Since the planning for our Fall 2021 mentorship program launch has wrapped, we wanted to take some time to highlight the vital work that our board is doing to impact the Edmonton community to bring people together.
If you’ve been following interVivos for a while, you know that we’ve been bringing people together way before the pandemic. Since 2006, interVivos has connected nearly 700 mentors and protégés through its semi-annual mentorship program.
People are often surprised to learn that we have no paid staff. Our programs and events are made possible through the hard work of the interVivos volunteer board. Many volunteer hours go into producing and running our programs and events for Edmontonians “behind the scenes”.
Our board is small and mighty. We are currently only five board members, mostly BIPOC women, from a variety of backgrounds and industries. In addition, we are supported by two unpaid board interns. Learn more about our board members and interns here.
While many people who’ve been stuck at home during the pandemic have binged a new Netflix series or become a master baker, our board has been using this extra time to develop even more mentorship programs and resources. When the pandemic hit, we quickly pivoted and have now launched three mentorship programs virtually. As a result, we have supported 66 mentors and protégés during the pandemic.
It’s always lovely to receive kudos. Some comments about our pandemic mentorship programming:
“I’ve been a part of many networking opportunities in the past years, wine and cheese, speed networking, etc., in both the capacity of protégé and mentor. I’ve seen some terrible things happen out of these events because of the power dynamics that are the foundation of networking sometimes. I entered interVivos with very low expectations, but I was so pleased with this program. You all have worked very hard, and it shows! The structured approach and all the thoughts and care you put in from the training to considerations about power, social media promotion, and the little thank-you’s are all very much appreciated. Thank you for having me–I’ve enjoyed my experience!”.
“Excellent job organizing the program, including the orientation, launch evening and information provided throughout. You are a truly fantastic group of people that use their free time to make a difference in the community.”
In the spirit of giving back to our community during the pandemic, our board ispassionate about keeping our mentorship program costs low. Protégés choose their fee to participate in our programs. The fees collected are directly invested in our programs, events, and nonprofit costs. We also provide free protégé spots to local nonprofits. interVivos is always looking for more nonprofit groups to offer protégé spots to for free. If you know of an organization that could benefit, email connect@intervivos.ca.
Be sure to check us out on social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter) to stay up to date on all things interVivos. Feel free also to drop us a line at connect@intervivos.ca with any questions that you may have.