April 15, 2021 – Virtual Mentor Training

Resources from the Virtual Coffee:

• Video recording of Audrey Reyes and Jan Maggard (Denver Kids) – LINK
• Quick tips handout for virtual mentor training – LINK
• Denver Kids’ training deck PDF – LINK
• No cost Technical Assistance – LINK (email lindsey.cali@comentoring.org)

Thank you to Denver Kids for sharing all of these great resources!

Breakout Room Notes:

What practices will you keep post-pandemic?

• Challenge Foundation: 2 2-hour pre-match virtual training. Facilitated by a psychologist. 1 post-match training (6mos post-match). Sent out Mentor Binder & P&P in advance and asked questions/highlighted critical components in the virtual training. They have shortened their training during the pandemic – used to be a full-day in person training. They also do a 1-1 follow-up after training to check-in on the concepts & takeaways. Doing a youth-panel for the 2nd pre-match training. 
  • The most important thing to do is to host a student panel to share their experiences as mentees for the mentors to hear feedback from youth, especially about initiation. 
• Links in Washington State: 2 hour pre-match training. Loves the idea of sending the content in advance and then quizzing them!!!
• BBBS of CO – Prematch & Post-match training. Feeling confident that virtual does have value and CAN work! And in fact virtual does really support accessibility.
• Sally Stoker – Concern about the breakout room – can you ‘see and hear’ all of the responses of mentors to ensure that mentors’ responses are appropriate? If you don’t have lots of staff available to monitor all breakout rooms – how can you ‘catch’ things?
  • Thoughts: 
    • Limit the number of participants and don’t do breakout rooms.
    • Have 2 trainers and have ONLY 2 breakout rooms.
    • Also worried that you’re missing the observations – but is trying to balance skills and relationship-building. 

What has worked well for your organization?

• BBBS: Training modules are centralized in one place; Interactive – videos; Self-directed and self-paced
• Ability to check for understanding (ask questions in the chat)
• Poll at beginning and end of the training
• Producer role – have people focus on different aspects of the training
• Practice
• Think through potential challenges within each platform
  • Send tutorial for technology beforehand
• Be ready for zoom bombs! Have a plan in place
• Bringing in experts/panelists for trainees – easier accessibility
• Group sizes much smaller now (4-12); varied on how engaged they are
  • Hard with small group and quiet people