Featuring candid stories from front-line workers in the human services across Canada, The Mentors Among Us takes a close look at the demands and strains students will face in the field and offers expertise and advice on best practices. In each chapter, students will be encouraged to engage in a story by choosing from a variety of possible resolutions, allowing them to explore alternative interventions and to view each situation from multiple perspectives. This unique and interactive choose-your-own-path format encourages critical thinking and collaborative discussion, and inspires students to think like professionals. A range of critical and timely topics are covered, including ethics, discrimination, parental rights, mental health, education, youth justice, abuse, addiction, confidentiality, and trauma.

This book is enhanced by a companion website with links to further readings and audio clips of the mentor stories, which support multiple learning styles and bring the content to life. The Mentors Among Us is well suited to introductory courses in the human services, specifically for courses in child and youth care, social service work, and early learning and child care programs.

Melissa Rothwell is the Program Head for both the Community Mental Health and the Child and Youth Care programs at Lakeland College.

Melissa Rothwell's profile page

Kelly Mazerolle is the Program Head for the Early Learning and Child Care program at Lakeland College and has taught in the human services for 16 years.

Kelly Mazerolle's profile page

“This book provides an excellent stimulus for discussion of real-life situations in the field of human service work. Students will find it believable and relevant when compared to their own practicum experiences.”

—Bruce Northey, MSW, RSW, Social Service Worker Department, The College of New Caledonia