Veteran Mentors’ youth military programs are designed to assist children, aged 12-17, to become accountable for both their behaviour and decisions. These programs are ideal for children addicted to technology or who are demonstrating poor behaviours, low self-esteem and lack of respect. They’re also ideal for propelling youth to reach their fullest potential.
Throughout their respective military careers, the Veteran Mentors have learned and implemented many effective strategies in achieving success in the most challenging environments. These strategies and skills include mental and physical resilience, effective communication, conflict resolution and fear/stress management.
Since leaving the army, the Veteran Mentors are dedicated to teaching these skills and providing help for troubled teens. They’re also mindful of doing so in a way that students can successfully implement them after the program has finished.
About our youth military programs
Our Programs are not only for children or teenagers who are experiencing difficulties. All teenagers, aged 12-17, from Australia, and around the world, can benefit from this Program. It is fun, challenging, and arms them with the skills and resilience needed to forge into adulthood and the workforce.
Our aim is to improve family relationships, contribute to safer communities and enrich the lives of our participants. Participants will be accountable for their behaviours and handed the skills required to get past them. This allows them the opportunity to start fresh with leadership qualities, higher self-esteem and greater resilience.
It takes a village to raise a child
The Veteran Mentors team consists of several highly trained ex service men and women, each with an equal passion for working with youth and giving back to the community. Meet our key Veteran Mentors.
Glenn Filtness
Director
Glenn enlisted into the Australian Army in 2005 as a Communications Specialist. In 2008 he was deployed to Afghanistan on Reconstruction Task Force 4. In 2010 Glenn posted to the 1st Commando Regiment and deployed to Afghanistan again in 2011 and 2014. During his deployment in 2011, he was promoted to the rank of Corporal. He discharged from full-time service in 2016 and used his military experience to set up a successful group physical fitness business. Alongside this Glenn began volunteering for Soldier On, training wounded soldiers and improving their lives by promoting a healthy lifestyle and getting outdoors. Glenn now uses his military experience to better the lives of Australia’s youth, focussing on his knowledge of physical fitness and nutrition to help them reach their goals and improve their physical and mental well being.
Troy Methorst
Director
In 2003, Troy enlisted into the Australian army as a combat engineer. In 2004, he was deployed to East Timor on Operation Spire as a peacekeeper with the U.N before being promoted to the rank of Corporal in 2009. He was then deployed to Afghanistan on Operation Slipper as a search team commander.
During his military career, Troy completed numerous specialty courses, but of note was the Combat Fitness Leader. This course set Troy up for a post-military life as a fitness instructor and personal trainer. Since leaving the army in 2013, Troy has worked in the Fitness Industry as a personal trainer, group fitness instructor and as an outdoor education leader. He has also found a passion for mentoring participants on our youth military programs and help them reach their potential.
David Royles
QLD Platoon Commander
David enlisted in the army at age 17 as an Aslav Crewman and served for just under 6 years. During this time he deployed to Afghanistan on MTF-1 at only 19 years old, one of the youngest members of his battlegroup.
Like many others, David struggled with mental health during and post service for many years. He now uses this experience to help others overcome their own struggles. David has played and competed in many sports throughout his life, including representative level soccer in his younger years. He now competes in the sport of strongman, winning many state level titles in the Under 80’s division, with multiple invites to nationals.
David loves mentoring and draws upon lived experience to help bring out the best in others.
Melinda Baldissera
NSW Platoon Commander
Melinda enlisted in the Australian Army at the age of 18, specialising in the field of Logistics as an Operator Supply. During her seven years of service, she deployed to Afghanistan for eight months and represented her state in multiple sports. She was also presented with awards for excellence in her field, followed by being promoted to the rank of Corporal.
Outside of work you can find Melinda travelling, playing sport, going to the gym, and volunteering with the Ambulance Service.
Melinda loves working with Veteran Mentors because it allows her to support Australian youth as they navigate adolescence. She believes it is her duty to guide them into making the best life choices for their futures.
Hamish Young
Medic
Hamish is an experienced Medic and Pharmacist, who provides clinical oversight not only throughout the enrolment process, but is onsite during the program. He is available to discuss any medication-related concerns with parents and can be contacted directly by doctors as needed.
This role brings with it a diverse skill set and passion for providing risk management, harm minimisation and healthcare to youths with complex medical and pharmaceutical history.
His experience includes both metro and rural/remote professional practice in community pharmacy, pharmaceutical compounding, military pharmacy and as a casual academic at UNSW – Medicine & Health.
