May 14, 2026
Building Lasting Impact: Sustainable Mentoring Programs in Schools
How do we build school-based mentoring programs that truly last?
Join the Canadian Centre for Mentoring Research for a dynamic panel discussion on creating sustainable, high-impact mentoring initiatives in K-12 schools. Bridging the gap between academic research and on-the-ground reality, our panel of experts will share proven strategies for designing programs that endure.
Backed by recent studies and real-world success stories, this session will explore:
-
How to cultivate strong, collaborative relationships between educators and community partners.
-
Practical strategies to support the long-term development and maintenance of student programs.
-
Key lessons learned from working directly within primary and secondary schools.
Whether you are a community leader, researcher, or educator, this event is essential for anyone looking to foster meaningful, lasting mentorship opportunities for students.
Meet Our Panel of Experts
Hear directly from the researchers, educators, and community leaders driving sustainable youth mentoring across Canada. Our panel will share evidence-based strategies and on-the-ground insights for building school partnerships that create a lasting impact.
Teena Starlight, EdD (Indigenous Youth Mentorship Program) (Dzinisi guja, sizi Ádadadló Ts'ika at'a)
Dr. Teena Starlight is a member of the Tsuut'ina Nation. She is the National Director of the Indigenous Youth Mentorship Program that is housed under Ever Active Schools. Dr. Starlight is an active participant in the land-based culture and traditions. She shares her knowledge with students and colleagues. She has an MA in FNMI Curriculum and Leadership Development, an EdD in Learning Sciences, and has taught at Mount Royal University.
Kate Storey, PhD (University of Alberta)
Dr. Storey is a Professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Alberta, a CIHR/PHAC Applied Public Health Chair, and Distinguished Researcher--Stollery Children's Hospital Foundation. Kate is a Centre for Healthy Communities Scientist and Lead for 'Healthy Schools.' Dr. Storey's research program SIRCLE (Settings-based Intervention Research through Changes in Lifestyles & Environments) focuses on school- and community-based strategies to promote wellbeing, prevent chronic diseases, and reduce health inequities. She has studied the effectiveness, sustainability, and scaling of the Indigenous Youth Mentorship Program (IYMP), a communal, relationship-based, after-school healthy living program.
Alissa Wissanji, PhD (Fondation W)
Alisha Wissanji holds a PhD in Physics from McGill University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Mathematics at the University of Alberta. For over 20 years, she has designed and implemented evidence-based academic support programs for vulnerable populations across Canada. She has been teaching at Cégep Marie-Victorin since 2014, where she also conducts research on the academic success of at-risk populations. In 2015, she founded the L’École des Grands program and, in 2019, launched Fondation W., a pan-Canadian charitable organization that supports postsecondary institutions in implementing the program. To date, she has raised $3 million in capital. She was named a member of the Ordre de l’excellence en éducation du Québec in 2022, received the King Charles III Coronation Medal in 2024, and became a member emeritus of the Ordre de l’excellence en éducation du Québec in 2025.
Ali Cloth, PhD (UBC)
Ali Cloth, Ph.D. is an assistant professor at the University of British Columbia in the area of School and Applied Child Psychology in the Faculty of Education. Ali, a member of MINT (the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers), developed the Needs Based Mentoring (NBM) approach and is currently implementing the NBM pilot with school professionals in Vancouver Alternative Secondary School programs (VASS). After her own lived experience, Ali is passionate about enhancing adult-youth relationships in secondary schools, and encouraging school engagement and completion especially for disadvantaged, ‘at-risk’ and marginalized/vulnerable youth.