Australia's first mentoring program dedicated to rural SRH
CERSH is building a pilot program to support SRH service delivery in rural communities. The program pairs an established SRH clinician (mentor) with a clinician looking to upskill and provide SRH services to their rural community (mentee), in a 1:1 mentor/mentee relationship.
Alongside ongoing engagement with their mentor, mentees will meet with subject matter experts across key areas of SRH practice, providing a holistic education pathway. Mentee practices will be supported to set up new services in a sustainable, lasting way.
Program overview
CERSH is building a pilot program to grow SRH service delivery in rural communities, backed by expertise from across the sector — not just goodwill and a manual. The program runs over a 12-month period, with three roles working together to make it happen.
Subject matter expert
The curriculum at the heart of this program isn't repurposed from elsewhere. It has been developed specifically for this mentoring program by world-leading experts in sexual and reproductive health, in collaboration with practising clinical professionals as CERSH's subject matter experts (SME). Together, they cover key SRH topics across the program, giving mentees a curriculum grounded in both leading research and real clinical practice.
Mentor
Mentors aren't there to deliver the curriculum - that's covered by the SMEs. Instead, mentors are the steady, local presence alongside the mentee's learning, helping them work through day-to-day practice challenges, talk through real patient scenarios, and apply what they're learning in a rural context. Where a mentor is based in or near the mentee's community, they also bring valuable local and cultural context that only someone on the ground can offer.
Mentee
Mentees engage with this content directly from CERSH's SMEs over the 12 months, building the clinical knowledge and confidence to deliver SRH services in their own rural practice.Mentors: support on the groundEach mentee is paired 1:1 with a mentor for the duration of the program.
What mentees will learn
The 12-month program covers seven key SRH topics, purpose-built by world-leading experts in partnership with CERSH's clinical subject matter experts.
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Led by Dr XYZ
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Led by Dr XYZ
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Become a mentor
What we're looking for in a mentor
- An established and experienced holistic SRH clinician
- Based in a rural or regional setting in Victoria
- Commitment of 15–20 hours of mentor support over 12 months (remunerated)
- Flexibility around delivery of mentoring support (in-person where practical, online, etc.)
- Committed to increasing SRH access for rural communities
- Some flexibility with availability occasional compensated travel may be required
- Comfortable providing practical feedback and supporting reflective practice
Mentor benefits
- Remunerated position (hourly rate)
- Accredited hours to contribute to your Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements
- The opportunity to build workforce skills and improve outcomes for rural communities