MEETING THE CHALLENGES OF THE 21ST CENTURY

Who We Are

P.R.I.M.E. ( Positive, Responsible, Inspiring, Multi-Talented, Exemplary) Mentors of Canada is a charitable organization that delivers a project-based, one-on-one mentoring program for bright, creative and underserved children and youth who live in predominantly low-income neighborhood and attend schools with limited human and material resources that inhibit development of their full potential, by tapping into the wealth of experience, knowledge and skills of competent and caring adults, particularly retirees and university students. Mentors are paired with students based on their interests and expertise. Students choose the projects to undertake jointly with their mentors.

Our kids are bright students (10-13 years old) who have lots of potential and need an extra challenge. They want to learn how to research and make presentations on topics beyond the school curriculum.

Founded in 1987 at the Faculty of Education, University of Toronto by Professor Conchita Tan-Willman, The PRIME Mentors of Canada (PMC) has been honored internationally, nationally and locally for its well-acclaimed talent development programs.

"The higher children are encouraged to fly, the broader their perspective, and the greater their contribution to all their endeavours."
Jesse Freemont

Vision

The restoration of mentoring as a powerful tool for excellence in education, creative achievement and community building.

Mission

  • To stimulate lifelong curiosity, imagination, initiative, perseverance and confidence in our young participants, we enable them to learn new skills, aptitudes and courage to explore novel ideas. This helps boost their success skills and the ability to adapt in a rapidly changing, complex world.
  • To champion the underserved, creative and bright children who may not reach their potential, we match them with caring and competent adults who serve as much-needed mentors and role models in making life and career decisions.
  • Based on a desire for lifelong learning and equipped with life skills, our graduates can make wise personal and career choices that contribute to their well-being and that of others.

Why Unique?

We are different. We support kids who are bright but live in mostly underserved areas of Toronto. Our kids are selected by their teachers as future leaders. They are "diamonds in the rough", that just need a little polishing.

For donors and volunteers who want to give back to their community and support education, there are many excellent charities that deliver programs to pre-teens who are disadvantaged (e.g. abused, learning disabled) and who need help with their homework and remedial help.

Our mentors turn bright kids into stars.

Special Features:

  • proactive - prevents rather than remedies costly challenges
  • focused on strengths and interests - builds upon positive attributes and interests to heighten intrinsic motivation. Competency-based.
  • personalized - meets individual abilities and needs
  • empowering - gives participants choice and control over their projects as they develop competence and confidence
  • outcome-based - provides active learning opportunities following the different phases of the PMC mentoring model to complete tangible projects that are shared with classmates, friends, parents and teachers.
  • holistic - integrates the different aspects of development to bolster self-esteem
  • lifelong - develops lasting skills and will to learn and achieve with excellence

Benefits for Students:

  • learn to transform ideas into concrete projects
  • explore concepts beyond the Ontario curriculum
  • receive recognition from peers for extra efforts
  • gain self confidence
  • develop research and communication skills

Benefits for Mentors:

  • make a difference in a pre-teen's life
  • use your own talents, skills and energy
  • learn new skills (e.g. how to coach a young person)
  • meet a pre-teen that is living in circumstances different than your own
  • meet other mentors

Benefits for Teachers:

  • student's learning skills and attitudes improve
  • gain more time to help other students
  • improved relationship between school and community

Benefits for Parents:

  • develop friendship with talented mentor
  • closer ties to school
  • happier kids make happier parents
  • amazement at what their kids can achieve
  • pride when their kids thrive

Distinguished Honorary Patrons

  • The Honorable Henry R. Jackman
  • The Right Honorable David Peterson

Board of Directors

Officers

  • Professor Conchita Tan-Willman, Founder/ President
  • Professor Sister Agnes Teresa Sheehan, Vice-
  • President
  • Carmella Angus, Secretary
  • Agatha Luna, Treasurer
  • Barbara Worth, Programme Director
  • Murray Greenwood, School Coordinator

Starting Point

Conchita Tan-Willman, Toward Becoming a Beeing, content: Consciousness, Competency, Confidence, Conscience, Character

Toward Becoming and Being

Conchita Tan-Willman

Mentoring Model

  • Phase (1) Exploration with the student of activities/projects in an area of personal expertise or interest.
  • Phase (2) Agreement on a project/activity plan that is possible to compete within the available time; scheduling of carefully-sequenced activities; planning of time schedule; signing of a learning contract.
  • Phase (3) Carrying out of the plan in accordance with the written schedule.
  • Phase (4) Completion of a tangible end-product that illustrates what was done and learned.
  • Phase (5) Presentation of the completed project to the student's class and other interested groups or individuals.
  • Phase (6) Recognition of work done by the student with a certificate of achievement and a PMC button (Learning and Growing Together)
  • Phase (7) Evaluation of the program and mentoring experience; identification of benefits gained by the student and mentor; and suggestions for improvement of program and its delivery.