In 2024, Mentor Canada and SRDC conducted a national study to understand how mentoring can strengthen skills and support career development for young adults across Canada.
In total, 3,110 young people between the ages of 18 to 30 participated in a national survey on their mentoring, educational, and employment experiences. The researchers specifically prioritized reaching racialized youth; over half of the young people who participated in the survey identified as racialized.
Who had mentors and who wants mentors?
This dashboard shows the percentage of respondents who had mentorship experiences during their childhood and adolescence, since turning 18, and overall (either before and/or since 18).
Mentorship experiences include respondents who participated in a formal mentoring program as well as respondents who developed natural mentoring relationships with a supportive person in their networks. The percentages reported exclude respondents who were unsure whether they had mentorship experiences.
The last column shows the openness to mentoring among young adults who have not had a mentor since turning 18.
Mentoring and skills development
This dashboard focuses on how mentors support the development and strengthening of each skill from the Government of Canada’s Skills for Success model.
Respondents with mentoring experience: this category shows the percentage of respondents who had mentorship experiences which they rated as having a significant impact on their lives since turning 18, and who reported that their mentors helped them develop each skill.
Respondents without mentoring experience: this category shows the percentage of respondents who have not had mentorship since turning 18, who are open to mentoring, and who would like the support of a mentor to help them develop each skill.
N/A: in a few cases, the data is not available due to the small number of respondents.
Youths’ Definition of Success
This dashboard explores the most common ways young adults who participated in the study defined success in relation to their education and careers. It provides insight for mentors, mentoring programs, and others interested in young people’s development and well-being into what matters most to them.
Respondents with mentoring experience: this category shows the percentage of respondents who had access to mentorship since turning 18.
Respondents without mentoring experience: this category shows the percentage of respondents who have not had access to mentorship since turning 18.
N/A: in a few cases, the data is not available due to the small number of respondents.
Learn more about the study and its methodology: Unlocking Doors: Research on Mentoring to Strengthen Skills and Support Career Pathways for Racialized Young Adults
Dataset Available
The data collected is extensive and the anonymized dataset is available for researchers interested in further analysis and reporting focused on specific sub-groups of respondents or other topics of interest to the youth development and mentoring field.
Contact us for more information.
Developed in collaboration with:
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