Leadership Academy 2013-14 LeadingAge New York Feb. 2014 | Page 28

Dyani John-Richberg
Corporate Support Liaison & Special
Assistant to President & CEO
VillageCare

Mentoring to Develop Potential
1

How would you describe your Action Learning Project and the difference you hope it will make to
advance your organization’s mission (or the field) and benefit the individuals you serve?

My project initiative to create at my organization, VillageCare is a Mentorship program. Village is a community-based, not-for-profit
organization serving persons living with HIV/AIDS, seniors and individuals in need of continuing care and rehabilitation services. As
a long-time provider of services for frail seniors in the New York community and as one of the oldest AIDS providers in the nation,
VillageCare has witnessed dramatic changes both in the care implications of aging and in the needs of those living with HIV/AIDS.
VillageCare has responded to evolving need by developing new programs, adapting existing programs and by opening community
services components, which are preferred by many over institutional settings. The creation of this program will assist the organization
with keeping true to its mission, “To promote healing, better health and well-being to the fullest extent possible”. The program
creation will help with the retention of valued employees, improve leadership, culture and managerial skills, development of new
leaders, enhance employee career development, placing high-potential individuals on a fast career track, promoting diversity and to
improve employees’ technical knowledge. The individuals’ we serve will benefit by having leaders in place that has a full comprehension
of the direction of the organization and looks upon their duties to serve them as more than just a job.

2

How have the relationships you’ve developed as part of your project (with mentors, partners,
stakeholders, etc.) influenced this direction and you as a leader?

The relationships developed as part of my project with prospective mentors and mentees have been very positive. It has become very
evident within my organization that a program is needed to retain employees that may identify themselves as being at a dead-end
within the organization. This new initiative creates the opportunity for those interested to develop skills for progression. As the brainstorming process on this project progressed, the current leadership staff at my organization welcomed the initiative with hopes of
developing new leaders from within versus searching for talent