If you’re looking to reap the many benefits of mentorship, whether as a mentor or mentee, one of the easiest way is to join a mentorship program that has been structured by an organization rather than to personally seek out a mentor for yourself. Here’s a curated list of organizations offering mentorship programs across Canada and you might find one that suits your needs.

This list is a joint effort of Immigrant Muse and The Prairie Centre For Excellence In Mentoring (PCFEM). The PCFEM is a new project co-founded by the Calgary Region Immigrant Employment Council (CRIEC) and Calgary Catholic Immigration Services (CCIS)

Canada-wide Mentorship Programs
  1.   FUTURPRENEUR  | Business Mentorship

Futurpreneur is a non-profit organization that provides mentoring and financial support for entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 to 39 across Canada. Futurpreneur offers pre-launch coaching and online resources along with a two-year business mentorship.  https://www.futurpreneur.ca/en  

  1. VENTURE FOR CANADA | Career Mentorship

Venture for Canada is a national charity organization with the vision to build a country where youths can equitably realize their entrepreneurial potential to build a more prosperous country through their paid pairing internship, intrapreneurship, fellowship and mentorship programs for post-secondary students. These programs provide participants the opportunities to network with passionate and committed team members to help them grow as they learn.  https://ventureforcanada.ca  

  1. DIASPORA DIALOGUE MENTORING PROGRAM | Career Mentorship

Diaspora Dialogue Mentoring Program is an organization that supports emerging writers across Canada to develop their craft into a career through one-on-one mentorship, professional development and opportunities to publish and present their work. They have a long-form mentorship program that accepts submissions from emerging writers with a full or near full draft of a manuscript. They also have a short-form mentorship program that accepts submissions from emerging writers across Canada with short stories or creative non-fictions less than 3,000 words. https://diasporadialogues.com 

  1. BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS | Social Mentorship

Big Brothers Big Sisters is a Canada-wide organization that provides individual and group mentoring for adults and youths. Their mission is to enable life-changing mentoring relationships to ignite the power and potential of young people. They recruit, train, match and support the youths. They also refer families and individuals to agencies that provide other support services. https://bigbrothersbigsisters.ca  

  1. BLACK PROFESSIONALS IN TECH NETWORK (BPTN) | Business Mentorship

BPTN connects Black tech professionals to top mentors in the Canadian tech and business sphere, while also connecting Black tech professionals to each other to create a community focused on growth.  https://www.bptn.com  

  1. THE ROLEX MENTOR AND PROTÉGÉ ARTS | Social Mentorship

The Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts initiative brings gifted artists from all over the world for a period of creative collaboration in a one-to-one mentorship with artistic masters. Since 2002, Rolex has paired mentors and protégé in dance, film, literature, music, theatre, visual arts, architecture and an open category covering interdisciplinary pursuits. The mentoring program has evolved into an enriching dialogue between artists of different generations, cultures and disciplines, helping ensure that the world’s artistic heritage is passed on to the next generation. https://www.rolex.org/rolex-mentor-protege 

  1. MENTORABILITY BRITISH COLUMBIA | Social Mentorship

MentorAbility is a national initiative which promotes the employment of people with disabilities in communities across Canadian provinces but is spearheaded in British Columbia. They are focused on developing full or half day mentoring experience for job seekers with disabilities and are matched with individual mentors to explore career opportunities and what they need to get ahead in their desired field of interest. https://inclusionbc.org/our-services/mentorability 

  1. WINDMILL MICROLENDING | Career Mentorship

Windmill Microlending matches their clients with volunteer mentors based on their professional background and goals to support mentees to develop a strategy for their career path. To become a Windmill client and benefit from their mentorship program, you must be approved to access their affordable microloans as a skilled immigrant or refugee to help you achieve career success in Canada. https://windmillmicrolending.org/windmill-mentorship-program/ 

  1. MENTOR CANADA | Youth Mentorship

Mentor Canada is a national organization that supports mentoring across Canada.  You can register with Mentor Connector, an online database designed to connect volunteer mentors and youth (up to age 30) to mentoring programs across Canada. https://www.mentoringcanada.ca/en/take-action/mentor-connector 

