OUR STORY
Empowering Young People in Regional, Rural & Remote WA
Wheatbelt & Beyond Youth Mentoring (WBYM) is a not-for-profit organisation on a mission to broaden the aspirations and opportunities of young people living in regional, rural and remote Western Australia.
By connecting high school students with trusted adult mentors from outside their community, we’re breaking down the barriers of isolation across Western Australia’s Wheatbelt & Beyond. Since 2011, we’ve supported more than 500 students through long-term, one-on-one mentoring relationships that connect them with positive adult role models outside their community.
Wheatbelt & Beyond Youth Mentoring (WBYM) began with a simple but powerful idea that every young person deserves someone in their corner.
OUR VISION
Young people from regional, rural and remote areas have the confidence to build a bright and productive future for themselves, their families and their communities.
OUR MISSION
To support regional, rural and remote students to build mental health and wellbeing, confidence, aspiration and belief in a bright future, contributing to more equitable education outcomes, as students make the challenging transition from adolescence to adulthood whilst facing the disadvantage of geographic and social isolation.
For Janine and Karen, mentoring isn’t just a program.
It’s a calling born from decades of experience, care, and a shared belief that young people in regional WA deserve the same opportunities, confidence, and support as anyone else.
Both being deeply rooted in the community and family farms in the region, Janine Dayman and Karen Strange share a lifelong passion for the Wheatbelt and its people. They’ve lived, worked, and raised families here. They’ve seen the beauty of close-knit communities, and they’ve seen the challenges that rural teenagers face.
Karen has spent 40 years actively contributing to her community.
Running her family’s fifth-generation farm and serving as Bruce Rock DHS School Liaison Officer. She’s witnessed firsthand the resilience and potential of young people in the Wheatbelt, as well as the barriers they face.
“We have story after story from students who have grown in confidence and achievement, appreciating their mentor's support and guidance”
Both Janine and Karen have witnessed firsthand the limited confidence and perspectives of students regarding life beyond their community.
Their experiences shaped a vision: to help rural youth see beyond the boundaries of isolation.
Janine spent more than 20 years teaching at Bruce Rock District High School.
As a teacher and deputy principal, she’s guided generations of students through the ups and downs of adolescence, celebrating their successes and supporting them through setbacks.
“I was concerned at the narrow view of careers, lack of aspiration and unwillingness of students to put themselves outside their comfort zone.”
From Local Mentoring to WBYM
In 2011, Janine and Karen had the opportunity to join a mentoring association. They jumped at the chance, not knowing yet how far it would go. They began mentoring students at Bruce Rock DHS, building a program from the ground up. Over nine years, their approach evolved into a structured, flexible mentoring program that worked for both students and mentors.
The program’s success was clear: students were more confident, engaged, and resilient, and mentors were gaining valuable personal and professional growth. By 2018, independent evaluation confirmed the program’s impact, funded by the Federal Government’s Building Better Regions Fund. It was a moment of validation, proof that their vision could make a real difference.
Inspired by the success of the independent evaluation in 2018, WBYM was officially established in 2019. With the mission to reach young people right across the Wheatbelt and beyond.
A Personal Mission Made Real
Janine and Karen’s story isn’t just about education or community programs. It’s about investing heart and confidence in the future of young people.
Their combined expertise, Janine’s in education, Karen’s in community engagement, has shaped WBYM into a program that not only empowers students but also enriches the lives of mentors, families, schools, and communities.