Ian Connop
QLD Counsellor
Ian joined the Army reserve in 1979 and served for nearly 4 years with Sydney University Regiment and 16th Royal West Australian Regiment while finishing school and later working underground as a hand-held drill and blast operator. He went shearing in several states and overseas before returning to work underground for several years. Leaving this trade in 1992 he moved to the Gold Coast to run a successful business and begin the process of raising two children. Returning to university age 40 Ian studied full time for 6 years and began a career in various fields of therapy.
Ian provides creative therapy for individuals, couples and families and is contracted to three mental services in QLD and VIC. He worked as a restorative justice facilitator with the Defence Abuse Response Taskforce (DART) and is currently on the panel to provide similar services for the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman as well Victorian Government with VicPol and is a registered Family Mediator.
He has worked previously as a gestalt therapist and social worker with military veterans and their families, victims of crime, gambling and addictions, relationship counselling, prisons, personality disorders, indigenous issues, high conflict parenting disputes, to name but a few, and is a clinical supervisor for professionals in the field.
Ian has a research interest in trauma and its effects on relationships, working daily with individuals and families that struggle with the ongoing effects that display as conflict, stress, anxiety and depression. He has written a group facilitators manual for parents struggling to expedite child arrangements in separation, and is a group facilitator and trainer. Ian keeps himself active within a variety of outdoor pursuits including surf boat rowing, offtrack bushwalking, fishing and archery and has worked with Veteran Mentors since JLP13.
Rosie Todhunter
NSW Counsellor | Parent Support Coach
Rosie is dedicated to supporting families in their journey of growth and transformation. Rosie will support and empower you to build the vibrant, connected future you envision for your family. She is focused on strengthening the connection between parent/caregiver and child, while equipping them with the tools they need to navigate difficult circumstances and achieve their goals, hopes, and dreams.
Seb Harrison
Senior Mentor
Seb served in the Australian Army for 8 years as a Heavy Diesel Mechanic. He deployed to the Afghanistan and the Middle East in 2015, as well as assisting in Army Aboriginal Community Assistance Programme from 2013 to 2017. Previously working as a swim instructor and a Volunteer fire fighter in the NSW RFS. He loves teaching and giving back to the community.
Currently serving as a Plain Clothes Police Officer in the Queensland Police Service, with a high knowledge of juvenile crime and an understanding of the stresses this causes in the home environment. He is very passionate about leading youths away from offending and supporting them in decision making and accountability.
Sarah Sliwka
Senior Mentor
Sarah enlisted in the Australian Army as a linesman in Signals Corp where she was one of the few women in the trade countrywide. She spent a year in the Ceremonial Drill, Australian Federation Guard, and later represented the Army in the AFL where she ran several squads.
Sarah discharged in 2006; she was never deployed, but that didn’t stop her from continuing with her passion for fitness. She committed herself to be involved in the health and fitness world as a personal trainer, a bodybuilding judge, an athlete, and a figure competitor.
Sarah has seen many wins in her competitive career and continues to see wins in her job as a Veteran Mentor. She loves helping children realize their potential, all while teaching them about her passions.
Nat Royles
Senior Mentor
After a challenging upbringing, Nat began her career working with young people in 2016 where she was a Teachers Aide for Special Education Units in Central Queensland State Schools. She then commenced studies in Criminology and Justice before finding herself working within the youth justice system as an Operational Youth Worker in a Youth Detention Centre.
During her time within the Youth Justice system Nat worked with some of the states most vulnerable young people and their families, fostering positive change. Nat is all too familiar with young people who have found themselves down the wrong path and has the knowledge and experience to communicate with these young people for more positive futures.
After a workplace assault Nat found herself medically retired from the Detention Centre and now works part-time for a Flexible Learning Centre, engaging disenfranchised young people back into education, as well as with Veteran Mentors as a Mentor and 1-on-1 Mentoring Coordinator.
Max Garcia
Senior Mentor
Max is the only US Marine Sergeant Major speaking in Australia and is an Amazon #1 best-selling author with Joe Vitale. Having led the largest battalion of Marines worldwide, Max inspires Members of Parliament, professional athletes, corporations, youth and more!
Joining the Marines in 1994, Max has embarked on multiple deployments, including in Europe, Iraq, and Afghanistan. In 2004, Max was awarded the combat action ribbon and a medal for “Valor” from General Mattis, the former Minister of Defense.
