Flourish Career Development Program
A career development program to support young South Asian women (ages 16-30) with their career and employment goals through mentorship and coaching.
“I joined the program because I was in a major slump. I was consistently applying to jobs but wasn’t hearing back. Seeing the cultural representation in the program and attending informational workshops motivated me to change my approach. I am now working full-time and starting a Master’s program.”
- Flourish Program Participant, 2025
Interested in joining us as a Program Mentor or Employer Partner? See how to get involved below:
Program Mentor | We have learned that mentors are a crucial part of Flourish, as participants have consistently shared that having mentors with similar cultural experiences was one of the most meaningful parts of participating in the program.
We’re looking for individuals with interest and experiences of being mentors to young South Asian women and gender-diverse individuals to join us as mentors for the Flourish program again this year.
Employer Partner | We are looking for employers in York Region and beyond to support the Flourish Skills Development Project by participating in a high-impact, low-time commitment way to:
Access early career talent for their organizational needs and priorities
Engage with new ways of thinking and doing
See candidates’ skills in action to reduce recruitment and hiring time
Demonstrate their commitment to developing the next generation of talent
We're asking employer partners to invest up to 10-15 hours between December 2025 and March 2026. Key tasks would include:
Co-designing an industry-relevant project with our team over a virtual call (i.e. a marketing plan, engagement strategy, program work plan, evaluation strategy)
Hosting 1-2 virtual advising calls with participant teams
Joining us at our Flourish Careers Connect on March 8th for Presentations and Networking
If you are interested, please connect with Ritika Arora at flourish@sawcollective.ca.
What is Flourish?
Join Flourish in January 2026 | Now Accepting Applications from Young South Asian Women and Gender Diverse Individuals (ages 16-30).
Flourish is a culturally responsive career development program for young South Asian women and gender diverse individuals (ages 16–30) living and/or working in York Region. This program provides tailored support to help young South Asian women explore career pathways, build foundational skills, and connect with mentors and employers.
Over 12 weeks, Flourish program participants will engage in the following:
Curated career development workshops, activities, and resources to support skills development, mental health, and well-being
1:1 Career Coaching Sessions with a Certified Career Coach
Networking sessions to connect with mentors and industry leaders
A project-based learning opportunity with employers in Business & Technology, Healthcare, and Nonprofit
Curated Workshop Topics Include:
Career identity and skills mapping, budgeting & finances, entrepreneurship resume and interview preparation, well-being strategies, and more
