What's it all about?

People with disabilities have the education required to succeed in the labour market. What they need are the insights and access to professional networks that only a professional connection with a mentor can offer.

The JOIN Mentoring Connection will support job-ready persons with disabilities through a one-to-one mentoring relationship. The mentors will partner with individuals for a total of 12 hours spread over four months.

Professionals with disabilities will get the opportunity to interact with a working professional in an effort to learn more about the finer nuances of corporate culture, the business community and the career opportunities available.

Mentors from corporate Canada will get the opportunity to learn more about the skills of people with disabilities, the challenges they face while competing with non-disabled counterparts for jobs, and at the same time, develop an understanding of their mentee's career goals and capabilities.

Why do we need this program?

It's necessary for community organizations, Canadian businesses and people with disabilities to collaborate to ensure that the workplace is inclusive and accessible for all people. The JOIN Mentoring Connection is an important initiative that will help integrate people with disabilities into the workforce.

Who's involved?

Funding for the first phase of the program is provided by our first two corporate partners, Deloitte & Touche LLP and The Bank of Nova Scotia. These organizations have worked with the Ontario Job Opportunity Information Network (JOIN) to kick start the program in this province. Deloitte and Scotiabank will provide the mentors and JOIN will facilitate the program and help connect 20 mentees and mentors during the first four-month pilot.

We will also be looking for other Canadian businesses to get involved as we expand the program in the months ahead.

What do mentors do?

Mentors have usually worked in their field for at least three years and have a combination of industry knowledge and business experience. They also have active links to professional associations and business networks.

Mentors are expected to support mentees by:

• Helping mentees gain a better understanding of the Canadian workplace and industry trends in their field
• Developing more effective job search strategies
• Building a local professional network
• Identifying ways to leverage their experience and skills

For more information please contact Sharon Myatt at 416-241-5646 Ext. 224 or by email at sharon@joininfo.ca