YOUTH PROGRAMS
Mentorship & Leadership Program
Our multi-level mentorship initiative provides mentorship opportunities for youths (ages 12- 30) by connecting them with young adults, adults, and professionals. Youths are matched with mentors, who depending on the individual needs may have had similar life experiences, barriers, share a common cultural heritage, or interests or goals in life. Appropriate measures are put in place to ensure that our young people are supported to meet their goals.
We provide support to youths to:
Increase their chances of life and career success
Reduce the likelihood of becoming involved in high-risk activities
Enhance educational performance through academic support
Mentorship Streams
1-on-1 Mentorship
Youth Mentorship
Youth are matched with young adult or adult mentors. Mentors provide youth with academic, social, personal, and/or community support.
Online Support Tutoring
Youth are matched with young adult or adult mentors. Mentors provide youth with academic, social, personal, and/or community support.
Professional Mentorship
Youths are matched with professionals in their desired field. The purpose of the match is to encourage professional/career growth.
Group Mentorship
School Mentorship
Youth and young adults are matched with young adults and professionals in a group/school settings. The purpose of this match is to support the academic success of youth and young adults.
Cultural Mentorship
Cultural activities that enhance our youths’ connection to our collective and individual African cultures. The purpose of the match is to foster cultural identity through cultural activities such as language, dance, cooking storytelling, crafts.
Leadership Activities
Our leadership component works hand in hand with our mentorship project to provide opportunities for our youths and community to:
Participate in a series of personal, professional, and cultural leadership workshops.
Develop new skills through recreation, arts, and crafts.
Enhance career development
Plan individual and/or collective leadership/community service-learning projects that involve building bridges between Edmonton’s African and non-African peoples.
Benefit from the input of a Wisdom Keeper’s Circle composed of African community elders and members that provide cultural reconnection and community engagement
Some of the workshops and training include, but are not limited to:
Protective factors against bullying and peer pressure
Arts & Crafts
Resume and cover letter
Career planning
Self-care workshops
Financial literacy
Cultural activities
Basketball
An extension of the Mentorship and Leadership program, Africa Centre’s Basketball program enlists the partnerships and assistance of notable coaches that model positive, responsible behaviour while engaging youth in recreational skills development. We capitalize on positive peer influence formed through collective recreational engagement.
Program Outcomes
Participants:
Improve in academics and attitude
Are less likely to indulge in at-risk behaviors (school suspension, substance abuse, police involvement, recidivism)
Experience improvement in self-concept: trusting relationships with family, peers, mentors, self-reliance, self-esteem.
Foster positive cultural identity.
Acquire knowledge and skills pertinent to their personal, professional, and/or leadership skills.
Increase in constructive behavior, e.g., community engagement, new activities & interests.
Gain professional guidance in chosen careers.
Meet Zainab Adedapo, an Africa Centre mentee, and her father, Ademuyiwa Adedapoas, as they share how one of our dedicated program mentors guided Zainab toward success.
Mentors/Volunteers
Improve in academics and attitude
Are less likely to indulge in at-risk behaviors (school suspension, substance abuse, police involvement, recidivism)
Experience improvement in self-concept: trusting relationships with family, peers, mentors, self-reliance, self-esteem.
Foster positive cultural identity.
Acquire knowledge and skills pertinent to their personal, professional, and/or leadership skills.
Increase in constructive behavior, e.g., community engagement, new activities & interests.
Gain professional guidance in chosen careers
Our Partners & Funders
