Aboriginal Mentorship Program

"I met a wonderful young woman who is and will continue to be a great contribution to the community. I loved learning from and about her and her culture and sharing my experiences. I really enjoyed every meeting and the whole mentorship experience."  —Mentor

Mentor a young Aboriginal girl in grade 9 or 10 through the YWCA Aboriginal Mentorship Program

Are you an Aboriginal young woman aged 19+

• With a positive attitude, a healthy life style and a strong value in education
• Who enjoys working with youth
• Who is able to share a few hours a month for one school year?

Then don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity to share your knowledge, skills and experience in order to help shape the life of a young woman in your community.

The YWCA Aboriginal Mentorship Program is looking for female volunteers to mentor teen Aboriginal girls between ages 12 and 15.

This after-school program offered by YWCA Vancouver aims to encourage healthy lifestyle choices in young Aboriginal girls through a one-to-one mentoring relationship with a positive role model.

How does the program work?

All you need to do is make a minimum commitment of one school year, from November to the end of June the following year, and meet with your mentee for a few hours twice a month. You and your mentee are matched up based on common interests and personality compatibility. As a mentor and mentee pair, you can plan your meetings based on your schedules and interests. You will engage your mentee in a variety of recreational, social, cultural or educational activities, have fun and enjoy the special friendship, while being a positive influence on the development and growth of a teen girl in your community.

The program coordinator from the YWCA and a high school counsellor will work closely with you to provide the support you need. The program will also provide transit tickets as well as some financial support to keep the cost of outings down (e.g., discounts or complimentary tickets for certain activities). There will also be free monthly social events and workshops as optional activities for you and your mentee. This will give you and your mentee the opportunity to meet other women and youth in the program.

Who are the mentors?

Our volunteers are young Aboriginal women who are dedicated to helping in the empowerment of teen girls in their community. Mentors recognize the unique position they occupy in their mentees’ lives, as a positive adult influence, outside of the parent or peer relationship. A mentor is an adult role model who perhaps has had similar life experiences as her mentee and is today living a balanced and healthy lifestyle. By sharing their own experiences, mentors are able to act as guides for teenage girls who, in the first few years of high school, are in need of a healthy role model.

The valuable friendship and bond that develops between you and your mentee can truly transform her path and development.

By being a mentor, you can

• Be a positive adult role mode for a young teen girl
• Act as an alternative confidant (in addition to a parent or a peer)
• Share your experiences and insights with your mentee
• Inspire your mentee to pursue her education/career goals
• Help your mentee expand her horizons
• Connect with your local youth
• Contribute to your community in a direct and meaningful way
• Learn leadership skills
• Gain experience working with youth and build your resume

How can I get involved?

To become a mentor you will need to:

• Submit an application form by November 1st
• Provide two references
• Complete a Criminal Record Check
• Be interviewed by the program coordinator
• Attend an orientation/training session

For application forms and more information, please contact

Eve Wilensky
Program Coordinator
YWCA Vancouver
535 Hornby Street
Vancouver, BC V6C 2E8
tel 604 895 5798
fax 604 684 9171
ewilensky@ywcavan.org