Introduction

Mentoring is a powerful way of lending support to a young person by teaching skills, listening to their perspectives and creating a sense of belonging. In 2011, more than 485 teen mentors received this training at youth forums throughout Alberta. Mentors are urgently needed in communities all across the province, especially in rural areas. There are many more children and youth on waiting lists for mentors than there are mentors available.

This Mentor Training Event Toolkit provides a framework, and supplementary resources, for hosting a training event. These events provide a forum for people interested in mentoring to come together in a large group setting, meet and connect with like-minded individuals, learn leadership skills and receive the necessary training to become successful mentors. Engaging in networking and relationship building with peers and mentoring staff is reported to be one of the biggest factors in mentors remaining involved with the program long term.

The toolkit provides guidelines for planning and hosting an event that will equip potential mentors with the training and tools required to become successful mentors, including helpful tips and best practices. This information is intended to act as a guideline; planning teams should adapt their approach as needed to best suit the needs of their communities. These tools reflect the combined expertise of mentoring organizations across Alberta that have hosted similar training events. In many instances, these forums have resulted in the establishment of new mentoring initiatives and community partnerships, as a result of networking and relationship building opportunities. Resources and templates adapted to suit the needs of a mentor-based training event have been provided.

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