We’re excited to update you on our Mentorship pilot project that we announced in our last issue of Connections.
This program is all about pairing seasoned sponsors with first-time sponsors to offer not only practical guidance but also empathy and understanding, fostering a nurturing environment for both mentors and mentees to thrive.
Our pilot project is underway to test the concept and find its strengths and weaknesses so that we can make adjustments before offering the program service to sponsors in Ontario. The pilot will include four sponsor-to-sponsor group matches to address group questions through information-sharing and collaborative problem-solving. In addition, we are testing one-on-one issues mentoring around specific topics like housing, employment, education, among others.
If you are interested in mentoring around specific topics, let us know, and you can still be part of the pilot. And, if you want to be mentored, get in touch as well, because the more matches we make in the pilot, the better the program will be.
Mentors are good listeners, build trust and are prepared to share their experiences.
They are role models who create a supportive learning environment and share insight to help problem-solve and strive toward best practice. They have an ability to transfer their knowledge based on experience, but one is expected to be an expert.
We will be gathering data about the matching experience, analyzing it and preparing a report with recommendations later this year.
If you’re interested in being a mentor, or a mentee, get in touch with our volunteer administrator at b.sheffield@rogers.com, with a little information about yourself.
There are lots of ways to acquire or confirm skills, but our goal is help sponsors do a more efficient and effective job in settlement of newcomers through mentoring with this service.