Utilizing US Department of Labor Progressive Alliance for Careers and Training (PACT) grant funds, CEI worked in collaboration with the Paraprofessional Health Institute (PHI) of New York City  (www.paraprofessional.org) to implement the Peer Mentoring/Career Laddering pilot project.   A train-the-trainer approach was utilized to ensure internal sustainability of the program and further develop the capacity of the organizations.

Selected peer mentors and staff development personnel from the participating organizations received peer mentoring training.  Managers from the four health care institutions (Administrators, HR/ Development/training staff, Heads of Nursing) also received training delivered by PHI to address the organizational issues specific to peer mentoring, including job description development, advertising for the position, the selection criteria and process, and supervision and coordination of the program.  PHI developed the peer mentoring curriculum and provided support for both the peer mentors and the agencies/organizations in making the organizational changes necessary to support these new positions.