- SfC In The
News
-
- September 1998
-
Mentorship Program
- for New Canadians
- By Benilda Silkowska-Masior and
Teresa Szajkowski
-
Introduction
The concept of mentoring is as old as
humanity itself. Time and time again, it has been shown that people who have
someone to look up to and learn from will be more confident and successful
in their endeavors. However, the success of a mentoring relationship is due
not only to the knowledge and networks offered by the mentor. A good mentor
also provides the individual with assistance in defining realistic goals and
the necessary encouragement and direction to achieve these goals.
The Skills for Change Mentorship Program has
taken this concept and developed a program that answers the needs of new
Canadians. The service is based on a three-way partnership between the
agency, foreign-trained professionals and individuals working in the
industrial and corporate sectors. The program illustrates how training and
support organizations can provide a successful link between newcomers and
Canadian industries which seek highly-trained workers. This three-way
collaboration promotes economic and social well-being and builds a spirit of
cooperation within the community.
Skills for Change
Skills for Change is a nonprofit organization
with a mandate to provide immigrants and refugees with learning and training
opportunities so they can participate in the workforce and the wider
community. The agency was created in 1982 to serve one particular client
group with a specific skills training program. Today, its scope has
broadened considerably; it serves more than 4,000 clients annually with
programs ranging from English and computer skills training to workshops and
information services for job-ready individuals.
The agency’s largest group of clients is
engineers. Skills for Change launched a Mentorship Program for this group
with the intention of creating a model for other groups that require similar
support. The program provides opportunities for mentors and foreign-trained
individuals to learn from each other and supports each pair to ensure the
best probability of success.
Organizational History
In 1992, Skills for Change began to see an
increasing number of immigrant and refugee professionals. These
highly-skilled individuals were ready to work but faced significant barriers
due to the nature of Ontario’s professional accreditation procedures,
employment practices, limited knowledge of appropriate local industries and
potential employers, lack of networks and contacts, and lack of knowledge of
Canadian workplace culture.
The Mentorship Pilot Project for
Foreign-Trained Engineers was developed with the support of the Ontario
Anti-Racism Secretariat, the Citizenship and Immigration Settlement
Directory, Levi Strauss & Co. (Canada) Inc., the Counselling Foundation
of Canada and the United Way of Greater Toronto. Twenty newcomers were
paired with established engineers. The program included training in
cross-cultural communication, workplace issues and job search techniques for
newcomers and mentor engineers. The program was a success: 78 percent of the
participants found work in their field or went on to professional upgrading
upon completion of the program.
Two years later, the Engineering Internship
Program was offered through the jobLink Ontario Innovations Fund. This
program included job search support and skills-enhancing opportunities as
well as a volunteer placement component.
Beginning in 1997, with funding from Human
Resources Development Canada, the Maytree Foundation and Ontario Hydro, the
Skills for Change Mentorship Program expanded to include foreign-trained
accountants. Within the first year of this new program, 65 foreign-trained
engineers and accountants were matched with professionals in their field of
expertise and 70 percent of participants had secured employment upon
completion of a six-month mentorship match. Now in its second year, the
project also serves foreign-trained engineering technicians and
technologists.
Why Mentorship?
Many foreign-trained workers face barriers in
that their education and work experience are not considered valuable by
employers. The workers are unable to secure employment because they do not
have Canadian credentials or licensing, and are unable to obtain licensing
because they lack the required Canadian work experience. As a result of this
vicious circle, many foreign-trained workers are trapped in low-paying ‘survival’
jobs in which their skills and experience are sacrificed for their immediate
living needs.
Unknown to many newcomers, engineering and
other occupations have hidden job markets which can be accessed through
networking and contacts. For newcomers who cannot access information and
resources through volunteer placement programs, a logical alternative is to
provide them with a vital link to business through individuals who already
are established within a given field or industry.
The Mentorship Model
The success of the Skills for Change
Mentorship Program is due to the community partnerships that have been
developed with highly motivated individuals who want to work in their
respective fields and volunteers who dedicate their time and expertise to
assist these individuals. Skills for Change provides the structure and
resources, including two coordinators responsible for recruiting, screening,
training and supporting the mentorship teams.
Following the initial interview and training
sessions, clients and mentors are matched according to their expertise and
personality. Mentorship pairs meet on a regular basis — up to six hours
each month for a six-month period. The program does not base eligibility on
source or level of income (e.g., Employment Insurance (El) or Ontario Works
funds). Moreover, the program is flexible enough to accommodate the demands
of individual schedules, including part-time or full-time employment
unrelated to long-term career goals. It is also long enough to provide a
realistic timeframe for success. Throughout the mentorship process,
workshops and networking opportunities are provided for participants through
Skills for Change.
While clients are the ‘recipients’ of
this service, individuals come into the program with an understanding that
they are partners in this effort and that each partner brings knowledge and
experience to the relationship. Clients must demonstrate a willingness to
participate actively in the initiative, maintain open communication and
actively pursue steps towards their employment goal.
Social Awareness
The Mentorship Program also is being
developed as a tool to promote social awareness. Clients are exposed to
information about the importance and benefits of community participation and
are encouraged to become active in the community to help achieve their
employment goals. The importance of giving back to the community through
social participation is reinforced by volunteer mentors.
