Is there a cost associated with participating in these activities?
There is no cost associated with joining the Mentorship Program or participating in Small Group Discussions, these activities free of charge.
Are these activities related to the evaluation of the Healthy Communities Initiative funding?
No, the mentorship program and the small group discussions are NOT related to the evaluation of projects or the reporting that projects submit at the end of the HCI funding program. These activities are aimed to support your project implementation and, also, to enable the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with other practitioners from across the country.
Who is eligible for this Mentorship Program?
Any organization that was eligible to apply for the Healthy Communities Initiative can apply to this Mentorship Program. This includes non-profit organizations, Indigenous Governing Bodies, Municipalities and Municipally-owned organizations among others [all details can be found on Page 5 of this document] . We encourage all organizations interested in the Mentorship Program to apply!
What is the time commitment expected from those who join the Mentorship Program?
The Mentorship Program is very flexible, so it is up to projects to decide in collaboration with mentors how they want to get involved during the three month period that projects have access to their mentors. Typically mentors are introduced to projects and have 2.5 hours available to schedule for meetings. If additional time is needed, we can chat about possibilities for more time for exchanges.
How do mentors and mentees connect?
The mentorship program is entirely virtual! However, before or during your first mentorship meeting, we suggest touching-base with your mentor about which communication platform works best for you. If video chatting isn’t an option, mentors can meet by phone.
How is the match between mentors and mentees made?
The matching is done based on your responses to our Mentorship Survey. In the survey you can indicate who would be your preferred mentor to work with. The survey takes 5-7 minutes to respond and will allow you to share a bit more about where you are at, and the topics that you would like to touch on with your mentor. These responses to these questions will help us also facilitate the matching process between mentors and mentees.
How do Small Group Discussions work?
The Small Group Discussions are virtual sessions that last 1.5h and are framed around specific themes or topics (e.g. urban agriculture or learning and evaluation). Registering for Small Group Discussions works first-come, first-serve therefore we encourage participants to register as soon as possible. You can stay updated about upcoming sessions through our community calendar or through our newsletter.
Do the participants of the Small Group Discussions get the opportunity to work together in the longer term?
That’s the idea! With this purpose in mind, we check in with participants from past sessions and facilitate the regathering of the group if there is interest. These follow-up sessions are NOT exclusive for the participants for the first session, but we invite them a couple of days before the session becomes public on our website to help them secure a spot if they are interested in attending.
Can I propose a topic for a Small Group Discussion if I am interested in connecting with other practitioners in my field of work?
Yes! If you would like to engage with projects working in a specific area/field/topic, reach out to our team and let us know so that we can ideate together how we can make it happen.
If I apply to the Mentorship Program, am I guaranteed a spot?
No, a spot is not guaranteed. However, projects that requested mentorship but don’t get the opportunity to join this cohort will be prioritized in future cohorts of the mentorship program.