Mentoring
Mentoring Programs
Sharing our experiences with the next generation of biologists, refuge managers, visitor services managers, fire and law enforcement employees is one the greatest gifts we can give.
Many members of the FWS Retirees Association have gotten involved in this important activity by working with local school children from kindergarten through high school to encourage and support interest in conservation. Not all of the students we mentor will go on the work in conservation. But by inspiring and instilling an awareness and appreciation for all wild things and the places they live you can help ensure the future of conservation. The FWS Retirees Association has been given a grant by the National Conservation Training Center to help support this effort.
Are you interested in sharing your experiences with a young adult or a new employee? Want or need some tips to communicate effectively with them? Check out these three online courses offered by NCTC – open to retirees and free of charge!
Online: ELEARNING – Supervising Young Adults in Conservation: OUT8045
Date: Ongoing
Location: DOI-Learn – Archived OUT8045 Webinar/Online
Supervising young adults in seasonal and internship positions can be a new and challenging experience for even the most seasoned of supervisors. This recorded webinar, led by Student Conservation Association & US Forest Service staff, will relate critical thinking and problem solving to common issues and situations often faced by supervisors working with young adults aged 16-25. Participants have a“quarterly” timeline to complete this course; i.e., four-month intervals (Jan 1; April 1; July 1; Oct 1).
Contact: Sandy_Spakoff@fws.gov;304-876-7783 or Ora_Dixon@fws.gov;304-876-7314
Online: Mentoring: Getting Started with Your Mentee: OUT8081
Date: Ongoing
Location: DOI-Learn (Online)
In this course mentoring experts provide tips and techniques based on their experience. The self-paced training focuses on mentoring fundamentals, including tools, job aids, and skills needed when meeting with a mentee for the first time. Participating in this course will contribute to building a successful partnership with your mentee. Participants are given a ‘quarterly’ timeline (Jan 1; April 1; July 1; Oct 1) i.e. 4 months intervals to complete this online course. Receive 2 ½ hours credit annual diversity training upon course completion. This course is a prerequisite for Mentoring the Next Generation: Voices of Experience OUT8050-ELEARNING, an Archived Webinar.
Contact: Ora_Dixon@fws.gov;304-876-7314 or Sandy_Spakoff@fws.gov;304-876-7783
Online: Mentoring: The Next Generation – Voices of Experiences: OUT8050-ELEARNING
Date: Ongoing
Location: DOI-Learn (Archived OUT8050 Webinar/Online)
Hear the ins and outs of mentoring as a panel of experienced mentors and mentees answer questions and provide suggestions for ensuring a productive mentor-mentee relationship. This archived webinar (eLearning) training builds on the mentoring prerequisite OUT8081 and focuses on trouble-shooting challenges in a mentoring relationship. Participants will apply the insights they’ve gained to their personal mentoring practices to build a more open, inclusive, and trusting relationship with their mentee(s). Course enrollees must score 80% or higher on the online final assessment for course completion. Participants are given a ‘quarterly’ timeline (Jan 1; April 1; July 1; Oct 1) i.e. 4 months intervals to complete this online course. Receive 2 ½ hours credit annual diversity training upon course completion
Girls, Inc., Panama City, FL, July 2012, St. Andrew Bay (photos by Gail Carmody)