ASPA Mentorship Pilot Program

• ASPA-Driven Initiative: This mentorship pilot is entirely driven by ASPA and is not coordinated with the employer. It is a union-led effort to support our members’ professional development. 
• Mentorship Engagement Time: Mentorship meetings are not considered official work time. We expect mentors and mentees to utilize their flex time for these engagements during work hours. Alternatively, meetings can be scheduled during evenings or weekends. 
• Mentor Training: Selected mentors will participate in a training event to prepare for their roles. Please note that training time is also not considered official work time. 
• Program Duration: The pilot program will start in June and end in December. 
• Participant Limit: The program is limited to 30 participants, allowing for up to 30 mentorship relationships. 
• Voluntary Participation: Participation in the mentorship pilot is entirely voluntary and can be terminated at any time. 
• Program Evaluation: Participants will be asked to complete a short evaluation of their experience in the pilot program. This feedback will be invaluable in improving the program for future iterations. 

Mentees

1. Submit an application. Seats are limited.
2. Wait for a confirmation from the ASPA Mentorship Working Group (week of June 9th).
3. Attend virtual orientation  – June 12th (details to follow).
4. Register for MentorCity  (invitation to follow), and enter your biographic information.
5. Attend virtual training – July 8th (details to follow).
6. Shop for a mentor and make a match.
7. Start the mentorship journey.

Mentors

1. Submit an application. Seats are limited.
2. Wait for a confirmation from the ASPA Mentorship Working Group (week of June 9th).
3. Attend virtual orientation  – June 12th (invitation to follow).
4. Register for MentorCity (invitation to follow), and enter your biographic information (week of June 9th).
5. Attend virtual training – July 8th (invitation to follow).
6. Wait for a match.
7. Start the mentorship journey.

General Questions

Why is ASPA doing this? ASPA took this challenge on because there has not been a formal program on campus that directly helps members grow personally and professionally. The proponents of this program recognized the need in themselves, and others and acknowledges the untapped potential of better support for our members.

Who have you consulted in developing this program? The Mentorship Working Group has the benefit of very talented members with professional skills in program development, program evaluation, and firsthand experience with supporting mentorship programs for students on campus. Also, the Mentorship Working Group engaged with Mentor Canada, a non-profit with a mandate to develop mentoring programs in Canada to help advance the important role in developing one of most powerful natural resources – people.

How long will this pilot last? The pilot run from June to December 2025.

Who is eligible to participate? Mentors – any ASPA members who feels they can commit to the time, and feels they have something to contribute. Mentees – any ASPA member who feels they have room to learn and grow.

How much time will I need to commit? Mentorship is an investment. To get something meaningful out of it, mentees and mentors are encouraged to spend as much time as possible both understanding their needs, acquainting themselves with their role, and meeting — getting to know one another, developing deeper relationships, and investing where time and effort is needed. As a rule of thumb, 1-2 hours a month seems to be a good starting place (after training/orientation).

Are there any other obligations? Yes, mentors and mentees will be asked to participate in brief monthly check-in surveys, an end-of-program evaluation, and possibly in-person interviews. We’re trying to make this program as meaningful as possible, and participant feedback is essential to continuous improvement.

What happens after December 2025? The Mentorship Working Group will evaluate the program, its impact on mentees and mentors, and submit a report of the findings to the ASPA Executive. After reviewing the results, the Executive will decide on whether to proceed with long-term funding.

Mentor & Mentee FAQ’s

How does matching mentor to mentee work? ASPA has elected to use a self-select process as recommended by Mentor Canada. They encouraged the use of a platform (MentorCity) to aid in the matching process. In short, mentees shop the list of mentors and choose who they believe aligns with their needs and interests.

What if the match is not a good fit part way through the program? We will be signing up more mentors than mentees to help assure that mentees have a good match.

