On November 8, 2017, the Public Affairs Association of Canada (PAAC) hosted its second speed mentoring event in Toronto. For three hours, 24 young professional mentees engaged 8 senior public affairs mentors through consecutive one-on-one meetings. This event was graciously hosted in the Yorkville offices of Samara, our in-kind sponsor and Canada’s non-partisan champion of increased civic engagement.
The evening began with a group discussion whereby our mentors shared their thoughts and personal experiences on the significance of “mentorship.” Stories were shared depicting people who assisted with everything from career management to building confidence by providing trust, openness and support. It was clear that mentorship – in one form or another – has touched the lives and professions of everyone who joined us for our dynamic event.
Some post-event feedback is captured by the comments below.
“It is always a pleasure to meet with young people looking to work in GR. PAAC should be commended for bringing together a wide range of experienced professionals with the next generation.” - Peter Landry, Managing Principal, Enterprise Canada
“The questions asked were interesting and engaging. Every single conversation ran out of time, which speaks to the effectiveness of this format and the good balance of mentors and mentees. I am incredibly proud of the work PAAC does to help foster relationships and learning, and I look forward to doing more events like this in the future.” - Michael Wescott, Manager of Government and Regulatory Affairs, Rothmans, Benson & Hedges Inc.
“After meeting these talented and thoughtful would be public affairs practitioners, I think you would agree that our professional has a bright future ahead.” - Stewart Kiff, President, Solstice Public Affairs
The speed mentoring event was spearheaded by PAAC Board of Director, Michelle Wasylyshen who stated: “We love creating value for our members and are grateful for the advice and experience that was shared throughout the evening.”
Part of PAAC’s mandate is to provide opportunities for career development in public affairs through mentorship. Mentorship can take on a variety of forms: career mentoring; skills mentoring; diversity mentoring; peer mentoring; and even reverse mentoring. If you would like to take on a mentoring role within PAAC, or if you would like to participate as a mentee, please contact us as we would love to hear from you.
