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: 416-649-1658falizadehahi@jvstoronto.orgwww.canadainfonet.org www.jvstoronto.org

Racquel SevillaManager, Program DevelopmentTRIECPhone: 416-944-1946 x 279rsevilla@triec.ca www.triec.ca