The PAVRO Mentor Program is not intended to replace local communication groups or information portals on volunteer management issues or assist with a job search. It does however provide a unique opportunity of one-to-one support for individuals who are new to the profession and those who wish to further develop their skills or knowledge base.

Mentors play an important role in helping to guide and inspire the professional they are mentoring. They can share their experience, insight and best practices. They assist in career development, professional development and related areas to support learning and growth.

One of the advantages that PAVRO can provide in offering a mentor program is the ability to connect with the expertise and experience of a strong core of mentors from across the province. Although geographic location is one of the criteria considered when matching mentors and mentees, the Committee must also take other factors into consideration such as:

• Compatibility between the mentees learning goals and the mentors expertise
  
• Similarities in the types of organizations where the partners work or have worked
  
• Mentoring styles - some mentors have more informal / general and nurturing approaches, while others have a more formal (concrete) approach expecting the mentees to come prepared to meetings with assignments completed
  

Since the matching process is complex, partnerships may not always work out. Measures however have been put in place to address any concerns or issues early on the in the partnership.

All of the participants who have successfully completed their partnerships have recommended the program. Read some of the mentee and mentor testimonials.

Each application will be assessed on an individual basis to ensure the applicant’s goals align with the goals of the mentor program. For applicants where the management of volunteers is a percentage of their role / responsibilities, there must be a demonstrated commitment to meeting the Mentor Program requirements. Mentors and mentees must have the support from their employers / supervisors to commit to the program particularly if the partners will be scheduling meetings during business hours.

While the mentoring process is not labour-intensive for the mentors or mentees, it is critical both parties have a sufficient amount of time to connect at least once a month. It is also imperative that the mentee is prepared for each meeting by completing assignments as agreed upon between the mentor and mentee. Mentees should especially keep in mind that their workload must allow them time to prepare for upcoming meetings with their mentors.

The learning process can be either formal (learning goals), informal (questions and general discussion) or a combination of the two. Mentor and mentee partners can decide which process works best for them. However, it is recommended the mentee develops up to 3 learning goals which will help to focus the scope of the learning. The Committee has developed tools that are provided at the start of the session to help the mentors and mentees stay on track. Ideally learning goals should be broken down into tasks so that the mentee can measure whether all or part of the goal has been achieved.