News

PLT Canada’s Green Mentor program celebrates end of January 2021 national cohort

July 16, 2021

Two youth in hard hats holding baby trees.
PLT Canada wrapped up its second national mentorship cohort on June 24, 2021, with an online event that brought together almost 50 mentors and mentees from across the country.

The six-month mentorship program supported 130 participants, including mentors from the Sustainable Forestry Initiative’s (SFI) network and young people interested in joining the forest and conservation sector.

PLT Canada’s Green Mentor program connects youth (ages 18–30) directly to forest and conservation sector professionals. The program uses an industry-leading algorithm that matches people based on personalities, learning styles, goals, locations, interests, and existing skills.

PLT Canada Green Mentors said the top three skills they gained or improved during the six months were communication, coaching, and empathy. PLT Canada Green Mentees said their top three were confidence, networking, and communication.

“I think the best part of the Green Mentor program was the unexpected learnings. You know you’ll learn how to be a better mentor, but I also gained new perspectives and learned how to approach projects differently.”

– Molly Hudson, PLT Canada Green Mentor, Mosaic Forest Management

Fast facts

  • Over 200 people have participated in a PLT Canada mentorship program since 2020
  • 91% of participants rated the program a 7 or higher out of 10
  • 87% of participants said the program was worth their time
  • 87% of participants felt that they were able to work together towards the goals they set up for the program

“This experience has definitely helped shape me into a greater agent of change and given me more accountability in my life. I would like to express my gratitude to my mentor and everyone who is involved with this mentorship program.”

– Kianna Bear-Hetherington, PLT Canada Green Mentee

PLT Canada’s Green Mentor program involves meeting up (in person or virtually) two or three hours a month. Mentees can expand their Green Jobs knowledge, goals, and network. Mentors can inspire the next generation of forest and conservation leaders, recruit employees, and gain new perspectives. 

The next mentorship cohort starts in September 2021, and the deadline to apply is in July.

Apply now to be a PLT Canada Green Mentor or Mentee

RELATED NEWS

Workshop attendees and instructors stand and sit in front of the Lac des Milles Lacs Education Centre sign, throwing fallen leaves in the air.

Teacher training delivers land-based learning and preview of new activities

By James Thordarson, Coordinator, Forest Education One of the best parts of my job is spending time with dedicated educators. So, I was excited to lead the first official Project Learning Tree (PLT) educator training in Canada on October 24, 2022. We worked with I.R. Churchill Elementary School with Lac des Mille Lacs Education Centre to coordinate and host the training session for about 20 educators. The elementary school serves 160 students from K‑8 within the Thunder Bay area. Nature-based…

READ MORE

Truth, respect and reconciliation for all

Truth and Reconciliation Week 2022

September 26–30, 2022 is Truth and Reconciliation Week, and September 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. It is also Orange Shirt Day, an initiative started by residential school survivor Phyllis Webstad, Northern Secwepemc (Shuswap) from the Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation, to raise awareness of residential schools and spread the message that every child matters. The theme for Truth and Reconciliation Week 2022 is “Remembering the Children.” In Canada, for more than 160 years, Indigenous children were taken…

READ MORE

Photo of Ezra and Reg

Why my mentor is important to me

By Ezra Mecham My name is Sinuklhm or Ezra Mecham, of the Nuxalk Nation. My lineage descends from the village of Nusq’lst, and I was born and raised in the Bella Coola valley, heart of the Nuxalk Nation. My home, Bella Coola, is located deep within the inlets of the remote Central Coast Regional District of British Columbia. Bella Coola is a relatively small town of about 2,000 people, the majority of whom are Indigenous. There is one road in…

READ MORE

Photo of Letsasi and Jonathan

Mitigating climate change and boosting a mentee’s confidence in PLT Canada’s Green Mentor program

By Jonathan Gichuru Increasing forest cover across the world is among the most cost-effective and efficient ways to mitigate the effects of climate change, which is a threat to a sustainable future. As a young professional, I’m motivated to be involved in bringing new perspectives and thoughts to the table that inspire natural resource conservation and contribute to mitigating climate change and achieving other sustainable development goals (SDGs). But deciding which niche to specialize in can be nerve wracking—especially with…

READ MORE

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER