Successful Dare to Dream projects rely on the involvement of caring professionals to guide and support youth applicants.
We know that a good idea is just a start – adult allies are needed to assist young people in bringing to life their ideas for promoting mental health awareness.
Who can mentor?
A mentor should be someone who is experienced, either directly or indirectly, in child and youth mental health. Examples of professionals who might become mentors include:
| Psychologists | Psychiatrists | Child and Youth Workers |
| Developmental Service Workers | Social Workers | Youth counsellors |
| Guidance counsellors | Teachers | Occupational Therapists |
As a mentor, you are expected to:
1. Read the Dare to Dream Guidelines to ensure that the project idea is consistent with our criteria and conditions.
2. Assist the youth applicant(s) with the application form. When completed by the applicant(s), review the form and verify that all sections meet our requirements and have been fully completed.
3. Complete the Mentor’s section of the application form and provide your signature after reading the conditions.
4. Provide information requested on the sponsoring organization and arrange for signage from the administrator (executive officer).
5. Support the successful applicant(s) throughout the life of the project, as described in the application.
6. Administer project funds as described within the application. Project funds are to be used for project costs only.
7. Assist the successful applicant with writing of the Final Report. (This will be described in more detail within the Memorandum of Agreement.)
8. Have the executive officer (administrator of your mentor’s agency) complete the Accounting Summary that is to be submitted with the Final Report.
As a mentor, you are not expected to:
- Come up with the idea for the project,
- Complete the application form,
- Do the project for the applicant(s).
Mentors act in a strictly advisory capacity. In fact, project ideas and applications that appear to have come from and/or appear to have been prepared by adults, will not be accepted by the Dare to Dream Review Team
Join Our Mentor Directory…
Are you interested in being a Dare to Dream Mentor but are not connected to a youth or group of youth who might be interested in applying for an award? If so, we may be able to match you up with a youth or group of youth in your area who are interested in the program but who don’t have a mentor. To find out more about becoming a Dare to Dream Mentor, contact the Centre at D2D@cheo.on.ca.
Attention teachers and community youth-program coordinators…
To encourage the implementation of Dare to Dream projects in classrooms and community programs, in each competition there are a limited number of group awards. These awards provide up to $5000 to support youth in developing mental health awareness projects in their schools and communities.
In schools, these projects could be initiated to support curricular outcomes for Art, Dramatic Arts, Language Arts, Social Studies, Character and Moral Education and Health. In community programs, Dare to Dream projects can enhance existing programming by providing meaningful and enriching activities for youth. For secondary students in Ontario, Dare to Dream projects also help students earn mandatory volunteer hours.
As with the individual awards, however, projects must be created and run by youth. Guidance and support from mentors and other adults is needed and welcomed, but youth are expected to lead the way throughout the life of the project: from coming up with an idea, to writing the application in their own words, to coordinating and implementing their projects, to writing the final report when the project is done.
To find out more about specific criteria, visit the Group Applications section.
