Christina Potsane, Mentoring Support Specialist, South Africa
“Infinite Family is a part of me, and I see myself as an example to other young women. I want them to know they have a voice in their own futures, and that having a mentor can help them to find it. THEN, I want them to shout out loud!”
Christina (Chrissy) Potsane has been a member of Infinite Family since its launch in 2006 when she was one of the first Net Buddies to be matched with a video mentor at Nkosi’s Haven. She describes her current role as Mentor Support Specialist with Infinite Family as “an amazing opportunity to help teens develop the confidence they need to really take on their futures.”
Prior to becoming a Mentor Support Specialist, Chrissy worked as a Program Assistant with Infinite Family, where she monitored video chats between Net Buddies and Mentors, engaged with the Net Fundis at the mentoring sites, and handled administrative responsibilities in support of the mentoring relationships. Along with insight and compassion for the challenges facing youth in the communities where it works, as the longest standing employee of Infinite Family, Christina brings valued perspective and institutional knowledge to her role with mentors, host partners and Net Buddies.
Christina is motivated by the role that young people can play in shaping the future of South Africa, and to raising awareness about the opportunities and responsibility that youth have to work towards a better life for all South Africans. She is especially passionate about the challenges facing girls and young women in the communities where Infinite Family works, and the importance of mentoring to empowering them. She’s proud of the distance she and her fellow Net Buddy alumni have come since they helped pilot video mentoring with Infinite Family, and inspired by every single Net Buddy who begins the mentoring journey!
Christina holds a CPR Certificate with Emergency Medical Services (EMS), a parenting Certificate with Child and Family Unit, and a Computer Literacy Certificate from Wits. As a professional ballroom dancer with FEDANSA (Federation of Dance Sport SA), she has also worked at UCS School as a dance instructor.