Sonya Chervonsky was born in Moscow, migrated to Australia as a child and became Australian judo champion at the age of 15. In 2004, aged 21, she participated in the Athens Olympic Games and has since completed a degree in Sociology from the University of NSW and a Certificate IV in Fitness.
Last year, she was selected as a 'Big Sister' for the Life Changing Experiences Foundation (LCEF), volunteering as a mentor as part of the SISTER2Sister 12-month program. Sonya works one-on-one to give support, guidance and advice to an at-risk or vulnerable teenage girl in need of support.
Sonya's day job is assistant editor with a medical journal and, no surprise considering she's a former Olympian, she enjoys keeping fit with one of her new interests kayaking which she does three times a week.
We recently caught up with Sonya to find out more about the work of LCEF and the SISTER2Sister program.
How long have you worked with LCEF?
This is my first year volunteering as a Big Sister with LCEF, although I did a kind of "sampler" corporate volunteer day (Mentor-for-a-Day) with the organisation in 2009.
How did you find out about LCEF?
I used to work with someone who was a Big Sister in 2009, and her story inspired me. I then did Mentor-for-a-Day, and was really impressed by the enthusiasm of the girls who were involved in that. I have wanted to do the full SISTER2sister program ever since.
What made you decide to volunteer for LCEF? Is the work that the charity does particularly close to you in some way?
Although I found out about the program in 2009, I couldn't commit to it until now because I was training full time for judo and spending a lot of time competing overseas. When I stopped competing in 2012, it was an opportunity to do something new and to get involved in the community.
The more I learned about LCEF and the work that it does, the more I realised just how much of a privilege it is to work with the Little Sisters. These young women have all faced major challenges in their lives and have amazing courage and resilience. They have many strengths and great potential, which they may or may not be aware of. I think that sometimes we all need a little guidance to tap into our inner strengths, and with a little self-belief we can achieve great things.
The Little Sisters are also imaginative, creative and genuine people - but teenagehood can also be a really vulnerable time, and it is important that these positive qualities are nurtured and protected.
I think the SISTER2sister program provides opportunities for the girls to use their imagination and tap into their dreams - and as mentors it is our job to support the girls in turning their dreams into possibilities.
Why do you think young girls need mentors?
We all need guidance from time to time and young women are particularly vulnerable to many issues such as low self-esteem, lack of confidence, social problems and mental health issues. Such issues are very common and can create real barriers in young people's lives. In addition, many of the girls in the program have had to deal with issues such as abuse and neglect, illness and family breakdown and as a result many have had to take on adult responsibilities at a very early age. While the girls have shown amazing strength and resilience in the face of major challenges, having a mentor that they can turn to for support and guidance can really help. Many of the girls do not have many other people to turn to, and just having someone to talk to and trust makes a huge difference. Mentors can help equip the Little Sisters with tools for dealing with their current and future circumstances and help them feel more positive about their future.
What is your experience with your Little Sister?
I loved meeting my Little Sister on the first day of the Butterfly Bootcamp and watching her gain confidence as the camp went on. She did brilliantly in the activities and I'm looking forward to seeing her grow throughout the program. I think we get on pretty well (and she's promised to teach me how to do the worm on the dance floor).
What challenges have you faced during your time with LCEF?
Coming to the bootcamp was a completely new challenge for me and I felt like my adrenalin was really high over the whole four days. There was new responsibility and the knowledge that the Little Sisters are looking to us for guidance.
There was quite a focus on building our Little Sisters' confidence, but I realised that I had some self-doubt as well - such as whether I'd be any good as a Big Sister, whether I'd be able to provide the right support. I just tried to give it my all and learn from the experience.
The organisation provides a lot of support to Big Sisters, and we work in a team to support each other through the tough times.
What is the best part about volunteering?
It's incredibly rewarding and a huge rush to be able to make a difference so directly to someone's life! It's also an opportunity to learn something about yourself and grow as a person.
Obviously you're into health and fitness. How important is this to you?
I love exercise (although I'm absolutely terrible at a surprising number of sports!) - and I believe it is just so important it is to our physical and mental wellbeing to stay active, no matter at what level.
Going from being a full-time athlete to no longer competing and living a "normal" life has taught me to appreciate my body and its capabilities. There are so many expectations that are placed on our bodies as women (and that we place on ourselves) that it is easy to lose track of what's important, and that is, we only get one body to take us through life, and if we don't look after it, we won't get nearly as much done!
Our physical and mental health is one area where we can often have quite a lot of control - and although everyone has limitations, it's up to us what we make of our abilities.
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Find out more about becoming a Big Sister with Life Changing Experiences Foundation here.
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