Empowering growth for Waterloo staff

Reflecting on the success of the Cultivating Talent: A Mentorship Collective program. By Valerie Vaz University Relations The Fall 2023 offering of the Cultivating Talent: A Mentorship Collective program brought staff together from across the University of Waterloo, for an immersive experience, that focused on personal and professional growth. As a component of the President's Anti-racism Taskforce, the initiative actively encouraged the involvement of Black, Indigenous and racialized employees across campus. The five-day initiative was co-organized and hosted by Human Resources, in collaboration with the Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism (EDI-R), and the Office of Indigenous Relations (OIR). During this period, participants engaged in experiences that allowed them to explore self-reflection, peer mentorship, decolonization, anti-racism praxis, networking and relationship building. At the core of the program was the mission of cultivating relationships across the University, facilitating personal and professional development while promoting a sense of support and belonging.   "From moment one, I felt safe - safe to be vulnerable, safe to make lasting connections with peers, and safe to share and learn from the difficult and widely different experiences of my peer mentors," shared one of the participants as they summarized their experience of the program. "It is my deepest hope that I am not one of 18 to have this life changing experience, but one of many who have the opportunity to build this strong network.