Highlights and Successes:

• SfC pioneered the Mentoring for Employment Program in 1993.

• 75% of the program participants have gained employment in their fields.

• On average clients find work after being matched for only three months

Engineering, Accounting and Finance, I.T. Human Resources, Sales & Marketing, Biotechnology, Social Services, Office Administration, Teaching and the Trades
 

To join this program clients must:

• have a professional qualification outside of Canada

• have been in Canada three years or less

• have no Canadian experience in their profession

• have a minimum of two years experience outside Canada in their profession

• have work-ready English – spoken and written

• be able to spend at least 20 hours a week in active job search

• be able to commit to meeting with a mentor for six hours a month for up to four months

• be highly motivated and committed to looking for work in their profession in Canada  

Mentoring Program for Internationally-Trained Teachers (ITTs)

The Mentoring Program for ITTs is currently offered as a post-program support to participants who have completed the Teach in Ontario STIC program at SfC and have successfully obtained the Interim Certificate of Qualification (Provisional).

Become a Mentor

Mentors are volunteers who have:

• at least two years Canadian experience in their fields

• a demonstrated understanding of the Canadian workplace culture and knowledge of the skills required to meet the market demands

• an interest in and an understanding of other cultures 

How do mentors help?

• Provide information about labour market

• Identify employment options

• Help build professional networks

• Provide information about professional requirements

• Introduce workplace culture and norms 

Why volunteer as a mentor?
Mentoring is an opportunity to:

• Make a difference in the life of a newcomer

• Help someone by sharing your experience and knowledge

• Learn about your field from an international perspective

• Gain knowledge of another culture

Benefits of Mentoring Programs

• Mentoring has been widely acknowledged as an effective way of helping newcomers overcome challenges and integrate into the labour market and wider community.

• Mentoring initiates and fosters diversity in hiring practices.

• Practical means of demonstrating individual and organizational commitment to access, equity and diversity.

Services for Organizations
Skills for Change provides a broad range of services to organizations interested in setting up their own mentoring programs.
 

Mentoring Specific

• Train-the-trainer workshop: a one-day training workshop for staff delivering a mentoring program

• Mentoring Curriculum: a comprehensive handbook covering key elements of design and delivery of a mentoring program

• Consultancy Services: partnering as consultants with organizations interested in setting up their own mentoring programs

Communication Workshops

• Cross-Cultural Communication Workshop: looking at ways to develop more culturally sensitive communication strategies.

• Diversity Awareness Workshop: examining key diversity concepts to develop techniques, tools and skills to master diversity on an individual level in the professional environment.