INFLUENCE MENTORING SOCIETY

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 SPIRITUALLY 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 CALL 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.' THE INFLUENCE MENTORING PROGRAM IS IN THE INITIAL PHASE OF ITS DEVELOPMENT. DURING THE PILOT PROGRAM INFLUENCE WILL MATCH A SMALL NUMBER OF PROTÉGÉS AND MENTORS. ONCE THE PROGRAM HAS FULLY LAUNCHED INFLUENCE WILL AIM TO INCLUDE AS MANY PARTICIPANTS AS POSSIBLE. PROGRAM ELEMENTS INCLUDE A KICKOFF BOOT CAMP EVENT FOR BOTH PROTÉGÉS AND MENTORS. THE EVENT WILL INCLUDE A PROGRAM INTRODUCTION EXPECTATION SETTING AND TIPS ON HOW TO CREATE A SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN MENTOR AND PROTÉGÉS. FUTURE ELEMENTS WILL INCLUDE WORKSHOPS GROUP EVENTS NETWORKING EVENTS AND AN ANNUAL WRAP-UP EVENT FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROGRAM FOR THAT YEAR. DETAILS ON THESE ELEMENTS WILL BE PROVIDED AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH MENTORSHIP YEAR.