From 2006 to 2009, Max taught officers at the University of South Florida and was a Drill Instructor for Officer Candidates before deploying to Afghanistan. In 2012, Max served with FAST Company Europe, where he collaborated in sending a platoon of elite Marines to Libya when the consulate was attacked and the ambassador killed in Benghazi.
In 2014, Max was selected for Sergeant Major, the top enlisted rank in the Marines. He then transferred to Japan and deployed to multiple countries in the Pacific. Impressively, Max has travelled to all 50 US states and over 70 countries.
Aaron Giltrow
Indigenous Support Mentor
Aaron is a 1st Nation person from the Darkinjung family. Aaron first joined the military at age 18 in 2009 and was an infantry soldier throughout his 7-year career.
In 2012, Aaron deployed to Afghanistan for a 6-month rotation as part of the 3RAR parachute battalion. Towards the end of his service, Aaron was promoted to Corporal and was posted to Mortar Platoon.
Post-military service, Aaron spent 3 years rebuilding his self-esteem, and confidence and re-establishing his life outside of the military. In 2020, he began working in visibility support, which lead to his first Veteran Mentors course.
Veteran Mentors allowed him to understand and grow from his own personal trauma in a safe and supportive environment. Doing this has helped him be able to relate to the kids and demonstrate positive outcomes in life, even with the traumas we may experience.
Nigel McMullen
Indigenous Support Mentor
A proud Wiradjuri man, Nigel has always had a spiritual connection to the land and the heart of a warrior. His desire to protect our lands from any threat lead to his passion to serve his country.
Nigel enlisted and joined the Australian Army Reserves in 2001 as a Rifleman. He soon deployed on Operation Acolyte in support of the Commonwealth games. By 2007 he transferred to Armoured core in the full-time Australian Army and deployed to Afghanistan.
Whilst serving, he made the rank of Corporal and was an ASLAV Crew Commander for 16 years in the Australian Army.
Since medical discharge, Nigel has engaged in work with fellow veterans as well as his local RSL Sub branch and other Ex-Service Organisations in his hometown in Wagga.
Being a Veteran Mentor has enabled Nigel to work alongside his fellow brothers and sisters to help shape the future of this amazing country we call home. Nigel continues to connect and build on the knowledge and skills learnt in the ADF with a focus on courage, resilience and respect.
Our key supporters
Providing quality programs for participants couldn’t happen without the help of our key supporters.
Rob Ritchie – Parent Workshop Facilitator
Robert Ritchie is the founder of Positive Difference, a consultancy which aims to assist organisations to optimise the wellbeing, performance and leadership capacity of their people.
Rob presents Short Courses in Applied Positive Psychology and Positive Leadership at premium venues throughout Australia and New Zealand. Rob also delivers tailored workshops to a range of government, education, health and corporate organisations. He trains aspiring educational leaders on behalf of the Queensland Education Leadership Institute, and business leaders in Central Queensland on behalf of Capricorn Enterprise. Rob’s background is in academic and wellbeing leadership roles in several schools throughout Queensland. He has also worked as a counsellor in private practice and as a sessional lecturer at Griffith University.
As a parent of two now-adult children, Rob is proud to facilitate the Parent Workshop for Veteran Mentors.
John Guy – Vietnam Veteran and guest speaker
Sadly, John Guy passed away in January 2023. He was a passionate advocate for Veteran Mentors, a powerful role model, dear friend, and lived a rich life of service. You will be sorely missed.
John Guy spent nearly a year ‘behind enemy lines’ serving his country in Vietnam as a forward scout with the highly secretive and coveted Special Air Service Regiment (SAS). He was selected for officer training from the battlefield and was subsequently awarded the Sword of Honour for exemplary conduct and outstanding performance of duty, the New Zealand Army Board Leadership Prize, and the Officer Cadet School Leadership Prize.
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John went on to spend two years in Papua New Guinea absorbing the Anzac spirit of Kokoda and spending months with his Pacific Island Regiment soldiers in the jungles speaking no English and seeing the world from a very different but majestic angle. He then served for two years with the legendary Gurkhas on exchange with the British Army. This is where he sealed his learning on the peaceful warrior who is a true ‘gentleman.’ The Gurkhas, the toughest warriors on earth, were hailed in the British press when they arrived in England as ‘God’s gentlemen’.
