Honours

The Order of Canada Mentorship Program

The Governor General has identified youth as a major priority for her mandate. During her official visits to each Canadian province and territory, Her Excellency consulted with young Canadians to understand how the institution of the governor general can be more accessible and meaningful to young Canadians, providing them with unprecedented opportunities to reach decision makers and citizens alike.

The Objectives

Through these exchanges, Her Excellency put forward the following objectives:

• Provide a national space in which youth perspectives can be taken seriously and youth initiatives can be supported
• Increase opportunities for young Canadians and youth overseas to collaborate and network around common aims
• Encourage youth to improve their efforts to foster social change through mentorship opportunities with experts in a variety of fields

The Order of Canada mentorship program

The Order of Canada Mentorship Program was established in 2008 by the Governor General to provide an opportunity for members of the Order to mentor young Canadians aged 18 to 25 in their fields of interest or in their endeavours. The one-year program brings together 25 young participants and their 25 mentors in Ottawa, followed by an online mentorship during which time participants and mentors will also be in touch through emails. They will post blogs and share updates on their projects on www.citizenvoices.gg.ca.

Youth interested in the 2009 program can download the application form at www.mentor2009.gg.ca. The deadline for submission is September 17, 2009.