On June 13, 2020 we hosted the virtual launch of our Mentorship Programme and Online Community. Our Jamaican students will be the first to experience it through this platform in July, as we aim to expand the mentor/ mentee relationship to include other Caribbean countries in the near future. 

The programme is designed to nurture our students’ attitudes and perspectives towards self-actualization, while entrenching them in positive networks and exposing them to opportunities for growth through online engagement. Built over a three-month engagement beginning midway through the curriculum, participants will  agree to weekly contact to aid in mentees’ professional and personal development, leadership skills, and contribute to their overall growth and development; with the final outcome being the creation of a development plan for each young person.

Current mentor and community volunteers are business, marketing and technology professionals in the region and the wider diaspora.  The application and onboarding process ensures all applicants complete reciprocal applications and courses, with matching and relationship building done by programme staff across five criteria: language, gender, country, personal goals, industry interest, subject area. Matches have pre, mid, and end of programme assessments.

Another way we will be providing support for our students and for persons to be involved is through the CSOD online community. This community will offer functional groups that represent the role a participant plays in the community, resulting in country groups formed around country of participation and/or country of interest and Interest groups characterised by professional, theme-based groups. Mentees will also benefit from job boards, informing them of relevant job postings from our partner countries/territories and an Employers’ Network to inform, interact and connect participants around opportunities and emerging trends.

If you are interested in becoming a mentor, sign up here.