TABLE OF CONTENT
- The Counselling Foundation of Canada
- Chairman's Remarks
- Executive Director's Report
- Grants Approved In 2000
- Continuing Projects 2000
- Grant Summary 2000
ANNUAL REPORT
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REPORT
The year 2000 provided many opportunities for staff to visit and meet with committed individuals dedicated to making a difference in their community. Staff noted during our visits in 2000 a renewed optimism and willingness to initiate expansions and innovation. It appeared that the new millennium had brought a heightened awareness of the future, and hence, the need to encourage and support youth in their skill and career development even more effectively.
The staff of The Counselling Foundation of Canada also met with scores of career practitioners and agency staff as they examined their professional practices and priorities. With few exceptions, financial pressures threatened to inversely affect their activities just at a time when creativity and hope were flourishing. We took this as an opportunity to suggest partnerships and the increased sharing of both knowledge and resources to achieve goals.
Early in the year, The Counselling Foundation of Canada sponsored the first of two Focus on Mentoring Forums. Twenty individuals from across Canada participated in a two day session where they combined their knowledge of, experience with and commitment to mentoring programs and career development. They defined A Framework For Action, including a definition of mentoring and a commitment to the following vision:
"A national initiative on mentoring that combines the implementation of a number of pilot projects within a framework of program supports including program evaluation, sustainability strategies, public awareness and communication efforts."
The momentum was aided with our participation in the Mentoring Roundtable in Toronto the next month, exploring "best practices" from Canada, the USA and the UK. This event was sponsored by Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC). The definition developed at The Counselling Foundation of Canada Focus on Mentoring Forum was adopted by the delegates to this event and carried back into communities across Canada.
We were able to widen the number of participating organizations for the second Focus on Mentoring Forum in May 2000. As an embodiment of the practice of mentoring itself, organizations with existing programs shared their learnings and successes with those who were in the early development stage. All discussed the elements that they felt to be essential to maximize their effectiveness. It was through this forum that suggestions began to emerge on how The Counselling Foundation of Canada could best support the efforts of the many agencies, organizations and individuals joining the "mentoring movement" in Canada.
A number of partnerships resulted from our initiative of bringing these organizations together - both internally and externally. We are very pleased to have been part of these exciting discussions and to be able to assist in the development of programs that will be making a difference in the academic, professional and personal lives of more than 2000 youth. The entrepreneurial programs will also be establishing more than 100 sources for matching young entrepreneurs with mentors.
Just as partnership and learning from others were the themes in the work that we supported, the staff at The Counselling Foundation of Canada also was able to benefit from attending not only NATCON 2000, but also first International Career Conference, which was held in Perth Australia. Appropriately, the primary theme here was "creating links". The conference did just that, as it was attended by 360 delegates over the three days, including practitioners from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Ireland, Latvia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Scotland, Singapore and USA.
The year 2000 was also a year of growth and change for the staff of The Counselling Foundation of Canada. As the year closed our Administrative Assistant Gaile Saltmiras found new opportunities and challenges in a non-profit agency where she is able to utilize the skills she developed while with us. That gave us the chance to welcome Jessica Cowan, our new Administrative Assistant who adds her youthful perspective and energy to the office.
It has been a privilege to work with so many dedicated and talented individuals over the past year. Through them we are able to see first-hand the results of the community activities supported by The Counselling Foundation of Canada.
Respectfully Submitted,
Jean E. Faulds
