14 - The Oakville Beaver, Friday May 2, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com Mentors light the way for newcomers By Hiba Kesebi SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Mentors, mentees and organizers of the Halton Mentoring Partnership Program, went silent as Mathew Omoruyi told them about his light at the end of tunnel recently at the Halton Regional Centre. Omoruyi immigrated to Canada from Australia. Although he enjoyed the scenery and landscape for which Canada is well known, he was quickly hit Clearance . . . Electric Fireplaces STEVEN DER-GARABEDIAN / SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER See store for details "MASONRY & FIREPLACE DESIGN SPECIALISTS" w w w. c o b b l e s t o n e m b e r s . c a 406 SPEERS RD., OAKVILLE ACROSS FROM RONA LANSING 905-337-2066 Working together to drive change Visit your local CAA Store to pick up a free Green Pages booklet with great savings, discounts and eco-tips. To find your closest CAA Store or for more information CALL 1-800-992-8143 CLICK www.caasco.com/autogreen ® CAA and CAA logo trademarks owned by and use is granted by the Canadian Automobile Association. GUIDING LIGHTS: The Halton Mentoring Partnership program honoured many of its mentors with certificates of recognition recently at the Halton Regional Administration Centre. Mentors can be the people who help new Canadians really adjust to life in Canada. with the reality of his life, gathered to recognize the said. believes his goal is not to and the reality of Canada. time and efforts of mentors It was through this pro- ensure that his mentee has "I had no Canadian edu- and mentees. gram that Omoruyi met secured a job, rather it is cation, no Canadian expe"My future looked blank Peter White: his hope, his about seeing him grow as a rience, and no job," his and I was beginning to feel "light at the end of the tun- person. voice echoed throughout hopeless. But then I found nel," his mentor. "Success is individual, the room, where individu- out about the mentoring This is because White what is successful to me als from all over Halton partnership program," he provided Omoruyi with the may not be successful to time, advice, and trust that another person. That's why he needed in order to gain I don't like to define suca more complete under- cess in the mentoring prostanding of the Canadian gram as helping a mentee employment system. obtain employment" he According to Omoruyi, said. it was through the time "Breaking down culture and support that White and colour... is what menoffered him, that he was toring is all about," said able to secure employ- Antony Vadakkanchery, coEuropean Engineering Combined ment. ordinator of the Halton With Traditional Workmanship Approximately 125 men- mentoring program. tors in the Halton region are According to paired with international Vadakkanchery, the proprofessionals, who become gram aims not only to help their mentees. Mentors and international professionals mentees are supposed to secure jobs, but also to prodedicate 24 hours through- vide mentees with social "Building on the out a four-month period for capital. Brightest Ideas Around Glass" one another. "Networking helps them The program is part- meet new people, who nered with 10 local and maybe able to indirectly government agencies, as help them find a job," he well as eight educational said. institutions, including Vadakkanchery proudly Sheridan College. announced that almost 80 Like White, Todd Bassett per cent of the mentees in the is also a mentor. Although program are able to secure this is Bassett's first year in employment. the program, he admits Furthermore, 95 per that he has probably cent of them leave the prolearned just as much from gram with a greater underhis mentee as his mentee standing of the Canadian has learned for him. system. "It's a two-way street," He acknowledged that he said. the mentoring program "Just like I've taught my helps the Oakville, and mentee how to produce Canadian economy, as well. good resumes and how to "It's holistic growth that present himself in a job we strive to achieve. If one interview, he has also person is able to get a job, taught me a lot about cul- than they are benefiting ture, and even business." and so is the rest of the In the end, Basset economy," he said. 905.849.0266