mentoring overview

MKA Mentoring Program Overview

Mentoring is a good idea for future career selection and guidance. This will inshallah also build and strengthen professional links between jamaat members. Such programs and others, which help guide and promote interest in higher education should be specifically encouraged.

        - -  Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Khamis^ra, Oct 2005

The Mentoring program is being initiated by the Department of Senat-o-Tijarat, MKA USA under the guidance of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih^aba V. Khazoor^aba approved an MKA Shura proposal of the year 2005 instructing to establish the Mentoring Program to provide career counseling and professional guidance to our young students. The specific objective of this program is to provide guidance to students (Atfal or Khuddam) with the help of our elderly Khuddam who have achieved a certain degree of success in their respective professions. Although there are numerous mentoring programs available elsewhere including in most schools, this program is being launched to benefit younger generation of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community utilizing the professional resources available within the community.

How the Program Works?

Under this program, one younger Khadim or Tifal (Protégé) will be introduced to one experienced Khadim (Mentor) who is working in Protégé's general area of interest or intended career choice. The experienced Khadim will then act as a mentor to him and will provide him focused guidance using the best of his abilities over the period of few months (suggested duration is at least 3 months). Sometimes, even if a student does not have a clear idea of what profession or career he is going to choose, especially this is expected from students of young age, he can still participate in this program. In this case, a mentor can help him understand his options as well as could provide motivation and inspiration necessary for his future career development.
     Also, this year there has been added areas of interest in the Mentor Program.  If there are any new members to your Majalis that are new to the U.S., or if your Majalis participates in a Jail/Prison Ministry Program, it is important that these Brothers participate in the Mentor Program, so that we can pay added attention to make sure that they are able to find and sustain suitable, and sustained employment.

Goals of the Program

Some Examples of the Outcomes of Past Mentor-Protégé Relationships