Alberta
  1. RAJ MANEK | Business Mentorship

Raj Manek is a 100 per cent volunteer-run non-profit that provides business coaching, mentorship and complementary tools to small and medium-sized entrepreneurs in Saskatchewan and Alberta.   Raj Manek’s top priority is the growth and success of young businesses and the community at large. To achieve this, they offer personalized mentorship matching services, educational seminars and webinars, network opportunities, business information toolkit and access to experienced business advisors. https://manekmentorship.com  

2. SMARTstart | Business Mentorship

SMARTstart is an entrepreneurial training program with three key parts: online training, in-person seminars and mentorship. These programs are available for anyone with a business idea or new business owners who are seeking to set up in specific locations across Alberta. SMARTstart creates a space for experienced business owners to connect, guide and network with the next generation of entrepreneurs to increase the likelihood of success for local aspiring entrepreneurs through mentorship and guidance.  https://www.smartstartyourbusiness.ca  

3. WRITERS GUILD OF ALBERTA | Career Mentorship

The Writers Guild of Alberta is an organization that provides mentorship and guidance to emerging writers in Alberta. They pair mentors with apprentices for one-on-one mentorship. They also meet the needs of emerging writers in terms of guidance, collaboration and employment; and provide senior writers with short term employment and a platform to sharpen their mentoring and teaching skills. https://writersguild.ca  

4. METOR US ALBERTA | Career/peer-to-peer Mentorship

Mentor Us is a peer-to-peer mentorship program developed at the University of Alberta by a team of nursing graduate students. Mentor Us provides an academic community where nursing students of all backgrounds and programs experience empowering relationships and community networking. http://www.mentor-us.com  

5. MENTOR UP ALBERTA | Career Mentorship

Mentor Up Alberta is an organization that provides networking, professional development and informal mentoring opportunities to individuals in Engineering, Technology and Science among others. The mission of Mentor Up Alberta is to build a community of professionals at all stages of their career, potential employers, professional associations, volunteers and under represented groups. https://www.mentorupalberta.com 

6. ALBERTA MENTORSHIP PROGRAM | Culture and Career Mentorship

The Alberta Mentorship Program supports mentorship programs focused on immigrants in rural and small urban communities. The goal of the organization is to help newcomers become part of the Albertan workforce and economy. They provide free information about mentoring newcomers through customized mentorship programs. https://albertamentorship.ca 

  1. ALBERTA IMMIGRANT WOMEN AND CHILDREN CENTRE | Youth and leadership Mentorship

Alberta Immigrant Women and Children Centre has a Youth Mentorship and Leadership program for newcomers aged 7 to 18 years old who want to meet new people and learn leadership skills.  In this program, you will learn new skills to succeed and be leaders in your new community. https://aiwcc.ca/program/mentorship-and-leadership/

  1. ALBERTA MENTORING PARTNERSHIP | Youth Mentorship 

The Alberta Mentoring Partnership helps children and youths find mentoring opportunities as a mentee or a mentor.  As a network of community mentoring agencies, they work together to raise the profile of youth mentoring in Alberta. https://albertamentors.ca/

  1. CALGARY REGION IMMIGRANT EMPLOYMENT COUNCIL (CRIEC) | Career Mentorship 

CRIEC connects newcomer professionals with other professionals within the community to help them in their career. They make sure the mentor-mentee matches are suitable and host orientation sessions with on-going coaching, guidance and support. This mentorship program is designed to lead to successful employment outcomes that align newcomer professionals to secure and retain career paths that reflect their education, training, experience and future aspirations. https://www.criec.ca/criecs-work/

  1. CALGARY CATHOLIC IMMIGRATION SOCIETY (CCIS) | Career Mentorship 

CCIS offers mentorship for integration, a volunteer-based program that matches skilled newcomers with local professionals who share a similar employment background. The program provides immigrant participants with the necessary connections, information and cross-cultural understanding to ease their transition into the Canadian workplace and secure sustainable employment in a profession that matches their education, experience and expertise. https://www.ccisab.ca/professionals-job-seekers/mentorship-for-integration.html

