Purpose
Sparking enthusiasm in education and employment, reduction of social isolation, and a positive outlook in life. These are some of the many impacts we witness an adult mentor can make on an adult mentee. We invite you to be part of these transformations by becoming a mentor.
Your interest in becoming a mentor has the potential to be the beginning of someone else’s positive life trajectory. All we ask more than your time and commitment is compassion, and your openness to learn from us on how to be an effective mentor. As a mentor, you will be matched with a mentee from the YSM’s Adult program
Your most important role as a mentor is to build a trusting mentoring relationship with your mentee that will serve as a space for connection, companionship, celebration, and most of all, empowerment of your mentee.
What does the Mentor role look include?
- Providing a consistent and secure mentoring relationship
- Help process emotions of your mentee
- Role modeling
- Providing encouragement
- Be a listening ear
- Supporting the goals of your mentee
- Providing a long term perspective to your mentee
- Recognize and celebrate the success of your mentee
- Communicate regularly at least once a month with YSM staff
- Commitment for one year of mentoring relationship and meet with your mentee for 2 -4 times per month
What does it take to be a mentor? What does the Mentor role look include?
- Strong capacity for empathy and perspective-taking
- Able to shelve their own agenda in favor of the needs of their mentee
- Patience and perseverance in building a mentoring relationship
- Mature and have overcome challenges in life
- Have a strong interest in the development of their mentee
- Willingness to attend mentor training and learn with YSM and with other mentors
- Able to demonstrate healthy boundaries and respect their mentee’s boundaries
- Personal experience overcoming, interacting with or experienccing poverty or poverty reduction is a benefit, but not a requirement
What are the benefits of a mentor?
- The joy of witnessing the qualitative transformation of your mentee through your mentoring
- A deeper understanding of the complexity of poverty in Toronto through the experience of the mentee
- Opportunity to further develop leadership, professional modelling, interpersonal, and supportive skills
If you have any questions, would like more information or would like to apply, please contact Nicholas at nchuba@ysm.ca