Our Brand
Influence is a collaborative organization whose goals are to create better opportunities for Indigenous post-secondary students, and to create opportunities for mentors to raise their awareness of Indigenous issues, culture, and history. Culture, traditions, spirituality, teachings and stories have all been shared and best understood through the Elder - protégé relationship. This transference of knowledge has been integral to Indigenous ways of knowing and being. It is also a core building block of the Influence Mentoring brand.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada’s Calls to Action also guides Influence’s brand and mission to eliminate educational and employment gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians. This innovative program exemplifies the spirit of reconciliation; whereby Indigenous and non-Indigenous people believe that providing mentoring opportunities for Indigenous post-secondary students can adapt a two-way mentoring model, and in doing so work together to build stronger relationships while improving cross-cultural understanding and appreciation.
Article 14 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People affirms this importance, stating that ‘Indigenous peoples have the right to establish and control their educational systems and institutions providing education in their own languages, in a manner appropriate to their cultural methods of teaching and learning.’
Our Mission
Influence aspires to build capacity, talent, and career opportunities among urban, Indigenous, post-secondary students, through group learning activities and one-on-one mentoring with industry veterans.
Our Vision
Influence will use individual and group mentorship to build Indigenous talent and contribute to a foundation of knowledge and mutual respect between industry and Indigenous students, thus helping to create a more equitable and inclusive workforce, one person at a time.
Our Values
Taking inspiration from traditional Indigenous ethics, the values of this program are:
Talent Development: We see an immense potential in Indigenous post-secondary students. We want to help shape them into future leaders for the community.
Mutual Respect: We believe that this program grows from seeds of mutual respect between different cultures and beliefs, and we further believe it can help that respect blossom through reciprocal mentorship.
Inclusivity: Our program makes no distinction between First Nations, Inuit, Métis, or Non-Status, between young or old; all self-motivated, Indigenous post-secondary students are welcome to become protégés. Partners and mentors of all cultural backgrounds are welcomed as well.
