Group Mentorship Program Summary

Purpose of Group Mentorship in Peel

Peel’s Mentorship Initiative: Learn. Inspire. Flourish. Together. (L.I.F.T.) is developed in partnership with the early years and child care community, Child Development Resource Connection Peel (CDRCP), and Peel Region. When early years professionals feel a strong sense of belonging within a supportive network, they are more likely to experience increased job satisfaction and enhance their capacity to promote positive outcomes in the well-being, learning, development, and health of children and families.

Our priority through the group mentorship pilot project is for each person’s unique background, experience, and intersectionality of their identity to be acknowledged and met with a kind curiosity. It is important that everyone within the program experiences a sense of belonging and feels safe to take part in courageous and reflective dialogue.

The Pilot

Starting in 2026, the L.I.F.T. pilot will begin for group mentorship. The content of this pilot will focus on licensed child care centres. Planning is underway for licensed home child care and EarlyON specific content which will be incorporated into the overall mentorship initiative at a later date. The goal of this pilot will be to use participant feedback to create a Peel-wide mentorship initiative for early years and child care professionals. The L.I.F.T. pilot will welcome a total of up to 30 early learning and child care professionals from across Peel. Participants will consist of up to 6 mentors and 24 mentees.

Interested individuals will complete either a mentor or mentee Expression of Interest form. Once you complete and submit the form, your application will be reviewed to determine if you meet the following criteria for the pilot. Selection will be guided by fairness and our commitment to supporting a rich and diverse learning community.

Specifications for Mentors in the Pilot are to:

Currently working in a licensed child care.
Be a registered early childhood educator in good standing with the College of Early Childhood Educators or hold a comparable qualification (e.g. Montessori accreditation).
Demonstrate a commitment to the group mentorship initiative expectations related to time commitment and interest in supporting the growth of others.
Have experience with group facilitation or adult learning practices.
Have received confirmation that you are able to participate from your direct report (e.g. supervisor, director, etc.).

Specifications for Mentees in the Pilot are to:

Currently working in a licensed child care centre.
Have 2 years or less of experience in the early learning and child care sector.
Are seeking opportunities to build confidence, deepen practice, and participate in collaborative group discussions for peer support.
Have received confirmation that you are able to participate from your direct report (e.g. supervisor, director, etc.).

Applicants will be placed in mentorship groups using a simple grouping algorithm. This process considers several factors including role, years of experience, program type, and areas of interest; to create diverse groups where participants can learn from one another.

Notification Process:

All applicants will be notified whether they have been selected or not. Those that are selected will receive a Group Mentorship Overview Guide and be expected to complete a Registration and Agreement form. This form is required prior to receiving a final participation confirmation. Those that are not selected during this round will be placed on a priority list for future mentorship opportunities and may be invited into later intake.

Benefits of Participation

Participants can grow professionally by building skills, confidence, and connections with colleagues which can lead to enhanced capacities to work with children and families.
Mentors can enhance leadership skills by facilitating conversations, navigating challenges, and supporting mentees to reach their goals.
Participants may be presented with new perspectives such as technology trends, workplace, or cultural insights that enhance their practice.
All participants will receive a certificate of completion if minimum participation requirements have been met.
Funding will be provided to programs who have participating staff through an operator reimbursement process.
If you are a Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE), participating in the Mentorship Pilot can help you complete your CPL requirements with the College of Early Childhood Educators.

Group Mentorship

Group mentorship brings individuals together who share a similar position, learning focus, or interests, and provides opportunities for learning between mentor and mentees as well as peer to peer. Groups within this initiative will consist of one mentor with up to 4 mentees.

Mentorship groups will meet to engage in meaningful dialogue, reflective practices, and identify and/or work towards individual professional goals etc. Time will be provided during sessions for feedback from all participants.

Time and Resource Commitment

Participants are expected to commit to the full six-month duration of the L.I.F.T. group mentorship pilot initiative, beginning in 2026. This pilot will include:

Mandatory in-person training for mentors.
Mandatory in-person orientation for mentors and mentees.
2-hour session for each mentorship group each month (in-person or virtual).
Up to one hour each month for mentors to conduct mentee check-ins, session preparation, etc.
Up to 30-minutes each month for mentees to engage in self-reflection, goal mobilization, etc.
Time to complete surveys for both mentors and mentees.

Contact Information

Mentorship Project Team

Email: [email protected]