BHO Projects

Black Youth Mentorship Forum Final Report

This project was funded by the Government of Ontario.

Executive Summary

On Saturday December 1, 2007, Black History Ottawa (BHO) in partnership with the Catholic Immigration Centre (CIC) hosted a Black Youth Mentorship Forum aimed at giving Black Community Leaders in Ottawa an opportunity to learn more about mentorship and develop strategies for a successful mentorship program. The Forum was based upon 4 key objectives:

1. Conduct a consultative forum to engage community leaders on the creation of a mentorship program;

2. Use the forum as a mechanism to provide the community with key answers about mentorship, including core principles, models, processes, structures and resources that are necessary for a successful mentorship program;

3. Work through a strategic mentorship model that can work best for the community; and

4. Chart a definitive course of action towards instituting a viable and sustainable mentorship program.

In preparation for the Forum, a series of consultations were undertaken by the project coordinators and the Forum facilitator to develop a program of activities to achieve the cited objectives. The first activity undertaken by the Project Coordinators was a targeted outreach to Community Leaders, based on guidelines provided by BHO. Invitations were issued to approximately 50 cultural, religious, academic and professional associations representing the Black Community in Ottawa; as well as several organizations outside the community that had run successful mentorship programs from which best practices could be vetted at the Forum. Strategic email reminders and phone calls were also placed.

The second key activity undertaken was the development of a Questionnaire, with the guidance of the Mentorship expert, to assess the degree to which prospective Forum delegates understood the principles, models, processes, structures and resources necessary for a successful mentorship program. The majority of responses warranted that a substantial part of the days activities engage delegates on issues that focused not only on the structural elements of mentorship, but also on conceptual, ethical and process issues that would guide any potential mentorship program. Furthermore, a strong consultative element would be necessary to the Forums efforts to help build consensus. Of particular note, the broad spectrum of views reflected through the results validated the actual need for the Forum and for additional education and training on Mentorship.

The third key activity was the construction of the Forums program. A series of meetings and teleconferences were conducted between the Project Coordinators, the Mentorship Expert and 8 subsidiary team members to ensure that the Forums program would capture the original terms of reference presented by Black History Ottawa and the CIC; incorporate the expertise of the Mentorship Expert; gain feedback from the Community while engaging additional issues relative to the creation of a mentorship program; and build consensus from stakeholders on a clear course of action.

The Black Youth Mentorship Forum itself provided an opportunity for approximately 30 community stakeholders, over the course of a day, to exchange ideas on the mentoring needs of the community, the barriers and challenges that affect the community, the purpose and potential benefits of mentorship, and the varying models of mentorship. A comprehensive list of community mentorship needs were developed which included: the need to address the disproportionately high drop-out rate of Black Youth by raising expectations within the sphere of academia; the need to create a community of strong supports, networks and family structures by concentrating on the things the community shares and learning from each other; and the need for role models that can combat negative media images by educating youth about Black History, acknowledging the achievement of others, and recapturing the spirit of solidarity and resilience.

Secondly, delegates discussed various definitions for key terminologies, and engaged in a substantive discussion of the barriers and benefits of mentorship. Recurring barriers included lack of access to resources, lack of role models, misconceptions and corresponding lowered expectations, and historical implications and economic variables. General consensus was reached on the benefits of a Mentoring Program - - attendees specifically pointed to the mentee and mentor as the primary beneficiaries. Additionally, collateral benefits were identified that would flow from this relationship and bear a positive impact on wider society and the Black Community as a whole.

A key discussion trend during the morning session centered on the degree to which other communities would play a role in the Mentoring Program; as well as the sustainability of the potential mentoring program. Organizations with existing mentorship programs provided useful insight. While there was no single definitive answer, resources and mentee objectives were seen as important mechanisms for determining the involvement of outside communities.

Over the course of the morning session, a strong level of enthusiasm for a mentorship program was evident, however the deliberations also revealed a varying degree of consensus on the structure, model and style of the potential Mentorship Program. Consequently, the afternoon sessions presentation was broad in scope in order to facilitate consensus-building and ensure that any proposed mentorship program would be accessible and responsive to various community needs. However, this approach was of concern for several participants who were in actuality seeking more detailed structure and information on the exact elements and needs that a mentorship program would require. While the delegates were keen to see quick action towards the next step, definitive recommendations from the Forum remained elusive. What will be the format for the next phase? When will the next phase begin? Who will be involved in determining the structure of the program? Who will lead the implementation?

Nonetheless, the building blocks for a solid mentorship program have begun. Post-Forum evaluation forms collected from delegates reflect a strong will to move forward. It is clear the community is effectively and substantively engaged on the notion of a mentorship program, and a number of organizations have expressed a desire to share best practices as Black History Ottawa moves forward. A convincing 100% of delegates expressed full support for this initiative.

As expressed at the Forum, the Black History Ottawa board will review the Final Report presented by the Project Coordinators, and work with volunteers and other organizations to create a valid action plan that incorporates the deliberations and discussions from the Forum. Coupled with inclusive community commitment, and the leadership of Black History Ottawa, a viable and sustainable Black Youth Mentorship program is likely to emerge as a result of the Forum that will benefit mentors, mentees and society as a whole.

This report was prepared by Denise Siele & Kathy Grant (Project Coordinators)

Black Ottawa Dialogue
Black History Ottawa and The Spectrum newspaper invite you to join our new and exciting interactive group website: Black Ottawa Dialogue. Black History Ottawa is a non-profit community-based organization that works towards the empowerment of Ottawa's black community as an integral part of the wider community of our great city. The Spectrum is a city-wide community newspaper serving Ottawa's black population.
In setting up this on-line discussion group, we aim to:
increase the awareness of political, social, economic and other issues affecting our daily lives.
promote discussion of these issues with a view to finding viable solutions.
engage in discussion and debate on how to increase participation of black people in the civic process: politics, volunteerism and other activities that shape our daily lives.
develop a strategy for increasing the number of black people running for elective office at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels, by reducing or eliminating systemic and other barriers.
enhance our capacity to respond to new or evolving policy and legislative developments and participate in public decision-making process.

How do we achieve these goals?

By developing a "topic of the month" for discussion and debate on line. Each topic will be one that is relevant, with a potential impact on our daily lives
e.g. taxes, new legislation, immigration, racism, employment etc.

How can you participate in this forum?

By subscribing (at no cost) to this new website (instructions below).

By spreading the word to other black people in the national capital region to subscribe to this site (no cost involved).

By sending your views on the topic of the month to the website address.

Joining is simple.

Send an e-mail to: blackottawadialogue-subscribe@yahoogroups.ca, and
indicate "Subscribe" on the subject line.