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CAOT’s Find an Occupational Therapy (OT) Mentor program is offered to CAOT Members and Associates.
This program will serve as a professional platform for mentors and mentees to connect based on compatibility using a specified criteria which may include, but are not limited to practice experience, area of practice, geographic location, race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation. Mentors and mentees complete a self-matching process free of financial commitment. The length of mentor and mentee relationships and frequency of contact will be determined independently by each pairing. The purpose for the compatibility identifiers is to acknowledge that people have lived experiences that are unique to their social position in society and help mentors and mentees to connect based on similar experiences. This is an optional component of the program and is not mandatory for mentors or mentees to disclose these aspects of their identity.
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Becoming a mentor
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Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
- To participate in the Find an OT Mentor program, mentees and mentors must hold an active CAOT membership. To become a CAOT member, visit our membership webpage for more information.
- To sign up as a mentor, update your Membership Profile to check off “I want to be a mentor” and answer the subsequent questions.
This program serves as a professional platform for mentors and mentees to connect based on compatibility using a specified criteria and learning needs. Through this network, OTs and OTAs and students can come together and share their knowledge, experience, and wisdom to foster further career development.
The Find an OT Mentor search engine uses a number of criteria items to help mentees find suitable mentors that match their learning needs and preferences. These criteria include area of practice, type of training, client age, geographic location, gender, race, sexual orientation, ethnicity and language spoken.
- Mentors are to review the introductory emails and completed Mentee Profile Questionnaires they receive to determine if it is also a good match for them. Mentors will then notify mentees of whether they would like to proceed with or decline the mentorship request.
- After accepting a mentorship request, the mentor should communicate their availabilities, preferred frequency of meeting and review, with the mentee, the mentorship goals as presented by the mentee.
- Mentors are encouraged to complete the Mentor Resource Workbook.
- Mentors are expected to follow CAOT’s Terms of Use and Rules of Engagement throughout the relationship with their mentee(s)
- Students/new practitioner transition to practice;
- Social/cultural integration into the Canadian OT workforce;
- Internationally educated OTs to connect and learn about Canadian practice;
- Professional practice questions that arise or reoccurring practice issues;
- Review of assessments or intervention approaches
- Business and/or private practice development advice
- Vocational assistance (i.e., job applications, interview preparation, resume support)
Yes - mentors may choose to take on as many mentees as their availability allow.
Mentors can update their mentor profile by updating their Membership Profile to check off “Currently not taking on new mentees”. Once a mentor is ready to take on new mentees, they can update their profile.
Please reach out to otmentor@caot.ca for support.
The length of mentor and mentee relationships and frequency of contact will be determined independently by each pairing at the start of the relationship.
- There is no requirement to be a mentor. A CAOT member who is interested in being a mentor may select this option in their Membership Profile.
- We kindly ask all mentor to review the Mentor Resource Workbook, Rules of Engagement, and Terms of Use prior to becoming a mentor.
Mentees and mentors may agree on the preferred form of communication that suits the needs of both parties.
- Mentors can opt out of the program at any given time by updating their profiles. Mentors are asked to respectfully notify their mentees should they need to end the mentorship relationship.
Yes, OTs, OTAs, retired OTs and students can be mentees and mentors at the same time. If you feel you have knowledge and experience in certain areas of practice and have the availability to support and help guide others, we encourage you to be a mentor. This does not prevent you from seeking a mentor for yourself as well.
In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact otmentor@caot.ca.