiful brains and bodies. Um, so if, yeah, if you like the idea of, of this Pocket Mentor Course, please stay tuned for that, um, because it’s coming really soon and it’s going to be really affordable and just, yeah, beautiful mini, mini classes. So it’s perfect for people that don’t wanna be a mentor necessarily, um, professionally, but would love some mentoring skills.

[00:43:27] So, um, I’m excited to, to give you a little sneak peek about that, um, to stay tuned and, um, we’ve got some other wonderful conversations coming up with you as well here in the, in the Youth Mentor Podcast. And, you know, please feel really welcome to reach out if you have a particular question or a particular guest that you’d love to hear from, or a particular topic that you’d love us to dive into a little bit further.

[00:43:53] Please use what, whatever tools are available to you on the podcasting platform that you’re using right now. Um, I know some of them allow you to submit questions and, and things like that, but you can also just email us anytime, info @shine from within.com au. Have a wonderful rest of your day or evening and um, I’ll be back with you really soon.

Mentioned in this episode:

• You can find Enda’s website here.
• Find Enda on Facebook here.
• Youth Mentor Training

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And if you want to work with teens too, head to Youth-Mentor-Training.com to learn more about our Youth Mentor Training and download the quiz to find out your youth mentor archetype!