What happens if there’s an interpersonal issue? In the unlikely event of an issue, participants are encouraged to contact the Mentorship Working Group at: MentorshipWorkingGroup@aspasask.ca

Will all mentors and mentees be matched? There is the possibility that not all mentors will be matched. It is not a reflection of the quality of the mentor, but rather the needs of the mentee. Should this program continue, we are expecting matches will increase.

Who is on the Mentorship Working Group Team? The ASPA MWG committee includes:

• John Costa (Chair)
• Arun Sharma
• Edith Conacher
• Erin Walling
• Marla Rogers
• Peter Krebs
• Tanya Robertson-Frey

Have more questions? If you have any questions about this program, please don’t hesitate to ask by contacting John Costa, Chair of the Mentoring Working Group, at mentorworkingroup@aspasask.ca

The ASPA Executive piloted a professional member-driven mentoring program. Professional mentorship can play a key role in one’s support network, and improve wellbeing, resilience, and growth. It strengthens the sense of belonging, and provides early-career members the opportunity to develop the perspectives, skills, and know-how to thrive.

In winter 2024-2025, the Mentoring Working Group (MWG) began with a short survey assessing interest – identifying area(s) of need, and capacity. A total of 233 people completed the survey, with the majority (91%) indicating being in support of a mentoring program. As well, just over half (54%) indicated they would be interested in participating as a mentor (17%) or mentee (37%), while the remainder were unsure. See the full report at: Mentoring Program Survey Report

Moving into spring 2025, the MWG has been meeting bi-weekly, as we work to develop a mentorship program based on the expressed needs and interests of ASPA members. We are excited to share that the MWG has partnered with Mentor Canada – a non-profit committed to promoting mentorship within Canadian public, private and civil society organizations. They provide resources, training, and support capacity building for programs that target demographics ranging from youth to professionals.  They’ve been instrumental in helping us develop and operationalize a program. While there’s more work to do,we have launched the pilot program as of May 29, 2025!

In the coming weeks, please look out for more announcements for your opportunity to participate as a mentee or mentor. The pilot is expected to run from June to December and be used to inform how ASPA proceeds. More details to follow!

If you have any questions about this program, please don’t hesitate to ask by contacting John Costa, chair of the Mentoring Working Group, at john.costa@usask.ca. 

MentorCity Login: https://ementor.mentorcanada.ca/

Training and Guides – With more to come

You can find orientation and training recordings in the Mentorship Pilot Program One Drive. Access to the One Drive must be requested: MentorCity Resources

July 16, 2025

The ASPA Mentorship Pilot Program officially launched this month, and participants are busy making connections! With well over 50 participants, mentors and mentees have begun their journey with a platform orientation session and professional training delivered by Mentor Canada over Zoom, and training and mentorship guides made available on MentorCity (the mentoring platform).

The session covered a wide range of aspects of mentoring, including roles and responsibilities, and qualities of effective mentorship. It also busted some mentoring myths – did you know that mentoring is not a one-way street? Both mentor and mentee can learn and grow from the experience. The session also highlighted many of the benefits including cultivating a sense of belonging. Do you remember a time when you felt disconnected from your team or organization? Mentors help build that connection and nourishes personal and professional growth. Training also included three break-out sessions, each exploring different aspects of mentoring – the impact chain, opportunity mapping, and effective mentoring. 

One participant shared: “The MentorCity training was a valuable experience. It offered practical insights into effective mentoring strategies. The breakout sessions especially helped strengthen my communication and teamwork skills in a collaborative setting.”

Participants left with a deeper understanding of the key elements of mentorship success. For mentors, active listening, social and emotional support, knowledge and skill development, and advocacy and sponsorship are the ingredients to success. Mentors benefit from new perspectives, including the protégé effect – when you teach or mentee, it deepens the mentors understanding of the materials or skills being shared.

There remain a few open spots. If you have interest in joining the program, contact the ASPA office immediately at aspa@aspasask.ca.

Let’s grow together! 🌱