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At Home Suite Hope mentorship and networking are among the vital supports that contribute to the success of HSH participants.
Each participant, who enters into one of our Homeward Bound programs, is directly aligned with a mentor from Sheridan College. The President and Vice Chancellor of Sheridan College, female executives, faculty and administration across programming and campuses have partnered with Home Suite Hope to help our participants navigate post-secondary school, day-to-day life, employment searches and everything in between.
In addition, HSH’s Industry Council plays a critical role in the development and success of the Homeward Bound Halton program. This group of senior executives with decision-making authority from a variety of fields support the professional advancement of participants in the program. The Industry Council is made up of representatives from private sector businesses, non-profit and public sector employers, community champions with influence in the local community and representatives from employment services at the local college, municipality or community services.
We have some amazing volunteers who give their time to participate as a mentor or on the Industry Council. Today we highlight some of these inspirational volunteers.
Melissa Mitchell, HSH Mentor
Melissa grew up on the beautiful Island of Jamaica and migrated to Canada six years ago as part of her campaign to live an extraordinary life. About a decade earlier, Melissa completed her first degree at Temple University in Philadelphia PA and subsequently earned a Master’s in Human Resources at the University of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica.
Prior to joining Sheridan’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences as an Academic Portfolio Administrator, Melissa held various roles in the insurance and financial sectors. Through her professional roles, Melissa developed a passion for motivating others. She currently serves as a Youth Leader at her local church and became an HSH mentor.
“The mentorship program at HSH is such a blessing to the participants they serve and has become quite special to me. I just hope that even half of what has been poured into me, I’m able to pour into this beautiful community of women,” says Melissa.
Deandra Emily Christopher, HSH mentor
Deandra works in the field of accessibility at the post-secondary level. In her role, she strongly advocates for inclusion and accessibility.
“I love to learn and recently completed my Master’s in education and tech in 2021. I am currently learning more about inclusive design,” she says.
In her spare time, Deandra travels and loves to hike with her Husky through GTA trails.
Jacinda Frazer, HSH mentor
Jacinda is an Accessible Learning Advisor at Sheridan’s Mississauga campus. In her role, she supports students who experience functional limitations to their studies by arranging academic accommodations and helping advocate for barrier-free education.
Jacinda moved to Canada at a young age from Guyana, however her Caribbean roots will always be a strong part of her identity and culture. Her parents instilled the importance of work ethic, pursuing higher education, contributing to society and giving back. All these values aligned perfectly with a challenge she received at a webinar I had attended at the time.
“I was praying for an opportunity to be able to invest in others and the opportunity to volunteer as a HSH mentor was presented. The social justice values of HSH resonated within me and I want to support the courageous women stepping forward to take the Home Suite Hope journey,” says Jacinda.