WLW Mentors and Host Organizations

MENTOR OPPORTUNITIES

Mentors can participate in the Women Leading the Way program in the following ways:

Subject Matter or Sector Expert Panelist - sit on a panel during a classroom session or meet one-on-one with a participant to share your expertise and experience.
Time Commitment: Approximately 1.5 hours
Project Advisor – each participant will be matched with a mentor as the candidates put their leadership skills into action through a project (chosen by the candidates) that will benefit their workplace and/or their community. Mentors will act as an advisor and guide during the course of the project.
Time Commitment: Approximately 15 – 20 hours over six to eight months

Download a WLW Mentor Application Apr 5

HOST ORGANIZATIONS

Host organizations are government, business, corporate, or community organizations which provide opportunity to WLW advancing leaders to work on a project within their organization in a volunteer leadership capacity, for approximately 6 months part-time. The specific project should be of benefit to both the participant and the organization, negotiated at the outset, with respect to role, time, and supervision.

Role of host organizations:

Provide a project where a WLW advancing leader participates in a leadership capacity, including a terms of reference for the project participation.
Time commitment: Approximately 6 months, part-time.
Provide opportunities for shadowing/observing a leader within the organization.
Time commitment: As negotiated
Provide a project advisor within the organization who will be the link between the advancing leader in terms of how the activities are helping her develop leadership goals, and the organization in terms of how the project is achieving its goals for the organization. The facilitator acts as a ‘mentor’ for the advancing leader, and a ‘supervisor’ for the organization.
Time commitment: Approximately 48 hours over 6 months.
Provide a workstation in the organization where the WLW advancing leader can work, or alternately, make arrangements for meeting space if the advancing leader can work from home.
Provide a representative to sit on a panel or tribunal at the end of the program to evaluate the actual project and the advancing leader’s leadership performance within the project.
Time Commitment: Approximately 1.5 hours
Sponsor a developing leader(s) to register for Women Leading the Way. This could be someone from within the organization or someone outside the organization that you would like to support. The project may or may not be within the organization.
Financial Commitment: $2,500 per participant

Who can be host organizations?

Political Leadership: Constituency Offices of Members of Parliament or Members of the Legislature, Mayor’s offices or Councilor offices, Political Campaign Parties, First Nations Organizations
Corporate and Business Leadership: Crown Corporations, Financial and other Corporations, Government Agencies, Businesses, Professional Associations, Unions, Media Companies, Academic Institutions
Not-For-Profit Organizations involved in improving social, economic, environmental well-being
Coming Soon: More information on how to become a host organization.

Download a WLW Host Organization Application Form – Apr 5

When I moved to Canada in 1998, I was pregnant and all alone. I was scared as to how I would take care of my daughter without a decent standard of education. I realized that without English I would be useless so I focused on improving my English by attending ESL classes at Vancouver Community College. When my English level improved, I was confident enough to go for science courses. And in 2003, the Minerva Foundation offered me the Minerva Foundation Award For BC Women in recognition of my excellent grades at school.
This scholarship changed my life as it offered me the opportunity to take post secondary course. Then when I entered the Licensed Practical Nursing Program in 2006, I faced financial problems. Again, it was Minerva that helped me with funds to solve my financial problems. Now I am working as an LPN and have solid hopes of furthering myself in this field.
Thanks so much to Minerva for giving me a life of hope. Thank you so much Minerva for helping me by believing in my abilities.

Sasiratha Uthayakumar, LPN