Mentors gain greater social awareness of the
role of nonprofit organizations and the need for individuals to participate
fully in the labour market and community. By taking this information back to
their workplace, mentors become advocates of corporate philanthropy and help
the corporate sector recognize the benefits of becoming involved in social
services.
The program also offers additional value by
capitalizing upon the human potential provided by newcomers. The benefits to
business and industry include access to a skilled workforce that encourages
competitiveness in the global marketplace. This advantage is highlighted by
employers like Ontario Hydro whose contribution has included much-needed
financial support and access to a large pool of employees who are encouraged
to volunteer in the community. Ontario Hydro’s involvement helps its
employees learn about their field from international experts. Such learning,
in turn, may strengthen the company’s ability to compete in international
projects.
The Clients
The success of the Mentorship Program is due
to the focus on individual needs and the support offered to the newcomer
participants through one-on-one contact. One of the greatest benefits of
this individualized support is the presence of a colleague who can provide a
‘psychological boost.’ Matches are often so successful that a client is
able to secure employment within a matter of weeks.
One Mentorship Program participant was
involved with the program for only eight days before he found employment. He
says: "I have found my mentor to be very helpful in that I had a
feeling that I wasn’t alone in this very new society. There are people who
care about my future and my family." Another participant found a job
after three months in the Mentorship Program:
Theoretically, it is possible to do alone
what we did in this program. But it is almost impossible in practice. When
we are alone, many of us would give up from frustration and fear. At that
point, a mentor will encourage and provide the necessary boost to sustain
self-esteem and motivation. Last year I was looking for a job alone. I know
very well I can do my job, but finding a job seemed impossible. This year I
got involved in the Mentoring project, I was looking for a job for three
months, then I found a job in my field.
While the successful employment outcomes
create quantitative proof of the program’s success, the additional
outcomes demonstrate its broader value. As these newcomers become active
members in the labour market and the community, it is easier to change the
social perceptions and stereotypes that immigrants are a drain on society’s
resources. Providing links between individuals of different cultures and
experiences promotes understanding, appreciation and acceptance.
The Mentors
Company and industry participation aside,
other volunteer mentors are motivated by personal benefits and professional
development opportunities. More than two-thirds of mentors are immigrants
and most were foreign-trained professionals themselves. (Clients who have
obtained employment often return as the next generation of mentors.) When
asked why they got involved in the project, the majority said they wished
they had a mentor to help them when they first came to Canada. Of those who
were born and trained in Canada, the most common motivation is that they
have a friend who is foreign-trained and had difficulty finding work. They
feel they can spare other newcomers this problem.
Mentors provide an opportunity for the
foreign-trained professional to learn about job search techniques, the
workplace and Canadian life in a supportive relationship. In the 1996 Metro
Toronto Immigrant Employment Service Review, focus groups of newcomers
discussed the most common ‘soft skills’ to successful integration. The
list includes: confidence, self-marketing, acculturation to the Canadian
workplace, sense of belonging, introduction to multiculturalism, and
building friendships and networks. The mentors help in these soft skill
areas by providing moral support and advice.
While the program focuses on clients gaining
information and support, it is often the mentors who comment on how much
they have learned from their volunteer commitment. They gain experience
working with people from other cultures and become aware of the issues,
challenges and benefits of workplace diversity.
Wayne Haymerjoined the Skills for Change
Mentorship Program in February 1998. He is a Certified General Accountant (CGA)
who has travelled extensively, gaining an understanding of many different
cultures. His description of his mentorship relationship demonstrates the
potential of this role:
Soon after I joined the project, I was
introduced to my mentoring partner, Maria. Maria has an accounting
background, good computer skills and is enrolled in the CGA program.
Maria ‘s constant fear was her accent;
she lacked self confidence as she felt her accent was a severe disadvantage.
I immediately reminded her we live in a country of immigrants from all over
the world and people with accents are common. I also assured her that I had
no problem understanding her.
Over four to Jive sessions, we refined
Maria ‘s résumé to a more marketable presentation, practised interview
questions and protocols, discussed job search techniques, developed cover
letters and practised follow-up procedures. We kept in contact by telephone
to monitor her progress and share possible job leads. At some points, Maria
expressed feelings of doubt in her capabilities. In an effort to boost her
self-esteem, I asked her to write down three important accomplishments she
had made in her life thus far. We talked about these accomplishments and how
a job search is just another hurdle that she would overcome. I gave constant
encouragement and refused to accept defeat as an option for Maria.
I remember the joy in Maria’s voice when
she phoned me to tell me she had started a job. Maria showed so much
appreciation for my efforts even after I reminded her that she earned the
job entirely on her own. The mentoring relationship has continued long after
the sessions ended with greeting cards and telephone contact to let me know
how she is doing. As a volunteer mentor, it is a wonderful feeling to be
able to assist an other person and make a contribution to the community.
Conclusion
Foreign-trained professionals bring
substantial skills to the Canadian labour market and economy. Encouraging
newcomers’ efficient integration by facilitating employment opportunities
in the occupations in which they have been educated, trained and gained
experience contributes to our country’s growth and economic prosperity.
This process also creates broader social awareness and understanding of the
value of cultural diversity which helps to counteract negative stereotypes.
Benilda Silkowska-Ma.sior and Teresa
Szajkowski are Mentoring Project Counsellors at Skills for Change.
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