Mentorship Match

Kitty Chong

Connections Community Services Society

Kitty Chong is the Business Development and Community Engagement Manager with

, a non-profit organization based in Richmond, British Columbia, dedicated to supporting children, youth, families, and seniors through a comprehensive network of inclusive programs.

Project

As an RCRG mentee working alongside Kitty, you will gain hands-on experience in project management and event planning by joining the Organizing Committee to help plan a youth conference exploring how AI and human connections shape the future of leadership and community service. In this role, you will help develop the conference program, engage guest speakers and community partners, coordinate workshops, and facilitate youth working groups.

Key Learning Areas & Responsibilities:

Project Management & Event Planning: Coordinating schedules, logistics, workshops, and large-scale community events.
Partnership Development: Engaging guest speakers, sponsors, and community stakeholders.
Public Speaking & Facilitation: Leading discussions, managing team dynamics, and communicating effectively with youth and professionals.
Innovation & Technology: Exploring the responsible use of AI in community service and turning creative ideas into actionable plans.

Connections Community Services Society

is a non-profit organization based in Richmond, British Columbia, dedicated to supporting children, youth, families, and seniors through a comprehensive network of inclusive programs. The society provides essential community services ranging from licensed childcare and before-and-after school care to targeted Indigenous family supports, youth employment initiatives, and intergenerational programs designed to reduce senior isolation. By fostering education, creative leadership, and social connection, the organization works to build a stronger, more inclusive community.

Valerie Allen

Richmond Family Place Society

Valerie Allen is the Administrative Coordinator with

Richmond Family Place

, a non-profit organization based in Richmond, British Columbia, dedicated to ensuring that every child in Richmond reaches their full potential.

Project

As an RCRG mentee working alongside Valerie, you will gain hands-on experience in non-profit development and fundraising by helping establish a new corporate donor program. In this role, you will help identify potential corporate partners, define a targeted communications strategy, implement outreach initiatives, and analyze campaign results.

Key Learning Areas & Responsibilities:

Fundraising Strategy: Learning how to diversify revenue streams and build sustainable corporate donor programs.
Database Management: Organizing prospect lists, tracking donor communications, and managing relationship pipelines.
Marketing & Communications: Crafting compelling messaging and outreach materials tailored to potential business partners.
Project Planning & Analysis: Managing partnership timelines and evaluating the success of fundraising and donor engagement efforts.

Richmond Family Place

Established in 1979,

Richmond Family Place

is a non-profit multi-service family resource program dedicated to ensuring that every child in Richmond reaches their full potential. Operating out of its main site on Ash Street, the organization provides a safe, welcoming environment and removes barriers for families attempting to access crucial early childhood development programs, low-cost or free community activities, and family support services.

Ellen Huang

Richmond Child Care Resource and Referral

Ellen Huang is an Outreach Coordinator with the Richmond Child Care Resource and Referral program, part of Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives, a local non-profit supporting the community for over 50 years.

Project

As an RCRG mentee working alongside Ellen, you will gain hands-on experience in community program coordination by helping create, design, and facilitate an interactive workshop for local families with children aged 3 to 5 years. In this role, you will build and execute targeted promotional strategies—using both community outreach and social media - to actively engage local families.

Key Learning Areas & Responsibilities:

Creative Curriculum Design: Developing fun, educational, and age-appropriate content for children and families.
Project Planning & Management: Managing budgets, scheduling, and logistical implementation.
Marketing & Promotion: Learning digital and community-based outreach strategies to reach specific demographics.
Public Speaking & Facilitation: Building confidence in leading groups, managing crowd dynamics, and communicating effectively with both parents and children.

Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives

Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives is a registered charity based in - you guessed it! - Richmond, BC. We've been part of the community for 50 years, though our name is still new: we only began using it in 2015. Oh, and about that name. Now that we've introduced ourselves, there's no need to be quite so formal. We're Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives, but please, call us RCRG.

Our core mission is to encourage and facilitate local philanthropy - both volunteerism and monetary donations. We work every day to ensure that Richmond's charitable sector has the resources it needs to make a meaningful impact in the community.

