YWCA Metro Vancouver Engage Mentorship Hub is a mentorship program focused on sourcing and coordinating micro-mentorship activities for employment program participants, with a focus on supporting self-identifying newcomer women. The program will work to reduce barriers for participants to access employers and other professionals to enhance their networking and interview skills, learn about employment opportunities, and receive valuable industry guidance.   

Working with YWCA employment programs, Volunteer Services, program participants and their established goals, the Career Advisor will ensure that a targeted number of participants receive connections to industry professionals for micro-mentorship activities, including but not limited to: informational interviews, mock interviews, work place visits and guest speaker sessions on a variety of career development and labour market topics.    

The Career Advisor, reporting to the Program Manager, will demonstrate coordination and leadership skills, providing coordination and support to volunteers and program participants in the Mentorship Program.   

What you’ll be doing:   

• Working with employment programs to support participant employment goals by providing access to micro-mentorship activities.   

• Working with YWCA Volunteer Services to connect volunteer mentors with mentees coming through our YWCA employment and community programs.  

• Connect participants with YWCA Metro Vancouver, program alumni, professional groups and employers for informational interviews, industry insights, networking and learning opportunities, workplace tours, and job opportunities 

• Update and maintain confidential documentation to connect program participants to available volunteers, employers and other industry professionals for individual or group mentorship activities   

• Plan and host /facilitate mentorship activity events such as meet & greets, mock interview practice sessions, workplace tours and other workshops and guest speakers   

• Assess and monitor participant involvement, facilitate goal setting and provide feedback on participant marketing tools such as resumes, and communication with mentors 

• Collaborate with YWCA Volunteer Services to implement recruitment and screening to prepare external stakeholders and participants for activities   

• Conduct outreach with companies and community organizations to secure mentorship opportunities   

• Track activities and progress of participants, maintain participant records, provide monthly reporting of overall program activities   

• Regularly communicate with the mentorship connections to provide support, to problem solve and to monitor for safety  

• Facilitate connections between mentors and mentees, including introductions and follow up, post micro-mentorship activities  

• Promote the program both internally and externally to engage mentors and YWCA employment programs  

• Stay informed about hiring trends and initiatives to support a diverse group of jobseekers, including newcomers, women, and others with barriers to stable employment  

• Work with program managers and staff teams; conduct focus groups to determine program, participant and volunteer needs to plan meaningful activities   

• Collect feedback, testimonials and administer YWCA satisfaction surveys from participants, employers and community groups   

• Other duties as required   

  What you’ll need:  

• Career coaching, recruiting, or volunteer management experience   

• Relevant post-secondary degree or diploma or a combination of relevant education and experience    

• Event management and hosting experience for both in person and virtual events 

• Experience writing participant notes and keeping accurate files and records    

• Demonstrated ability to take initiative and create and implement new activities 

• Demonstrated ability to work within a team as well as individually 

• Confidence in fostering strong working relationships with internal staff, various partners and stakeholders to ensure cooperation and effective information flow between programs/departments   

• Knowledge of issues and barriers faced by women and newcomers to Canada   

• Demonstrated ability to actively listen to participant inquiries, understand their needs, and provide appropriate guidance  

• Understanding of community resources and wrap-around supports available to program participants   

• Advanced computer skills (all Microsoft Applications), SharePoint, OneDrive  

• Ability to coordinate and deliver meetings on virtual video conferencing platforms  

• Must be empathetic, reliable, well-organized, detail-oriented, excellent follow-through skills   

• Self-starter: the ability to take initiative, and maintain effective and professional work habits (i.e. prioritize, plan and manage work; punctuality) to produce timely and effective results   

• Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion   

• Able to occasionally work after hours or weekends and commute between sites   

• A valid clear criminal record check (including working with vulnerable populations) is required.    

• Bonus qualities (but not required)  

• A second language is an asset   

• CCDP certification will be considered an asset    

• Experience with Razer’s Edge 

   What we offer:   

We offer our eligible employees the following benefits as part of their total rewards package:   

• Flexible working arrangements for applicable positions  

• Employee Family Assistance Program, a confidential and voluntary support service for employees and their eligible family members  

• free membership to our Health + Fitness Centre, discounts at our YWCA Hotel and priority in YWCA Child Care centres   

• A workplace that prioritizes employee health, safety and well-being, including many learning and growth opportunities such as our employee mentorship program and three equity committees that help to support our goals towards achieving meaningful equity and inclusion.   

Pay Rate: 31.16 + 12% in lieu of time off and benefits