I’m Interested. Now What?
I’M INTERESTED. NOW WHAT?
Welcome to Influence Mentoring. You’re officially interested and want to sign up as a Protégé – this is the first step to setting yourself up on a successful path forward! But now what? How does it work?
We get it. A mentorship program can sound overwhelming and confusing. So we curated our typical questions to help you better understand how the program works.
Am I eligible?
This one is simple. You are eligible if you are of First Nations, Métis, Inuit or Non-Status descent and a student enrolled in any post-secondary institution anywhere across Canada. This program is completely online, so you never have to be in a specific city or location.
What is the time commitment?
We would like to see the mentoring relationship last the entire school year. This works out to be between 10 and 12 hours over that time. That means it could only be an hour a month of time! And if you sign up in the middle of the year, that’s no problem. We will work to find a match for you and work with you to ensure you get everything that the program has to offer.
What do we (Protégé/Mentor) talk about?
You and your mentor can discuss any topics you want to focus on. There are guides available to help you find topics if you get a little stuck. But these are suggestions only and by no means the only things you need to focus on.
What is the cost to me?
Free! Seriously, it costs you nothing but your time. We know how expensive it is to be a student these days, so we wanted to make this as easy as possible. So you don’t have to pay for anything throughout your mentoring relationship.
How do I meet with a mentor?
All sessions are designed to be held virtually. You will work directly with your mentor to pick the days and times, so it works for both of your schedules. If you want to meet in person, you absolutely can, but this program does not require that.
What does a meeting look like?
Each meeting will be different and a progression from your last meeting. Your first meeting will probably be just about introductions. Where are you from, what interests you, and why are you here? From there, each meeting will focus on topics you agree upon or those mentioned in the handbook. Things like what influences me? How do I learn best? What are my future aspirations? You will choose topics that are designed to help the Mentor get to know you and for you to start to get the guidance you need about your career path.
Are you an Indigenous student looking to get a mentor? We happen to have many! Click here to learn more and join our program.
