TORONTO REGION IMMIGRATION EMPLOYMENT COUNCIL (TRIEC) TORONTO REGION IMMIGRATION EMPLOYMENT COUNCIL (TRIEC)
Group Mentoring: Pilot with Professional Immigrant Networks
Mentorpalooza Marketplace Presentation
Farah Alizadehahi, JVS Toronto
Racquel Sevilla, TRIEC
August 18, 2011
TORONTO REGION IMMIGRATION EMPLOYMENT COUNCIL (TRIEC)
Background
• Group mentoring is collective mentoring of a small number of mentees by a single mentor.
• Since 2006, JVS Toronto has been working with different communities to implement group mentoring programs.– Ontario Association for Architects (OAA)-JVS Toronto Group Mentoring
Program– Iranian Community Network for Mentoring Program (IC Network) – Hispanic Mentoring Network (Canadian Hispanic Congress)
Pilot Dates Community % participants employed in related field or returned to school for skills upgrading
2006 - 2008 IC Network 74%
2008 - 2009 Canadian Hispanic Congress
67%
TORONTO REGION IMMIGRATION EMPLOYMENT COUNCIL (TRIEC)
Intercultural Mentoring Network (IMN) Group Mentoring Program
• Partnership between JVS Toronto, TRIEC and 5 professional immigrant networks (PINs):– Association of Filipino Canadian Accountants (AFCA)– Association of Romanian Engineers in Canada (AREC)– Canadian Hispanic Congress (CHC)– Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC)– Canadian Network of Iraqi Engineers and Architects (CNIEA)
• Goal: Equip mentees with the skills, knowledge and connections to be more successful in securing meaningful employment in their field
Funded by:
TORONTO REGION IMMIGRATION EMPLOYMENT COUNCIL (TRIEC)
Intercultural Mentoring Network (IMN) Group Mentoring Program
• Model: 1 mentor + 4-6 mentees from the same community and profession, 5 mentoring sessions over a 4 month period
• What’s new– Train PINs to run the program themselves
• Each PIN will hire a coordinator for the program• Program modifications include train-the-trainer sessions and
program document templates• Sustainability training
– Facilitate interaction between PINs• Cross-cultural events• Steering Committee with PINs representatives to assist in the
planning, implementation and monitoring of the program
TORONTO REGION IMMIGRATION EMPLOYMENT COUNCIL (TRIEC)
IMN Objectives & Rationale
• Provides a unique support to skilled immigrant mentees seeking meaningful employment– Mentors understand how academic credentials and training from home
countries differ and will be able to address cultural differences in a sensitive manner
– Mentors can more easily identify with the obstacles faced by mentees
• Increases bonding social capital within groups– Mentoring creates a community of people sharing the same background,
education and work experience that share information and learn from each other
– Mentoring helps build capacity, leadership and engagement within communities
TORONTO REGION IMMIGRATION EMPLOYMENT COUNCIL (TRIEC)
IMN Objectives & Rationale
• Increases bridging social capital between groups– Through the cross-cultural interaction, mentors, mentees and their
communities will expand networks across cultures, develop relationships, and share learning
• Builds leadership, organizational and program delivery capacity of the PINs– Less time is spent on recruitment of mentors – Maximizes the benefits with limited volunteer resources – Networks will be equipped to run their own program
TORONTO REGION IMMIGRATION EMPLOYMENT COUNCIL (TRIEC)
Mentoring Program Model
PROGRAM GOALSPROGRAM GOALS
Mentors EnrollMentors Enroll Mentees EnrollMentees Enroll
Mentors/mentees matched
Mentor and mentees orientationMentor and mentees orientation
Mentoring agreement establishedMentoring agreement established
5 - meetings5 - meetings
Agreements conclude & Evaluation Agreements conclude & Evaluation
Mentor’s follow-up & evaluationsMentor’s follow-up & evaluations Mentee’s follow-upMentee’s follow-up
Model provided by Sage Mentors Inc. for the use of JVS Toronto. All Rights Reserved.
TORONTO REGION IMMIGRATION EMPLOYMENT COUNCIL (TRIEC)
Building the Mentoring Relationship
Orientation
Meeting 1: Establish the
Mentoring Group
Meeting 2: Job Search Tools
Meeting 3: Interviewing
Networking & Job Search Strategies
Meeting 4: Issues
Exploration & Workplace
Culture
Meeting 5: Integrating into
the New Job
TORONTO REGION IMMIGRATION EMPLOYMENT COUNCIL (TRIEC)
Coach & Mentoring Resources
• Mentoring Coach’s Role– Facilitate match– Support mentor and mentees– Troubleshoot and problem solve– Clarify the communications protocols between parties involved– Provide guidance; available to answer questions– Receive and provide feedback regarding relationship, program etc., – Provide information and referrals to other resources/programs – Provide guidance when expectations are not being met, boundaries are
perceived to have been crossed, or tested– Follow up the mentor and mentees after each group meeting for
evaluation/feedback
TORONTO REGION IMMIGRATION EMPLOYMENT COUNCIL (TRIEC)
Coach & Mentoring Resources
• Program Resources– Mentor/Mentee Resource Kits– Mentor/Mentee Orientation Sessions– Forms (Evaluation, Agreement, etc.)
TORONTO REGION IMMIGRATION EMPLOYMENT COUNCIL (TRIEC)
Some Factors for Success
• Group size – 4 to 6 mentees in each mentoring group• Matching – homogeneous groups (examples to consider: professional
backgrounds, career objectives, length of time in Canada, job-readiness of mentees)
• Training – e.g. job readiness, mentee expectations, building mentoring relationships, roles and responsibilities, group dynamics
• Use of Resources – full utilization of available resources including the mentoring coach
TORONTO REGION IMMIGRATION EMPLOYMENT COUNCIL (TRIEC)
Thank you!
Farah AlizadehahiEmployment Counsellor/Mentoring CoachJVS Toronto, Mentoring ServicesPhone: [email protected] www.jvstoronto.org
Racquel SevillaManager, Program DevelopmentTRIECPhone: 416-944-1946 x [email protected] www.triec.ca