By Kathleen A. Provost
As a professional fundraiser, I have always wondered how to pay it forward. I consider myself to be privileged, and for that reason, believe I should share with others.
If you have read my previous articles in Foundation, you know that over the years, I have challenged fundraisers to reflect on the status quo, and question existing facts, structures and situations in our sector. I have also shared my opinion about our role in the sector, the role donors or governments play, and I have even advocated that we should be the change-makers.
I consider my writing to be a form of mentorship that enables change, and one way I pay it forward. Sharing my knowledge and expertise with readers is an altruistic way to do a good deed with no strings attached, and possibly inspire others.
I also have experienced immense personal growth and gratification when sharing my expertise with mentees. To date, I have mentored five wonderful individuals; I am very proud two completed their CFREs. These individuals have all shared one common statement with me: they appreciated being entrusted with knowledge, information, and how much they benefited from this experience.
The fundraising sector encourages and benefits from mentorship. The best mentors enable their mentees to become their best selves.
Thoughts from Mentor Canada
To find out more about mentorship trends in Canada, I reached out to long-time mentor Tracy Luca-Huger, Executive Director of Mentor Canada, an organization established in 2019.
The primary focus of Mentor Canada is to build a world-class mentoring ecosystem designed to transform the future of every young person.
When I asked Tracy about the trends she sees today, she said: “We know transition for young people into employment, or from adolescence into adulthood, is an unstable time. We are observing that young Canadians face complex problems, that they don’t necessarily have the connections they need, or the supports they need, and they don’t know where to find them.”
Tracy mentioned that when surveyed, 23% of individuals between the ages of 15 and 24 said they felt lonely. So, mentoring can play a critical role for young adults, whether in the formal role of mentor, or as an informal mentor, coach, teacher or neighbour. I have personally witnessed how mentoring is beneficial for young Canadians, given the complex issues they are currently facing.
How Mentor Canada fills the mentoring gap
According to Tracy, one in two young Canadians recalled a time when they wished they had a mentor but didn’t. This “mentoring gap” is what Mentor Canada addresses, focusing on three key areas:
- The space: Mentoring should take place in accessible spaces, versus expecting young individuals to go and sign up for a mentoring program in a formal educational space. More Canadians should envision themselves as mentors, and foster opportunities to integrate mentoring into places where young people are present, and create ways to walk alongside and journey with them.
- The training: Mentor Canada offers training to those considering mentorship to help them understand what mentoring entails. It focuses on the passing on of knowledge, skills and tools, and advises to keep these relationships positive.
- The journey: Mentor Canada reminds mentors that it’s key to offer young individuals mentoring experiences throughout their journey, creating opportunities for them to gain insights.
Mentor Canada will host its first Summit on Mentorship in Canada on November 13th and 14th, 2025. This will provide organizations in the private and public sector, as well as individuals, a wide range of opportunities to further explore and understand mentorship.
The benefits of mentoring in the workplace
On June 1, 2025, FindJobsCanada published “7 Inspiring Mentor Examples That Changed Lives in Canada.” It showcased seven inspiring Canadian mentors who changed countless lives, and illustrated why mentorship plays such a vital role in career growth, especially in ever-evolving professions like fundraising. It also mentioned the positive impact mentoring has on personal growth, confidence, and mental health.
The article revealed how organizations that encourage workplace mentorship benefit from keeping employees longer in their roles, and helping with the employee recruitment process.
Another key point was that “inclusive mentorship” helps to breaking down cultural barriers between employees. It is used in models like one-to-one mentoring, group circles, virtual networking sessions, and peer mentoring.
How mentoring can mould young adults into philanthropists
Making mentorship an integral part of our nonprofits reflects the values of collaboration and community support that organizations already embrace. Since philanthropy is in constant evolution, mentorship could be the best approach to take a journey with “the next generation,” which can help us understand how to transform fundraising to younger demographics.
Aisha Vernon helps us better understand Gen Z’s capacity to be “Canada’s next giving powerhouse” in her article, “GoFundMe—Targeting Younger Demographics: A Nonprofit’s Guide to Engaging Gen Z Donors.” She claims that while we are focusing our fundraising on Boomers and Millennials, Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2012) has become the third-largest generation in Canada, according to Statistics Canada.
These young adults, raised with smartphones and social media, are more connected and socially aware, and express a desire for authenticity and trust building. They are making their mark on generosity by being values-driven supporters. Though their approach to giving may differ, their desire to make a difference is just as strong, if not stronger, than previous generations. They crave authenticity, social change, and measurable impact—and they are motivated to give back, but they don’t always know how to take the next step.
Right now, we have a huge opportunity to invest in young people through mentorship. By building more mentoring supports through programs, places of work, education or in community, we can turn our younger generation into passionate advocates and givers as we help shape their opinions on philanthropy.
My final thoughts
In this world of overwhelming noise and information overload, social interaction has become a driving force for action. Mentorship relationships go two ways, and more than building new donors. It’s about sharing time, attention, and influence.
Luca-Huger believes there are multiple people along an individual’s life journey. Some will influence and shape who we are. I strongly believe we need to embed opportunities for young Canadians to have mentoring experiences and relationships. Beyond guiding their path to education, employment and giving, mentors have a meaningful impact on younger people’s mental health and confidence.
Former Senator Ratna Omidvar shared a key observation on our philanthropic sector’s evolving role in the July 2, 2025 issue of The Philanthropist Journal. She noted that the strength of Canada’s charitable sector lies in its capacity for renewal and reinvention to make the right decisions, and that training in governance ought to be available to the next generation of leaders. She said that a new wave of leaders should be able to champion the sector’s response to its ‘common needs’ including innovative governance and finance models.
Providing mentorship opportunities to respond to our shared needs may be the best way for us to pay it forward. Let’s work together to build an ecosystem to provide mentoring opportunities, at work, at home, and within our own communities, which will enable individuals to become their best selves.
Kathleen A. Provost is the Vice President, Philanthropy and Communications at United for Literacy (previously Frontier College), a national organization working in partnerships with communities across Canada, offering free tutoring and mentoring to adults, youth, and children who are looking for literacy and numeracy support. Kathleen has over 30 years of experience in the charitable sector. She has been a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) since 2007 and a long-time member and volunteer for the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). She has received numerous recognitions during her career, including the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her contributions to the charitable sector and was recognized as 2021 Fundraiser of the Year in Nova Scotia. She writes this column exclusively for each issue of Foundation Magazine.
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