Youth Empowerment

Connect participating youths (Including students from our marquee program – Shaping the Future Sponsorship Program) to the pool of mentors from the participating organizations.

Provide youth (Including students from our marquee program – Shaping the Future Sponsorship Program) access to work placement within leading organizations.

In line with our core values, we believe that a future where anti-Black racism is eradicated in the workplace begins with small steps at the lowest rungs of the corporate ladder. Consequently, through our extensive network of partner organizations, we link our youth participants with mentors from whom they can learn positive values, build self-esteem, and receive encouragement to pursue their dreams with courage.

The program runs between March and August of the sponsorship year, with organizations collaborating with the ABEEL Foundation’s team to build a list of interested mentors. A number of students are assigned to each mentor, and we encourage organizations to proactively create a pipeline of available mentors, anticipating an increase in youth participation.

The mentorship program typically runs for a minimum of 4 months, during which the youth are encouraged to embrace their Black identity and grow as individuals who will later shape their communities positively.

In a world where the Black experience is often underserved. As an extension of our mentorship program, employers are encouraged to work with ABEEL in integrating early ABEEL’s High School youths within their work spaces (via work placements). ABEEL acts as a liaison between the two, providing all the necessary information required by the supporting organization to ensure a successful placement. It is important to note that early integration by employers helps organizations to identify talents early and hopefully identify unique and effective ways that would allow the future generation understand and connect with their core values.