PM Ready Youth Mentorship Program

Are you a middle/high school student desiring to create a positive impact that promotes any of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? PM Ready’s Youth Mentorship Program empowers you to turn your innovative change-making idea into a project plan, action, and impact!

                                         2024 Cohort 1 Application Opens Now!
                           Apply by January 31 to get the registration fee waived.
                                                            Limited space!

                   Read PM Ready Youth Mentorship Program Handbook
                                                            
                       Apply to be a youth mentor (for certified or experienced project managers)
                                 Apply to be a student mentee (for middle and high school students)
 
Program Overview
The Youth Project Mentorship Program is designed to help middle and high school students develop project management, leadership, and entrepreneurship skills. It provides guidance for students to start or manage a community service project during any phase of the project cycle from ideation to completion.

PM Ready will match individual students with Project Management Institute (PMI)-certified project professionals or experienced project managers. Throughout the mentoring process, project professionals and managers help students establish goals and develop the skills to deliver a project result that brings meaning to students themselves and their communities.

Why this program?
Mentoring is described by CEO/author Gerald Leonard as the “HOV lane” of our life and project success. It can help you acquire skills, increase confidence, widen your perspective, learn from other’s mistakes, and avoid errors.

For students, getting mentorship outside their school can be a valuable and unique resource that gives them the motivation, guidance, and diverse perspectives they need to work on a project that they are proud of.

Who is a mentor?
A mentor is a PMI-certified project professional or an experienced project manager with at least three years of experience, who voluntarily provides mentorship to students. Mentors are facilitators and catalysts in a process of discovery and insight. In a learning partnership, the mentor’s role is to “guide on the side” rather than “be the expert with the answers.”

Who is a mentee?
A mentee is a student enrolled in Grades 6-12 who is looking to obtain professional advice on starting or managing a community service project. Instead of being mentor-driven, with the mentor taking full responsibility for the mentee’s learning, the mentee learns to share responsibility for the learning.  

How can students find the right project to work on?
Finding a meaningful project to work on can be a rewarding and educational experience for a middle or high school student. The key to a fulfilling community service project is to choose one that you are passionate about and committed to. Your efforts can make a positive impact on your community and help you grow as an individual.

Why does PM Ready encourage students to work on a project that promotes the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? 
Middle and high school students can make a positive impact by embracing a UN Sustainable Development Goal. By selecting a goal that aligns with their interests, they can engage in research, advocacy, or community initiatives addressing global issues like poverty, climate change, or gender equality. These projects provide purpose and empower students to contribute as active citizens, working towards a sustainable and equitable future.