AAMB Open New Mentoring Site

The Akwesasne Area Management Board are pleased to announce the grand opening of the Personal Development & Employment Program Mentorship Centre at 23 Third Street, in the village of Saint Regis. Their grand opening was held on Thursday, December 2, 2015 at 2pm.

The center is designed to offer previous graduates of the Personal Development & Employment Program (PD&E) to provide guidance, support, connections and encouragement for the participants of the PD&E courses over the last 7 years. The PD&E program is a 12-week program that assists participants to overcome barriers and find meaningful employment.

Over the past seven years, there have been 107 graduates of this successful program and the Mentorship Centre will be there to provide the support they need on their path to success. The need for the Centre became evident because so many graduates have contacted Ms. Lalonde at her home seeking guidance or follow up services.

Ms. Lalonde, stated, Without Dan Garrow to work with, this would have not happened, none of this DP&E, none of this. I can bring the ideas and the design; Dan has had to do a lot of work before presenting to Russell and the Board. As this happens, it is the 107 PD&E students that we are thinking about, in everything that we do, in the program design and the AERC design, and now this is to close the circle. We have invested, you have invested a lot, we have already invested in these folks with trust and respect for each other and let's close the circle and concentrate on the investment, because each and every one of you are so worth it. We also have to thank the community because Akwesasne had provided job placements for PD&E. The SRMT, MCA agencies, local businesses, local schools, CKON and Indian Time."

The Mentorship Centre will offer the professional services of Ms. Lalonde by offering continuous learning by assisting graduates as they maneuver through the workplace. She will launch this new medium of continuous learning by assisting the graduates on how to successfully manoeuver through the maze of changes and expectations in the workplace. Graduates will have the added bonus of being able to provide and receive networking benefits from each other's challenges and experience.

The Mentorship Centre is comprised of drop-ins, individual appointments, group and networking activities along with the infamous kitchen table talk. Between the Mentoring Center, the AAMB and AREC, the three provide a full circle closure ensuring each individual has the optimal support to be successful in the workforce.

Dan Garrow, AAMB stated, "Any training program can have its graduation or completion, but to ensure success many students need guidance or aftercare to ensure positive outcomes. This mentorship will give the guidance, support and networking to help the previous PD&E students to reach their goals, I am excited to witness the reunions, networking and success stories that will take place at the mentorship center.

"The AAMB Mentorship Centre is a welcomed and needed addition to the AAMB cadre of services. It is important to keep the doors open to present and past clients and this mentorship centre will certainly help. The clients success is our success" states Mr. Russell Roundpoint, Manager of the AAMB.

The Centre is located at 23 Third Street in the village of St. Regis at the former Tickets Store.

Hours for the Mentorship Centre will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00am to 4:00pm.

An open house is planned for Thursday December 3rd from 2:00pm to 6:00pm.

If you have any questions you can contact Dan Garrow at 613 575-2626 or Linda Lalonde at 613 575-2946.