06 May SHARING PERSPECTIVES ON MENTORSHIP – PEARL YATALI GONZALES – TRAINING FACILITATOR & YBTT MENTOR
From her early life, Pearl Yatali Gonzales always had a vested interest in helping youths make a valuable contribution to society. “In 2009, I got an opportunity to be part of the YBTT network which enabled me to fulfill that interest.” Based on her daily operations, it is clear that helping others become their best rests in her DNA! She strongly believes that the concept of critical thinking should be at the forefront of any mentorship relationship. According to Pearl “our education system should be re-configured to allow youths to engage in critical thinking so that they can realize their fullest potential.”
Pearl admits “since becoming a Mentor, I’ve met some very creative and innovative young entrepreneurs who do possess all the critical thinking skills but have been able to scale up their mindsets and ultimately fulfill their ambitions.” The mentorship program is fuelled by YBTT’s mission and vision – empowering young entrepreneurs to build profitable and sustainable businesses and taking entrepreneurship to the next level. Through the mentoring process, Pearl is able to continuously develop the minds of her mentees and also help them to practically see the strengths and weaknesses of their businesses.
As she puts it “being a sounding board for your mentees is the most important role of mentors which helps in sharing a world view of the ecosystem.” Another element that is dear to Pearl is emotional intelligence development which is necessary in helping mentees develop their emotional skills; she does not believe that one mentor is adequate given the mentees’ need for personal development and social skills. Pearl alluded to the fact that mentoring amidst the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond is crucial and requires different strategies. “Every mentee must bring their own uniqueness and awesomeness to the table and mentorship must now include mental health care, visioning, critical thinking and emotional intelligence.”