Mentoring • More Important Now Than Ever

Why is access to mentoring more important now than ever before?
Globally, 75 million young people don’t have a job. Over 17% of the under-25s (compared to 7% of over-25s) in OECD countries are without a job and are losing hope for a brighter future. … A bitter irony: It is the best educated generation ever – and the most pessimistic in terms of employment perspectives (OECD, 2012). In Canada, The impact is even greater for the fastest growing minoritized groups - Aborigines and Blacks. How can a “lost generation” of young unemployed be avoided? What strategies are needed to bring young people hope and new perspectives in light of weakly responsive education system? At a time when youth unemployment is endemic worldwide, it is imperative that educators, policymakers and other stakeholders do all in their power to change our emerging human resource liabilities into assets. This change can be done by providing a seamless transition from school into the world of work. e-CAMP MENTORing is proposing a Mentoring Oriented Teaching and Learning Strategy (MOTALS) based on the doctoral research of Dr. Leroy Clarke to seamlessly link school-learning and the world of work via e-mentoring (e-CAMP) an online Career and Mentoring Program. The program will identify concrete strategies such as field entrepreneurship skills and early career exposure for engaging youth in the 15-25 age group by providing opportunity to link with qualified vulnerable sector screened mentors. The program’s mandate is to develop and nurture positive attitudes, responsible citizenship, and skills that will be continuously upgraded within a real-world social and cultural network context of collaboration and competition in order to drive and sustain our economy.