Attention All Members!
OPSEU/SEFPO’s Provincial Young Workers Committee (PYC) is proud to announce the Young Worker Mentorship Program is back! We are now seeking expressions of interest from potential mentees aged 35 and younger interested in participating in the 2026-2027 program.
The Young Worker Mentorship Program will match OPSEU/SEFPO’s elected leaders (Executive Board Members, MERC, CERC, Division, Sector Chairs and Local Presidents) with young workers to learn about OPSEU/SEFPO and develop them as leaders in Union life.
The 12-month program aims to establish a supportive mentoring culture and provide opportunities to connect individuals from diverse backgrounds and with different levels of experience from across the union. The program will also allow participants to build confidence with the hope of running for a leadership role in the future.
The program is very casual! Virtual meetings, coffee meet-ups, phone calls, etc., on your own time. You may be invited to union meetings and events.
Program
- 8 – 10 pairings of mentees and mentors
- 12 months in duration;
- Must meet at minimum once a month with mentor (in person or virtually);
- Complete quarterly evaluations no later than the identified due dates;
- Must attend at least 1 OPSEU/SEFPO Executive Board Member (EBM) meeting;
- Complete an Independent Learning Project (ILP) with your mentor by the end of the Mentorship Program;
- Must attend 3 OPSEU/SEFPO-sanctioned events in their region; and
- Attend all 3 virtual PYC Mentorship Program meetings (dates to be confirmed upon offer of acceptance).
Benefits of participating as a mentee
- Confidence in union activism;
- Experience a job-shadowing opportunity in a leadership role;
- – Access references and people of interest for building your career in the trade union movement; and
- Gain new perspectives on how unions operate as a not-for-profit organization and advocacy group.
Duration
- May 2026 – May 2027
Selection Process
Eight to ten young workers aged 35 or younger will be selected to participate in the program as mentees.
- You must identify as an active OPSEU/SEFPO member aged 35 or under by the start of the Mentorship Program;
- (If applicable) Voluntarily self-identify with other equity-deserving groups to assist in the mentor-matching process;
- Must provide an answer (minimum 250 words, maximum 500 words) to the following questions:
- What do you wish to change in the Union?
- Where do you see yourself in the future of the Union?
- What do you hope to gain from the PYC Mentorship Program?
- List any leadership positions (i.e., Local President, Executive Board Member, MERC, CERC, Division or Sector Chairs) that you are interested in shadowing.
The answers above will be compared and evaluated against the priorities and mandate of the PYC as set out in the Terms of Reference.
Ideally, participants will be paired with elected leaders from their Region.
The deadline for submissions is April 26, 2026.
We look forward to welcoming you into the program! If you have any questions at all, please contact [email protected].
In Solidarity,
OPSEU/SEFPO’s Provincial Young Workers Committee (PYC)