We all have a story to tell.

As a diverse leader within your organization, you can help shape the next generation just by sharing your story.

FAQs


The MINA Project Volunteer Quick Facts Sheet

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with The MINA Project! Here's what you need to know:

To ensure the best possible support for our students, we strive to align the demographics of our volunteer team with the diverse backgrounds of the youth we serve.

1. Volunteer Opportunities:

  • Inspiring Work Program: Support racialized underserved grade 11 and 12 students across the GTA through career development workshops, panels, and applicant interviews. Volunteers can also serve as NextGEN mentors or industry mentors.

  • Inspiring Futures Program: Connect underserved elementary to high school students with diverse employers via panels, workshops, and field trips to broaden horizons and challenge biases. Volunteers can participate in activities such as hosting field trips or leading workshops.

  • Outside the Programs: Volunteers can also contribute by sitting on committees or boards, depending on their capacity and interests.

2. Requirements:

  • Volunteer Screening: Volunteers must undergo a Vulnerable Sector Police Check.

  • Passion and Expertise: Volunteers should have a passion for supporting underserved youth and expertise or experience relevant to the opportunities they're involved in.

3. Benefits of Volunteering:

  • As a MINA Project volunteer, you'll gain valuable experience and skills, network with professionals, and make a positive impact on the lives of underserved youth.

  • Mentorship: Mentoring skills are valuable in any field and can be developed through programs like Inspiring Work.

  • Communication: Volunteers will refine their communication skills by interacting with students, program staff, and other volunteers.

  • Workshop facilitation: The MINA Project offers opportunities to lead workshops, allowing volunteers to develop and hone their facilitation abilities.

  • Program development: Some volunteers may be involved in committees or program development, giving them a chance to learn program design and implementation.

  • Collaboration: Working with other volunteers and program staff fosters collaboration skills.

4. Program Timeline and Time Commitment:

  • The programming year runs from September to August.

  • The time commitment for volunteers varies depending on the chosen opportunity. We are happy to work with volunteers on their time constraints and capacity, and offer opportunities that work with their schedules.

5. Impact and Success Measurement:

  • Both programs aim to increase student attainment, aspirations, and awareness of diverse career pathways.

  • Success is measured through metrics, feedback mechanisms, and success stories from volunteers and participants.

6. How to Get Involved:

  • Contact us to express your interest and learn about upcoming volunteer opportunities.

  • Stay tuned for updates on events and initiatives throughout the programming year.

We appreciate your dedication to empowering underserved youth and look forward to having you as part of The MINA Project community!

Share your educational and career path with the next generation.

  • A couple of hours

    Depending on restrictions, The MINA Project aims to provide in person career-related workshops in elementary schools in marginalized communities across the Greater Toronto Area. By volunteering just a couple of hours a year, you can help raise the aspirations of youth in underserved neighbourhoods that lack the access to employee engagement opportunities.

    We look forward to piloting the Inspiring the Future programming this upcoming school year 2021-22.

  • Tell your story

    When children and young people engage with the working world they gain something that is not readily accessed by any other means. For example, students are often more willing to believe what they hear from a professional who is actually working in a particular sector or doing a specific job, than from parents or teachers. It gives young people new, first-hand information that they feel they can trust. Its authenticity helps them make decisions and confidently develop the skills and behaviours that employers want in their future workforce.

  • Help kids dream

    By volunteering your time and telling your story, it has shown to help students raise their aspirations and broaden their horizons. Students can see themselves reflected in you, and can now dream bigger. All learners can benefit from broadening their understanding of what the labour market has to offer. It is one of the most interesting insights from research that young people themselves state that their engagement with employers was “very useful”, they turn out to be right: they go on to do better as young adults in the labour market.