Roles and Responsibilities of Mentors

What is a mentor?

A mentor:

  • is a seasoned public servant who can offer advice and support to shape the mentee’s career vision 
  • should, as a best practice, be willing to undertake a self-assessment of intercultural competency and unconscious bias with a view to being a more inclusive leader and a stronger mentor
  • supports mentees through formal or informal discussions on building skillsets and developing qualities and confidence for career advancement
  • demystifies the path for mentees to navigate the public service
  • provides mentees suggestions on how to expand their network and provide feedback to help a mentee’s professional development
  • could be more senior than their mentee, however it is not a requirement. A mentoring relationship is one of development, skill-building and guiding of the Mentee with learning in mind.

Key activities

Once paired with a mentee, a mentor will generally:

  • meet with their mentee to discuss and identify the parameters of the relationship including the objective and the goals moving forward along with the frequency and modality of their meetings
  • meet regularly with their mentee to assist the mentee to identify career objectives, strengths, weaknesses, and areas for development
  • suggest training and development opportunities for the mentee to consider
  • provide mentees with feedback and recommendations periodically to support their development

Tools and Resources:

Public Sector:

Ontario Public Service:

Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity Training from Canadian School of Public Service:

Indigenous Learning Products from the Canadian School of Public Service:

Values and Ethics:

Learning Series from the Canada School of Public Service:

Mentorship from the Canada School of Public Service:

Private Sector:

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