Students and non-profits big winners of Regina Mentorship Challenge

29-Apr-2014

Six teams, each consisting of a professional communicator and a novice communicator or student joined forces to work with a local non-profit organization to provide more than 20 hours of free professional advice between January and March. With tight budgets and programs eating up most of any discretionary money, non-profits are anxious to get some free advice on challenges they face. On April 23, students closed their experience at a show-and-tell event held by IABC/Regina.

“I’m very impressed with the quality of the communication plan that was produced,” says Ash Noureldin, Executive Director at Big Brothers of Regina. “It covered many aspects that fit perfectly within our organizations’ communications strategy.”

It’s a way for students to get free professional development from the experts and a way for the professionals to give back both to their profession and the Regina community. Student Kelly Johnson currently works for government and was ecstatic to have an opportunity to work with a non-profit organization. Kelly worked alongside professional communicator Paul Kohl and together they helped Hope's Home strategize about their new capital campaign. 

“I thought it would be a great way to help a non-profit and stretch my skills as a communicator,” says Kelly. “It was so much more, the one-on-one attention and guidance of a mentor helped me deliver a solid strategic plan.” 

Mentees were given an opportunity to share their experience, the challenges they faced and the strategies they used in a short panel presentation at the end of the program.

Mentor Paula Kohl, ABC, says “being a mentor gave me a chance to share my expertise and learn more about communicating in a non-profit environment.”

IABC is the professional organization for communicators and Regina’s chapter organized this event.

Thank you to all who participated and especially to IABC/Regina’s 2014 Chair of the Mentorship Challenge, Donna Ziegler.

For more information or to inquire about becoming a mentor, mentee or non-profit organization in the program next year, contact@iabcregina.ca or visit www.iabcregina.ca/Programs/mentorshipchallenge.

For more information:
Jonathan Tremblay
Vice-President of Communications
IABC/Regina
Jonathan.tremblay1@gmail.com