Photo by the City of Oshawa
The City of Oshawa’s approximately 1200 employees provide services, deliver programs and operate facilities that contribute to making Oshawa a great place to live, work, learn and play. By becoming an employer partner in TRIEC Mentoring Partnership in August 2018, the City of Oshawa is living their core values of authenticity, courage and trust. Cheryl Abbott, Organizational Development Consultant, City of Oshawa, shares why she thinks it’s important for the City of Oshawa to be involved.
Why did you decide to become an employer partner in TRIEC Mentoring Partnership?
The City of Oshawa is committed to nurturing a culture of continuous learning, innovation, inclusion and collaboration, and we believe TRIEC mentoring partnership will provide us with opportunities to experience new perspectives, expand our talent pool of skilled professionals and of course give back to our community!
How do you think the program will help you meet your diversity and inclusion, Corporate Social Responsibility and Community Engagement goals?
The Oshawa Diversity and Inclusion Plan was adopted in 2017 by Oshawa City Council and reflects the City of Oshawa’s commitment to identify forms of discrimination, work with marginalized groups, and implement programs and services that recognize the full range of human difference and realize the goals of fairness, justice and non-discrimination.
We believe that our mentoring partnership with TRIEC will strengthen our commitment to diversity and inclusion by upgrading social and institutional learning, enhancing innovative competency and expanding access to skilled, diverse talent pools.
Do you think that immigration is important for growth in Canada? Why?
Yes. Canada was built on immigration, and diversity and inclusion is becoming an increasingly important factor in our economic success. The Greater Toronto Area is one of the most diverse regions of the country, primarily due to the many opportunities that are offered here. Providing supports to ensure successful integration of newcomers will afford us a competitive advantage and continued economic prosperity well into the future.
Photo by the City of Oshawa
What benefits do you think your employees will gain from being mentors?
There are so many potential benefits for employees who participate in this mentoring partnership: enhanced leadership and cross-cultural communication skills, improved motivational and coaching skills, leveraging connections, increased social awareness of issues facing newcomers to Canada, and the personal growth and satisfaction that comes from inspiring others.
How will you promote mentoring to your employees?
We believe the success of this program starts at the top. With early and ongoing commitment and participation from our Corporate Leadership Team, we are hoping they will continue to inspire more employees to get involved. In addition, we are using the TRIEC team’s professional marketing and promotional materials to generate employee awareness and interest in this rewarding initiative.
What would you say to another organization that is thinking about signing up for TRIEC Mentoring Partnership?
Partnering with TRIEC is a great way to kick start your organization’s mentoring journey. They will provide you with an abundance of resources, support and encouragement! For more information about the City of Oshawa visit their website.
If your organization would like to become an employer partner with TRIEC Mentoring Partnership, please visit our Employer Partner page to find out more about what it involves, or email us to set up a time to talk – inquiries@triec.ca.