On Saturday, 9 July 2022, the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), the Business and Professional Women’s Club of Grand Cayman (BPW), and the Needs Assessment Unit (NAU) organised an event to celebrate the success of a pilot Mentorship Programme.

The Programme ran over the last 12 months with six female participants, all of whom have children. The program combined a set of existing structures in a new way, making inroads into addressing the real barriers that hinder individuals from participating in gainful employment. This included providing opportunities for employment readiness training through the Inspire Cayman Training Tools for Success Programme, and vocational training, as well as addressing barriers, such as childcare, transportation, and access to technology.

Commenting on the initiative, the Hon. Minister André Ebanks said,

“More often than not, practical barriers to employment become insurmountable, trapping people in a harsh cycle. From my vantage point, this pilot programme truly demonstrates how we can advance social development in the Cayman Islands: through purposeful, coordinated and creative actions.”

The Business and Professional Women’s Club had proposed the pilot programme – a professional mentorship program for unemployed women – to R3 Foundation, which provided funding for the initiative. BPW members stepped up to become mentors for the participants, forming critical professional relationships outside of the social service system.

The NAU worked collaboratively with the DCFS to understand and convey the nuanced situations of each of those six women. Understanding the holistic needs of all the participants, BPW and DCFS partnered with community members and organizations to deliver life skills classes to the participants, including budgeting, parenting, and meal prepping.

Reflecting on the success of the program participants, Acting Deputy Governor Gloria McField-Nixon said:

“I wish to congratulate the ladies for successfully completing the programme and overcoming challenges that were both complex and interrelated. I also wish to commend the public and private sector partners who worked collaboratively rather than competitively to provide a solution.  In so doing, their work provides a blueprint for how we may tackle other longstanding issues confronting these Islands. Kudos to the Ministry of Social Development and its partners for making this programme possible.”

Mehr Petkovsek, Chair of Young BPW explained the crucial role of the Program Administrator in this pilot programme, stating, 

“The role played by the Program Administrator Ms. Angela Sealey was instrumental in enabling the participants in a one-on-one capacity, and she went well above and beyond the expectations set out for the role initially. Crucially, Ms. Sealey was an individual who did not pass judgment, and acted as a facilitator to help identify and overcome barriers.”

Program Administrator Angela Sealey expressed her own delight and satisfaction with this role, stating,

“I cannot stop applauding each of the participants for their accomplishments, hard work, growth, perseverance and success.”

The Hon. Minister reflected as to how the programme is a model which complements the broader Government agenda of re-imagining social development. He indicated that the upcoming financial assistance legislation will deliver much-needed reform, and ultimately its success will be enhanced by innovative partnerships within the entire community such as this pilot programme.  

The success of the Mentorship pilot programme was measured not only by the number of participants who gained employment at the programme’s end, or the number of trainings completed, but also by outcomes, such as the increase in participants’ confidence and professional networks. As one participant reflected,

“It’s great to be a part of a group of wonderful and talented women, while meeting new people to help guide us in every aspect of life. Thank you for the opportunity to express myself.”

The public-private partnerships at the core of the pilot programme were inherent to its success, enabling the participants to benefit from financial, physical and intellectual resources. Sincere gratitude is expressed to the R3 Foundation, Inspire Cayman Training, the BPW Mentors, and all of the individuals and organizations who gave their time delivering life skills sessions. Several organizations allowed the participants to address barriers and participate actively in the programme such as Logic, Cayman Islands Early Childhood Association, Connect by Nova and Village Montessori.

In conclusion, Minister Ebanks said,

“I encourage our community to use this mentorship programme as an opportunity to think creatively and act purposefully, to weave a tighter social safety net and create the social and human capital that not only benefits individuals but will reap dividends for the Cayman Islands in the future.”