Mentoring is a method of passing on lived experiences to support another caregiver in an empowering and meaningful way. Anyone who has been a caregiver will know that the caregiving role presents many challenges. These challenges will be different for every caregiver and from time to time support will be needed. A Peer Mentor has a wealth of experience and knowledge which can help another caregiver with the challenges of their caregiving situation. Caregivers share a common identity and can create a bond through sharing their experiences. You can easily connect by phone or by online/virtual discussion with your Caregiver Participant without leaving your home. An OCO trained peer mentor will:

‘Just be there’/Listen

Provide encouragement, support and acceptance

Acknowledge a caregiver’s strengths

Share lived experience and give real life examples

Discuss a caregiver’s wellbeing

Provide support with developing coping strategies

Provide relevant information

Provide support to set goals the caregiver identifies

Celebrate any goals the caregiver achieves

Be someone for a caregiver to bounce ideas of

The Ontario Caregiver Organization invites caregivers with diverse backgrounds from across Ontario to join our 1:1 Peer Support Program as a Peer Mentor. We are actively recruiting bilingual or multilingual caregivers who are fluent in English and also other languages.

Katimavik’s National Experience is an amazing opportunity for any Canadian citizens, permanent residents or landed refugees aged 17 – 25 who are looking for 5.5 months of creative learning, community engagement, Truth and Reconciliation, and self-discovery! Youth will live in a group with up to 10 of their peers in two separate communities throughout the course of the program. During the program they engage in 32 valuable volunteer hours a week, learn how to manage a house, make lifelong friends, and gain confidence that they themselves can make an impactful difference in our country. This is a fully funded opportunity where participants’ travel expenses, living accommodations, food costs, and daily needs are covered. All they will need to bring is their dedication, empathy, and commitment to making a better world!

Some of the topics and skills that Participants will be challenged to learn about include:

• The history of Indigenous peoples in Canada and the importance of Truth and Reconciliation;
• The benefits and impact of civic engagement;
• Professional work skills in a variety of sectors, depending on volunteer placements;
• Cooking skills, house maintenance, and practical life skills;
• Conflict resolution, communication, and how to strive within a team environment;
• Environmental protection and sustainable development;
• English or French as an additional language;
• Leadership, advocacy, and project management skills;
• Canada’s cultural, geographic, and linguistic diversity.