The Shelldale Family Gateway’s Youth Mentoring Program has been highly successful in their community, providing youth with opportunities to build leadership skills, confidence, and meaningful relationships. The program currently engages 25 mentors aged 12 and older each week, with more than 175 youth participating to date!
Through guidance, recreation, and life skills activities, menstorship participants support Shelldale’s younger children. They take part in team building experiences, and develop important skills such as time management, goal setting, employment readiness, personal hygiene, and health and nutrition. Youth consistently shared how impactful the experience has been. One participant shared, “I didn’t know there were so many ways to help people in our community, now I want to work in something like this when I’m older!”
The program exceeded expectations and proved exceptionally popular with youth. Participants expressed pride in their mentoring roles, with one young mentor sharing, “It feels good to know the younger kids look up to me,” while another said, “I’ve learned how to be more responsible and confident.” These strong responses have inspired the organization to expand its mentoring model through a dedicated Teen Camp, creating even more opportunities for leadership development and community connection!
Funding from a Community Grant 2025 supported these mentoring activities, guest speakers, and life skills workshops for youth mentors and mentees. Participants connected with organizations such as Guelph Police Service, Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario Wellington-Guelph (formerly The Grove Hubs), and other community mental health partners. These organizations provided learning opportunities about career pathway options, general wellbeing, and finding community supports. The mentorship experiences helped youth develop important skills while strengthening connections with peers and the broader community.
Shelldale Family Gateway is a community organization focused on helping children, youth, and families build confidence, resilience, and belonging. For more than 30 years, it has delivered programs that strengthen relationships, develop life skills, and support positive community involvement. Through the Youth Mentoring Program, young people learn to support one another while becoming positive role models in their community.