Mentoring the Mentors
SAINT JOHN – One New Brunswick organization is hoping to spark innovation through mentorship.
The Mentra was created following the New Brunswick government’s request for proposals to develop a collaborative mentorship model as part of its innovation agenda. One of the ways The Mentra hopes to do this is through their Connect & Share series. The first event in Saint John takes place on Nov. 17.
“The purpose of this event is to bring the mentors of the region together to engage in discussions around mentorship,” said Shelagh Cooney, program coordinator at The Mentra.
“Mentoring is a social activity, so this event is designed to be collaborative. We really want to get the conversation going. This is also an opportunity to address the greater challenge of supporting and mentoring our region’s entrepreneurs in order to bring growth to New Brunswick.”
The Mentra has already held Connect & Share events in Fredericton, Moncton and Charlottetown with positive reception. For the first half of the event, a panel of seasoned mentors will share their knowledge and experience around mentorship. Following will be moderated table discussions around best mentorship practices and will allow people to share their experiences. The Saint John panelists are Greg Hemmings, Lisa Hrabluk, Jeff White, Winston Morton and David Alston.
Alston has been on both the giving and receiving end of mentorship. He said it’s an important tool to help New Brunswick’s growth.
“One of New Brunswick’s advantages is its startup mentor culture. There is a real willingness here with existing entrepreneurs to share their experience with those who ask in order to help them avoid pitfalls and to explore strategies that could accelerate their growth,” said Alston. “Mentorship is one of the pillars of provincial prosperity as it helps ensure success of our emerging job creators.”
There’s often the misconception mentoring is a huge time commitment, Alston said that’s not always the case.
“For me mentoring can be as much about single interactions with many as it can be about long term commitments with a few,” he said.
“I am a firm believer in the ‘spirit of mentorship’ – where any time you have a chance to help someone with your knowledge you should. I’ve been on the receiving end of that all my life, to which I’m very grateful, and it’s awesome to be able to return the favour.”
The Mentra’s goal is to create to create a credible, connected and sustainable community of mentors. This doesn’t just include individuals, but organizations as well. They are currently working with Planet Hatch, the Pond Deshpande Centre, Venn Innovation, and Propel ICT.
“Our objective is to leverage not only the brilliant individuals in our community, but also the amazing organizations in our innovation ecosystem who are doing some fantastic work,” said Cooney. “We’re all looking to have a positive social impact, so why not collaborate?”