  1. EDMONTON REGION IMMIGRANT EMPLOYMENT COUNCIL (ERIEC) | Career Mentorship 

ERIEC helps skilled immigrants integrate into the Edmonton regional labour market through mentorship and networking programs.  ERIEC pairs professional immigrants to local mentors who understand the Canadian job search. https://www.eriec.ca/career-mentorship-program/

  1. CARE FOR NEWCOMERS | Career Mentorship

The Care for Newcomers Employment programs helps newcomers get the training and support they need to enter the workforce.  Newcomers’ existing skills and education get matched with participating employers in mentoring partnerships to gain the knowledge to start a new job in Central Alberta.  https://www.carefornewcomers.ca/employment-resources

  1. IMMIGRANT COUNCIL FOR ART INNOVATION (ICAI) | Professional Art Mentorship

ICAI’s Immigrant Arts Mentorship Program is for newcomer professional artists, arts administrators and culture workers to connect, find resources, learn and establish their practice in Canada through one-on-one mentorship from established Canadian arts professionals.  The program provides access to the right and reliable information, intentional networking opportunities, unique sector knowledge and thorough guidance for proper career establishment in their new home. https://www.icaionline.org/iamp.html

  1. LETHBRIDGE FAMILY SERVICES | Career Mentorship 

Lethbridge Family Services runs a career mentorship program that offers a one-on-one matching relationships to connect internationally educated professionals with local professionals based on similar vocational or skilled backgrounds.  Mentorship is a knowledge-sharing relationship that helps bridge the gap between internationally educated professionals and Lethbridge employers. https://www.lfsfamily.ca

  1. YMCA OF NORTHERN ALBERTA | Career Mentorship

YMCA of Norther Alberta offers a career mentorship program for internationally trained immigrants and refugees to connect with mentors who will help them develop networking strategies, improve their understanding of Canadian work culture and better prepare for work in the Wood Buffalo Region. https://northernalberta.ymca.ca/ 

British Columbia
  1. MENTORSHIP BC | Business Mentorship

Mentorship BC is an online resource that allows small business owners in BC to find and access mentorship programs. http://www.mentorshipbc.ca  

2. MENTOR CONNECT BC | Career Mentorship

The Mentor Connect program brings together skilled immigrants and established professionals in occupation-specific mentoring relationships. Mentor Connect matches job-ready skilled newcomers in British Columbia with established local professionals for one-on-one occupation-specific coaching. Matches are based on occupation, industry and professional experience. Mentorconnect@iecbc.ca 

3. VANCOUVER MANUSCRIPT INTENSIVE (VMI) | Career Mentorship 

VMI offers a one-to-one mentorship program that teams writers with professional authors to develop their manuscripts to their fullest potential. VMI develops a comprehensive course tailored specifically to each writer’s specific writing needs and also mentors them with more than 50 years of combined professional experience in writing, editing, teaching and publishing from the VMI mentors. https://www.vancouvermanuscriptintensive.com 

4. FORUM | Business Mentorship

The Forum educates, mentors, energizes and connects self-identified women entrepreneurs to succeed while promoting. They are committed to equipping self-identified women entrepreneurs with the skills and tools to achieve their goals. https://www.theforum.ca   

Manitoba
  1. COMMUNITY FUTURES MANITOBA | Business Mentorship

Community Futures is an organization that offers business training, mentorship, advice and support to rural business owners. They support community based economic development to create diverse and sustainable rural communities. https://cfmanitoba.ca

2. MANITOBA ENTREPRENEURIAL HUBS | Business Mentorship

Manitoba Entrepreneurial Hubs provides women with advising, business training and mentorship. The hub creates a home that provides specific support for women entrepreneurs, youth entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs looking to sell or buy an existing business. They support entrepreneurial women thriving together in Manitoba. https://www.thehubs.ca  

3. CREATIVE MANITOBA | Career Mentorship

Creative Manitoba is a unique mentorship program set up to cater to the mentees in their specific artistic discipline (creative, administrative or technical) and offers structured one-on-one tutelage from their chosen mentor, assistance and guidance for individual projects and work, volunteer and connection opportunities set up by the mentor, as well as the rare opportunity to meet and share across disciplines in a monthly Mentorship Monday Share Nights. https://creativemanitoba.ca 

