On March 18th, Niagara Workforce Planning Board hosted a celebration at Gord’s Place in downtown St. Catharines to recognize mentors and mentees who participated in our Immigrant Mentorship Program. This event was something long in the works by Josie Faccini, our mentorship program coordinator, and we are happy to report it was a great success.
NWPB’s Immigrant Mentorship Program partners established professionals acting as mentors with Internationally Trained Professionals (ITPs) who have worked in similar fields. This mentorship helps ITPs integrate into the Canadian workforce, as mentors coach mentees to build an understanding of Canadian workplace culture, and the industry within Niagara.
The event was filled with mentors and mentees mingling and creating new connections with individuals in a wide array of industries. This event was also a fantastic opportunity for mentees to practice the networking and self-promotion skills their mentors encouraged throughout their partnership.
The highlight of the evening was a ceremony to recognize the mentors for their contribution to the community. Mentors were presented with certificates recognizing their contributions, with some even receiving the award from their mentee.
To date, NWPB’s Immigrant Mentorship Program has facilitated approximately 60 mentorship matches this year, with several mentors returning and helping new mentees. The relationships developed within the program often extend beyond the mentorship itself, leading to a diversified network for mentors and mentees alike. You can check out one of our mentor testimonies here.
If you are interested in becoming a mentor, or have any other questions about NWPB’s Immigrant Mentorship Program, we invite you to connect with Josie Faccini.