Meeting of the minds – pictouadvocate.com

NEW GLASGOW The local mentoring project partnering with Dalhousie University and a couple of other towns has kicked off its first in-person meeting since the pandemic hit and is now ready to take the next step to help young professionals in Pictou County.

A group of mentors as well as co-ordinator for the project, Geralyn MacDonald, and executive director of Mentoring Plus Strategy of Dalhousie, Gordon Michael gathered outside of the gazebo by Glasgow Square to discuss how they can help others with mentoring and the future of the project.

The group was supposed to go back to one of the high schools in March after having visited previously to offer mentoring advice to students; however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic that was not able to happen. The project features eight sectors of the workforce to branch from to help cover anything that mentees might be interested in taking on.

You can see the variety of careers, said MacDonald who pointed out that in the small meeting held last week there were people in business, finance, arts, and more who were ready to offer lived advice to younger generations.

Its about social inclusion, MacDonald said. Its all about knowledge transfer.

The next step will be mentor orientations and to provide those who are interested in participating with the tools to be able to effectively mentor.

(Mentors) are really interested in addressing issues that they can provide solutions for, said Michael. It gives people a sense of purpose.

Mentors that are part of the project are excited about the opportunities that the project can bring. Jeanette Hermanson of The Green Thumb was present last week for the advisory meeting and agreed that the program was a great way to connect the community and help retirees feel more active in the community.

The first thing I think about is the wonderfulness of it, she said. This is going to be wonderful to knot the two age groups together.

Betsy Keay and her brother John Cameron were both in attendance and were pleased to have the opportunity to share the knowledge they have acquired from experience after years in their professions.

I think its incredible for the seniors; getting up there myself if I dont have something to do I go nuts, laughed Cameron. But its got to be something meaningful.

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Meeting of the minds - pictouadvocate.com