Ontario
  1. PARO CENTRE FOR WOMEN’S ENTERPRISE ONTARIO | Business Mentorship

PARO Centre for Women’s enterprise provides programs and services to women across Ontario who are willing to start, grow or build new business opportunities. Their services include business training, skills training and mentorship. http://paro.ca 

2. THE FORUM | Business Mentorship

The Forum educates, mentors, energizes and connects self-identified women entrepreneurs to succeed while promoting. They are committed to equipping self-identified women entrepreneurs with the skills and tools to achieve their goals. https://www.theforum.ca   

3. MENTORBRIDGE | Peer to peer Mentorship

Mentorbridge is dedicated to supporting young people in Canada by connecting trained, experienced and inspiring mentors with eager mentees. Mentorbridge also runs the Academic Advising Centre which creates opportunities for university students to meet one-on-one and exchange knowledge about essays, mathematics and many others. https://mentorbridge.org  

4. GIRLS E-MENTORSHIP (GEM) | Social Mentorship

GEM offers a research-based mentorship program for high school girls facing socio-economic barriers to build their professional skills and achieve their academic and career potential. GEM believes that women mentoring girls is essential in fostering the success of the next generation and critical to creating gender equity in Canada. https://www.girlsementorship.com  

5. YOUTH ASSISTING YOUTH | Peer to peer Mentorship

Youth Assisting Youth grows the leaders of tomorrow through peer mentorship of at-risk and 

newcomer youths. They pair volunteer young adult mentors aged 16 to 29 with youth ages 6 to 15 to engage in activities to develop mind, body, character, and leadership skills. The non-profit connects volunteers to meaningful mentorship experiences that profoundly impact the most vulnerable youths and their families in communities across Toronto and York Region areas. https://youthassistingyouth.com  

  1. TORONTO REGION IMMIGRANT EMPLOYMENT COUNCIL (TRIEC) | Mentoring Partnership 

Working with 12 Community Partners, TRIEC connects newcomer professionals with mentors who provide insights into networking, job search and career planning in the Toronto region. https://triec.ca/mentoring-newcomers/

Northern Canada
  1. BYTE | Social Mentorship

Byte is a ‘’by youth, for youth’’ organization that empowers and promotes youths in Yukon and Northern Canada. Their team of mentors travel to communities in the Yukon to deliver innovative and relevant workshops that help youths develop confidence, skills, openness and a sense of belonging. The mission of Byte is to create spaces for Northern youths to lead. https://www.yukonyouth.com 

Saskatchewan
  1. RAJ MANEK | Business Mentorship 

Raj Manek is a 100 per cent volunteer-run non-profit that provides business coaching, mentorship and complementary tools to small and medium-sized entrepreneurs in Saskatchewan and Alberta.   Raj Manek’s top priority is the growth and success of young businesses and the community at large. To achieve this, they offer personalized mentorship matching services, educational seminars and webinars, network opportunities, business information toolkit and access to experienced business advisors. https://manekmentorship.com  

  1. GLOBAL EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVE FOR WOMEN (GEIWI) | Youth Mentorship 

GEIWI provides economic development and empowerment programs and services for Black Canadian women and girls.  They offer skills and capacity building programs, vocational training, business development support, mentorship programs, advisory services and STEM training for girls aged 10 to 18. https://geiwi.org/

  1. SASKATCHEWAN INTERCULTURAL ASSOCIATION (SIA) | Career Mentorship

The Mentorship program is a free two-part work-readiness program designed for foreign trained newcomers who want to gain Canadian experience in their profession of training and learn more about Canadian work culture. Applications for the Program are accepted all year, and intakes are held in February, May, and September. https://saskintercultural.org

Quebec
  1. THE FORUM | Business Mentorship

The Forum educates, mentors, energizes and connects self-identified women entrepreneurs to succeed while promoting. They are committed to equipping self-identified women entrepreneurs with the skills and tools to achieve their goals. https://www.theforum.ca