In a recent conversation, I had the privilege of reconnecting with Associate Professor Darshini Ayton, Deputy Head of the Health and Social Care Unit at Monash University. Darshini’s longstanding involvement in the COACH Community Mentoring program has been instrumental in affirming and strengthening the program’s impact and credibility, both within church contexts and the broader social services landscape.
Darshini began by sharing her background:
“I’m an Associate Professor at Monash University and Deputy Head of the Health and Social Care Unit. We work closely with health services and social care organisations—including churches and faith-based groups—to co-develop, implement, and evaluate models of care that improve community wellbeing.”
Our connection with Darshini goes back to the early 2010s, when she was undertaking her PhD exploring how churches engage with their local communities. During that time, she came across the COACH program.
“What impressed me most was how outward-focused the churches using COACH were. It wasn’t about who was already sitting in the pews—it was about equipping those people to go out and support others who may never come to church but who need relational connection, social support, and to feel valued in their community.”
Recognising the potential of COACH, Darshini secured funding for an independent evaluation of the program, which began around 2011 and culminated in a published academic paper in 2012.
“We wanted to understand the impact COACH was having. That evaluation included surveys, interviews, focus groups, and reviewing client notes. We received ethics approval through Monash, which was important—it ensured the research was rigorous and enabled us to publish our findings.”
The evaluation became a foundational moment for the COACH story, lending academic credibility and offering valuable insights into the unique role of relational mentoring.
One of the most powerful findings from the research was the concept of the “missing middle”—people who fall through the cracks between early intervention and acute care.
“The missing middle is growing. These are people who need more than a one-off intervention but who don’t qualify for more intensive, government-funded care. We heard consistently that COACH provided a relational support system for people who didn’t have anywhere else to turn. Participants valued the fact that they could call their mentor outside of office hours. It wasn’t someone’s job—it was someone who cared.”
Darshini recalled a story from the evaluation that still stands out:
“One participant said, ‘What I really value about this program is that I don’t feel like I’m somebody’s job.’ That spoke volumes. It wasn’t a criticism of professional services, but an expression of the importance of relational care—where the support feels genuine, not transactional.”
She also reflected on the way COACH navigates faith and inclusivity:
“COACH came from a love of Jesus and a desire to serve, but it was never about evangelism. It was about love in action—supporting and equipping people without requiring them to convert. That made it more accessible and acceptable to secular welfare and government organisations. The evaluation helped make that distinction clear.”
Darshini was struck by the strength of COACH’s model:
“Friendship with a purpose—that phrase really stayed with me. COACH doesn’t replace mental health professionals or support workers, but it complements them. It offers relational connection, especially for people whose past relationships may have been fractured. That social support is both meaningful and accessible.”
Looking to the future, she believes COACH is more relevant than ever:
“As we grapple with cost-of-living pressures and an overstretched formal care workforce, we need to find new ways to support people. We don’t have enough professionals to do it all. So how do we equip volunteers to do this kind of transformative work in the community? COACH provides a scalable, effective answer to that question.”
As someone who has walked alongside COACH since those early days, I want to express deep gratitude for Darshini’s role in shaping our journey. Her research, endorsement, and insight have opened doors and expanded trust in spaces that might otherwise have been closed to a church-based initiative. Her work has helped demonstrate that COACH isn’t just good practice for churches—it’s best practice for society.
Mark Matthews
Empowered Faith Communities Co-founder
COACH Mentoring Co-author
