Mentors

 

Being a Mentor

Each year, the Foundation may select as many as nine (9) mentors who are: 

  • Real-world actors from all areas of endeavour, who dedicate themselves to developing the capacity for engaged leadership among Scholars.  

  • Advisors to the Foundation community who may be engaged young professionals or individuals in the late stages of their career or in retirement.  

  • From different domains, including the arts or culture sector, the corporate world, the voluntary sector, and the public service.  

  • Social innovators  

  • Committed and involved in the real world

We actively encourage applications from:Canadians and non-Canadians from a variety of cultural and ethnic backgrounds; persons with disabilities; from all gender identifications and sexual orientations; as well as from First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples. 

What are the opportunities?  

The Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Mentorship selection prioritizes experience on the ground in order for Scholars to enhance their appetite for risk taking. For Mentors this means:  

  • The opportunity to develop a personalized experiential learning framework for Scholars 

  • Developing and enhancing their own professional practices through exposure to new networks and new communities 

  • Becoming part of the Foundation’s community and, in many cases, participating in new projects generated by the community  

The Mentors’ commitments 

Once chosen, Mentors become advisors to the Foundation community and commit themselves to: 

  1. Participate in a strategic planning retreat with the community from 26-30 May in Orford, Quebec.  

  1. Conceive on-the-ground activities to last one week, based on their areas of expertise and tied to the scientific cycle (“Power and Knowledge”) (first year). These activities should take Scholars out of their comfort zone and motivate them to become agents of change.   

  • Lead these experiential learning activities one afternoon per day for up to seven (7) days. 

  1. Work with the Fellows, who will lead morning seminars, and lead the end-of- day discussions(debriefing workshops). 

  1. Participate actively in the planning and organization of the General Conference, which is led by the Scholars in collaboration with the Fellows and Mentors (second year). 

  1. Work with Scholars and Fellows on an initiative to disseminate the takeaways from their Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation experiences.This can take many forms: from a publication to a theatrical performance, from a fundraising gala to the organizing of a series of prizes. This initiative will help broaden public appreciation for the positive impacts of the program (to take place in the third year). 

In exchange for their contributions, Mentors receive compensation to a maximum of $20,000 per year for up to three (3) years for their Foundation activities and in their capacity as consultants. 

Mentors must participate in at least one Institute during their mandate (first year), as well as the General Conference (second year) and the dissemination initiative (third year). The Foundation provides a travel allowance up to$15,000 per year for the duration of the Mentors’ involvement with the Foundation, to enable them to participate in these events, to actively engage with the community and to take advantage of learning opportunities.   

Each year, the Mentors are required to submit an activity report in a format outlined by the Foundation, in which they detail their contributions as they relate to their commitment to the Foundation. 

Becoming a Mentor

Each year, the Foundation chooses a scientific theme (the “scientific cycle”), upon which new members (Fellows, Mentors) will be chosen.  

Each year, the Foundation launches an application process to attract candidates wishing to become Mentors.  

Candidates may be prompted to apply, for example, by actors in a variety of sectors of practice, by individuals in university communities, by civil society groups, or by members of the Foundation community.  

The Foundation submits a short list of candidates to the Application and Nomination Review Committee (ANRC). The Committee reviews the files and conducts interviews at the Foundation's offices. The Committee then submits a final list to the Board of Directors for final approval. 

The new Mentors are announced in the spring of each year. 

Required supporting materials for candidacies 

CV (5 pages maximum): Each candidate must submit a resume which demonstrates they possess qualifications related to the theme.  

Personal Presentation (a maximum of two pages)   

  1. Why are you applying? What difference do you think you make?  

  1. How have you demonstrated engaged leadership? What are your achievements in this regard? 

  1. How are you contributing to the development of engaged leaders?  

  1. What kind of practical, on-the-ground experience do you have? 

Letters of reference and supporting material 

  • At least one (and a maximum of three) references, from, for example, peers, collaborators, mentees or other relevant individuals. 

  • These documents must, first and foremost, highlight the capacity and desire of the candidate to become engaged in guiding a cohort of Foundation Scholars throughaudacious on-the-ground experiences, with the aim of training them in Inclusive Excellence and Engaged Leadership.  

Screening Interviews  

To apply, please send all documentation in PDF format, by February 22, 2019, to the following address: competition.2019@trudeaufoundation.ca    

The Foundation will not accept paper files at the Foundation's mailing address.