He returned home to an Australia resentful of the military presence in Vietnam and that seemed to mock everything he stood for and so he went to University in uniform. He saw there the opposite of what he had been learning among true warriors while being abused and assaulted by people proclaiming the way of peace! It was during this time that John witnessed a youth suicide and tripped over the statistics showing that ten times the Australian casualty rate in Vietnam was being claimed by suicide in this country (it is now forty times) and no one was protesting. Indeed, if leadership is measured by morale, he noted that there clearly was a major gap in this skill in Australia that needed to be addressed fully and urgently.
The next chapter
John has a degree in Psychology and Philosophy and graduate qualifications in leadership from the Command and Staff College. He also attained senior Major status after serving for 21 years in the military. Since 1986, he has dedicated his life to turning despair in people into joy and productivity. He and his wife did this for 30 years running camps and seminars through Bush Venture.
While retired from Bush Venture, John delivers a powerfully unique and totally amazing talk on ‘leadership with courage and honour’. He also delivers a seminar on ‘Australian Leadership’ and he facilitates two-day ‘Life Focus Retreats’.
Mark Robinson – Dietitian
Health Man Mark is the Fitness Industry’s Leading Dietitian and one of Australia’s most published cover and editorial models. He’s also appeared on the covers of some of the worlds biggest fitness publications such as Iron Man Magazine US.
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Being a Qualified Dietitian with three university degrees including a Masters in Nutrition and Dietetics and Bachelors in Exercise Science and Psychology, Mark knows what it takes to stay in optimal shape year-round. This has helped him achieve his goals and the goals of many others.
Mark won a World Fitness Model Title in 2013 and has since coached many athletes to get into their best shape and compete at the highest level. Mark has also judged and MC’d Natural Fitness Shows around the world and has become a recognised Host of popular fitness events.
Mark has always maintained integrity within the fitness industry. He is a devoted natural athlete who sets an example to his clients and friends that hard-working self-discipline with consistency and patience and a clean diet is the key to results.
It is for these reasons that the name ‘Health Man Mark’ is so well suited. Mark embodies a healthy lifestyle truly walking the talk and with the backing of multiple years of study. Mark runs his own Online Coaching, Dietitian and Training business. He also regularly presents Seminars at Fitness Expo’s and to schools, corporates, athletes and fellow fitness enthusiasts.
Mark has featured on National TV ‘The Today Show’ as an expert Dietitian voice for nutrition knowledge and as a health advocate. It is fair to say Mark is a reliable, educated source for health information.
Singing Ring – Australia
A Singing Ring is a crystal-infused metal sound bowl which creates an abundance of harmonic overtones. The rich sound is scientifically proven to have the meditative and healing effect on the brains. After the meditation or personal session, many people experience; a deep sense of happiness, relaxation and calmness. It’s also said to encourage a clearer mind, clearer eyesight, feeling lighter, better sleep, relieving pain, new inspirations and so on. As a result, people become healthier and happier.
Singing Ring Australia strives to assist people in improving their health and mental being. They do this by bringing harmony into people’s lives so and impacting them in a positive way.
Melissa McGuiness: You Choose Youth Road Safety
YOU CHOOSE Youth Road Safety is a not-for-profit charity described as ‘Australia’s youth-led mission to change driving culture’.
In 2012 co-founders Melissa and Peter McGuinness’s 18-year-old son, Jordan, made driving choices which took the lives of four innocent young people, including his own.
The YOU CHOOSE program takes an innovative, social-project approach to road safety education for teens, which focuses on peer-advocacy as integral to changed behaviours and attitudes. Developed to complement orthodox skills and re-enactment courses, YOU CHOOSE places participants into profound personal reflection about connections between intentions, choices, actions and loved ones. They are equipped to give each other permission in advance to speak up and to act in favour of good choices in moments-that-matter.
Kaiko Fidgets
Kaiko Fidgets are unique sensory tools co-founded by the inspiring Kai and his Occupational Therapist mum, Jo, who has 25+ years of experience in mental health and disability.
These valuable tools help youth and adults by helping to alleviate emotional distress, focus better and help to cultivate better mental health.
Now a family-run business, Kaiko Fidgets has a global presence and is helping thousands.
Dylan Conway: Brothers and Books
Brothers and Books is a nation wide charity aimed at changing the culture of education in Australia. We encourage organisations to utilise reading and bibliotherapy as a means to reduce stress within the workforce but also promote self-development and education within teams.
Brothers and Books is proud to support Veteran Mentors and is an avid supporter of their course which is closely aligned with the discipline, learning and community values that we also try to uphold.