Governor General’s Office offers mentorship program
March 11, 2010 6:00 AM
Now in its second year, students participating in the Order of Canada Mentorship Program call it a worthwhile experience and recommend it to others.
In 2008, Governor General Michaëlle Jean initiated a mentorship program to pair young Canadian adults between the ages of 18 to 25 with recipients of the Order of Canada.
Explaining her motivation behind the program in a 2009 official statement, the Governor General expressed her desire to encourage up-and-coming young people.
“I see youth [. . .] as a living strength that embodies the very values of altruism and compassion that we cherish. It is for this reason that the idea of connecting young Canadian leaders with members of the Order came so easily.”
Pierre-Andre Doucet, a 21-year-old New Brunswick participant wants other university students to apply, too.
“It truly is an incredible opportunity to meet and exchange with these Canadians who have always strived to make our country a better place. It’s a very flexible program, so you put in or take out what you want or can. [There is] no need to worry about time commitments, or busy schedules,” explains Doucet. He attends the University of Montreal.
“I’d strongly encourage people to try their hand at it,” he adds.
Created in 1967, the Order of Canada is the highest honour awarded to Canadian citizens. It is bestowed in recognition of outstanding achievement.
Participants and their mentors exchange correspondence through blogs and discussion forums. These roundtables appear on-line on the Governor General’s website, Citizen Voices.
They are selected on the basis of their community involvement and strength of their responses to a series of essays.
Doucet is a classically trained pianist and budding author. As an Acadian, he is also involved in organizations that promote the French language and Francophone culture in Canada. He currently attends the University of Montreal.
Because of this background, he was paired with Antonine Maillet, an Acadian author known internationally for her character La Sagouine.
Doucet was happy with the compatibility of the mentor with whom he was paired.
“My application was three-pronged, heavy on my involvement in Francophone community organizations, as well as on my developing skills as an author and as a pianist. Antonine Maillet, my mentor, is a world-renowned Acadian author, so she really represents a perfect fit for me.” He reveals that Maillet is readily available for advice.
“We talk and meet about once a month, and discuss all sorts of things: studying, writing, opportunities, choices. It’s a very open-ended and unrestrictive relationship.”
“Our relationship hasn’t been as much a ‘giving-taking’ one as a ‘mutual exchange.’ We’ve shared about our similar experiences, about our similar backgrounds. I’d have to say that the advice she has given me has been mostly about life as an artist, and how to approach it. In the end, I think that’s what I was looking for from the program,” he continues.
Applications for the program are due typically in September. The selection process includes two reference letters, essays, and the submission of a curriculum vitae. Candidates who are short-listed are then vetted by an independent committee. There is no interview process.
Doucet encourages students from any background to apply.
“The group of mentorees is quite varied, so in my opinion, they weren’t looking for any specific qualities. There are scientists, students, journalists, scouts, musicians, artists, [and] social workers. I think the only quality [that] they were really looking for is the ability and the desire to learn and exchange.”
The application process takes approximately two months, with the winners beginning their mentoring in November.