In addition to being a hub for volunteering and giving, we're a direct service provider, operating a Child Care Resource & Referral Centre, the Richmond Christmas Fund, and a wide range of Seniors Community Support Services, among other programs.

Richmond is a healthy, vibrant, engaged, connected community. It's inclusive, diverse, welcoming, and pretty darn beautiful. In short, Richmond is awesome. At RCRG, we're proud to call it home, and excited to make it an even better place to live, work, and play.

Temi Adebanjo

Chimo Community Services

Temi Adebanjo is the Housing Manager with

Chimo Community Services

, a non-profit organization based in Richmond, British Columbia, dedicated to supporting individuals and families facing crisis, transition, and hardship.

Project

As a mentee working alongside Temi, you will gain hands-on experience in community housing and support services by creating and sharing a simple resource guide or monthly information update for residents, highlighting available community services, programs, and housing resources. In this role, you will gather feedback from residents and suggest ways to improve communication and engagement.

Key Learning Areas & Responsibilities:

Communication Skills: Designing clear, accessible, and informative updates for diverse resident populations.
Relationship-Building Skills: Engaging directly with residents and staff to gather feedback and understand community needs.
Project Management Skills: Planning, organizing, and delivering informational guides on a consistent schedule.
Problem-Solving Skills: Identifying communication gaps and proposing practical ways to improve community engagement.
Leadership & Confidence: Building professional presence through active outreach and advocacy.
Understanding of Community Services: Gaining comprehensive insight into local housing supports, crisis care, and transition resources.

Chimo Community Services

Chimo Community Services is a non-profit organization based in Richmond, British Columbia, dedicated to supporting individuals and families facing crisis, transition, and hardship. Guided by its three core pillars - Access to Housing, Access to Justice, and Access to Crisis Care - the organization offers a diverse range of essential programs, including transition housing, newcomer settlement services, counseling, and crisis intervention. Driven by community involvement and compassionate care, Chimo works to empower vulnerable community members and provide them with the vital resources and support they need.

Ahmber Bains

Uplift Seniors Wellness

Ahmber Bains is the co-founder of

Uplift Seniors Wellness Society

, a non-profit organization based in Richmond, British Columbia, dedicated to removing barriers to health, connection, and dignity for older adults.

Project

As a mentee working alongside Ahmber, you will support the organization with a Youth Volunteer Engagement and Recruitment Project. In this role, you will help explore ways to recruit more high school and university-aged volunteers, develop outreach and recruitment materials, identify potential school and community partnerships, and suggest strategies to keep volunteers engaged over time.

Key Learning Areas & Responsibilities:

Volunteer Recruitment & Strategy: Learning how to identify community partners and attract youth volunteers to support non-profit programs.
Marketing & Outreach: Developing engaging recruitment materials and digital or community-based outreach strategies to reach specific demographics.
Nonprofit Program Development: Understanding how volunteers contribute to the sustainability and day-to-day operations of a community organization.
Leadership & Professional Skills: Building confidence in leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, and professional communication.

Uplift Seniors Wellness

Founded in 2025 by two UBC students, the

Uplift Senior Wellness Society

is a non-profit organization dedicated to removing barriers to health, connection, and dignity for older adults. Driven by the philosophy of whole-person care and wellness without barriers, the society provides accessible and inclusive fitness and social programs designed to combat isolation and foster meaningful community. From its beginnings as a neighbourhood class, Uplift has expanded across multiple locations—including offering exercise classes at venues like the Richmond Olympic Oval—to empower seniors to live active, purposeful lives.

Building the Next Generation of Non-Profit Professionals

Our Mentors

Kitty Chong

Valerie Allen

Ellen Huang

Temi Adebanjo

Ahmber Bains

Kitty Chong

Connections Community Services Society

Project

Connections Community Services Society

Valerie Allen

Richmond Family Place Society

Project

Richmond Family Place

Ellen Huang

Richmond Child Care Resource and Referral

Project

Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives

Temi Adebanjo

Chimo Community Services

Project

Chimo Community Services

Ahmber Bains

Uplift Seniors Wellness

Project

Uplift Seniors Wellness

Mentee Registration Form