GEM (Girls Excelling through Mentorship) is a proven mentorship program for girls in Grades 10 to 12 facing socioeconomic barriers. Our goal is to stand up, show up and support girls byconnecting them with professional career women through one-to-one mentorship. In addition,our program provides professional skill development, hands-on career exploration andexperiential learning, and financial support. At GEM, girls build their confidence, prepare forpost-secondary education, support their career ambitions, and ignite what’s possible.
We measure the social impact of our mentorship program and harness learning to identify opportunities to enhance our activities and materials. Our methodology includes surveys, focusgroups and a customized research tool, the Adolescent Mentorship Competency Assessment(AMCA). These tools help GEM understand how mentorship influences girls’ confidence, socialand emotional learning, academic preparedness, and career readiness.
The AMCA is a customized assessment tool developed in partnership with Dr. Michael Shier at the University of Toronto's Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. It measures Mentees growth across five areas of social and emotional learning, providing valuable insights that guide GEM's research, innovation, and program development.
We are one of the few Canadian mentorship charities that tracks its impact through research-driven metrics. This ensures that every mentorship, workshop, and scholarship is making a difference. It also makes us accountable to donors, corporate partners,and the community by showing exactly how their support translates into real academic andcareer progress for the girls we serve. To see the impact we make, check out our latest impact report.
Since 2012, more than 1,500 girls have completed the program. Research shows that participants experience meaningful growth:
A partnership with GEM helps Canadian corporations invest in the next generation of female leaders while creating meaningful community impact. Our corporate partners support mentorship, workplace experiences, scholarships, and career development opportunities for high school girls. Organizations can also engage employees through mentoring, leadership development, and initiatives that strengthen their commitment to diversity, equity, and social responsibility.
The GEM Alumnae community is a lifelong network of more than 1,500 former Mentees and Mentors who continue to support and inspire one another. Through meaningful connections, professional networking, career development opportunities, and shared experiences, GEM Alumnae stay connected while helping open doors for the next generation of female leaders.
You can support GEM by becoming a Mentor, making a corporate donation, partnering as an organization, or helping fund scholarships and career development opportunities. Every contribution helps expand access to mentorship for high school girls facing socioeconomic barriers and supports the development of the next generation of female leaders across Canada.
For more information about becoming a corporate donor, please call us at 416-477-7284 or email Sarah@girlsementorship.com
You can support GEM by donating your time through mentorship, making a cash donation, or becoming a corporate partner. With your support, you’ll help us expand access to mentorship, scholarships, career exploration, and leadership development opportunities. Every year the need for support grows—and many girls are waiting for the chance to participate. With the support of corporate donors and volunteers, we can create life-changing opportunities for high school girls facing socioeconomic barriers.
GEM Mentors are professional women with at least five years of career experience who are
passionate about supporting the next generation of female leaders. If you’re ready to share your
knowledge, encouragement, and experience, you can make a difference by mentoring a high
school girl facing socioeconomic barriers. The criteria to become a GEM Mentor are:
A GEM Mentor provides one-to-one guidance and support to a high school girl throughout the nine-month mentorship program. Mentors typically spend a few hours each month helping Mentees prepare for post-secondary education and future career aspirations. As a result of Mentor support, Mentees:
Help us unlock potential and show every girl what’s possible. Join us by becoming a Mentor and levelling the playing field for the next generation of female leaders. Apply to become a mentor.
Mentorship helps girls build confidence, strengthen leadership skills, expand their network, and discover new academic and career possibilities. Since 2012, GEM has:
GEM is open to girls in Grades 10 to 12 who are facing social, financial, or other societal
barriers. Our nine-month program provides mentorship, experiential learning, real-world
workplace knowledge and experience and access to financial support. Participants can apply to become a Mentee and become part of the GEM community based on the following criteria:
GEM is for high school girls in Grades 10 to 12 who live in Toronto, the Greater Toronto Area,Hamilton, Waterloo, Kitchener or Cambridge and are enrolled in high school at the start of theprogram. Participants apply to the program by completing an application.
Thanks to the generosity of our corporate donors and partners, the program is completely free for participants. Apply online today.
Through one-to-one mentorship and GEM’s unique programming, Mentees participate inworkshops and masterclasses and build their professional networks. With the help of ourcorporate donors and partners, they can explore careers through workplace experiences andinternships, and have access to scholarship opportunities. Mentees also become part of a supportive Alumnae community that continues beyond the program. Check out our GEMinars to see how our program comes to life.
