Engaging The Power Of Youth

Eileen ShuchatLPC(O) Annual General Meeting

May 2012

Winning With Mentorship

For far too long, the youth of our party has generally been thought of in one of two ways:

1. Either recognized for their progressive approach to policy initiatives, or

2. As boots on the ground during elections.

While both are vital functions, our party’s youth are, and should be, so much more.

We want to develop a youth mentorship program that will engage the power of the youth.

They are dynamic, innovative, diligent, creative

and have much to both offer and teach us.

They are an untapped resource, but when they are close to “aging out” of the OYL, where do they go?

Help us design a mentorship program that works for you, will keep our youth in the party, and active

in our associations, will address the challenges you face in your associations, and will help you to

“Engage The Power Of Youth”.

This workshop is about mentorship

and how it will best serve your associations and the youth of our party.

What Is Mentorship?

"Mentoring is to support and encourage people to manage their own learning in order that they may maximise their potential, develop their skills, improve their performance and become the person they want to be." Eric Parsloe, The Oxford School of Coaching & Mentoring

Glass Half EmptyAbout Youth:• Too young and inexperienced for “that” job.• She’s a grad student. She won’t have the time.• They expect things to happen too fast.About The Not-So-Young:• They’ve always done it “that way”.• Databases? What are they good for?• He doesn’t realize the power of facebook.

Glass Half Full• Youth doesn’t always mean “too young” (think 24 and not

14 years old)• We all need training and guidance when we do a job for

the first time • Youth want to learn, have skills, and will make the time• The not-so-young have developed judgment based on

experience• Can be open to new ideas (and learning)• Have the institutional and corporate memory

**Learning can be a two way street**

The Purpose Of Mentorship:

• Recruitment and Retention• Professional Development

• Networking• Succession Planning

What Does A Mentor Do?• Coaches the mentee about a specific issue• Teaches the mentee a particular skill set• Facilitates the mentee’s growth by sharing

resources and networks• Challenges the mentee to move beyond his or

her comfort zone• Creates a safe learning environment

Benefits For The Mentee:• Individual training, support and encouragement• Increase in confidence• Broadens and develops specific skills• Offers a realistic perspective of the association`s culture• Increases the understanding about how an association

operates and functions• Learn the “dos and don’ts”• Networking• A safe way to ask awkward questions 

Benefits For The Mentor:(and the association)

• Satisfaction of helping someone learn and grow as he/she develops a specific set of skills

• Expand your network and help to facilitate the expansion of the association’s network

• Succession planning as you help to develop experienced, capable and confident people who will continue to move your association forward

• Help the mentee contribute and be productive• Provide a way for her/him to fit into the association and develop a

sense of belonging

Imagine if…

your association was perfect.

Where would the youth (think early to mid 20s) fit into that image?

Imagine if…

Your association didn’t have many youth involved.

What do you think the priority of their focus ought to be?

What are your association’s biggest challenges?

and

How can youth help?

What can we learn from our youth?

Imagine if your association had many active but under-utilized youth.

How would you focus their activities and participation?

What is the one thing that your association needs

the most help with?

If you are a mentor, what are the positions or functions in your

association that you would want a youth to learn?

How do you measure success?

As a mentor?As a mentee?

As someone in their 20s, what’s the one area of your association’s activities that

interests you the most?

If you could pick the perfect mentor, what would that person teach you about, in each of the

following three areas?

► Liberal party► Your association

► A specific position in your association

More Comments And Questions?

We want to hear from you.

Please e-mail me:eileen.shuchat@sympatico.ca