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Table of Contents

Section 1: Program Background

1.1 History of the Buffalo Veterans Court Diversion Project..................... ............................ ......41.2 History of the Veterans Mentoring Program..........................................................................41.3 Special Thanks.........................................................................................................................51.4 Mission Statement of the Veterans Mentoring Program................................... ......................51.5 Vision Statement of the Veterans Mentoring Program........................................ ........ ....... ....51.6 Mentor Coordinator Job Description.......................................................................................61.7 Volunteer Mentor Job Description...........................................................................................7

Section 2: Policies

2.1 Recruitment Policy..................................................................................................................8

2.2 Inquiry Policy..........................................................................................................................82.3 Eligibility Policy......................................................................................................................82.4 Screening Policy......................................................................................................................92.5 Training Policy........................................................................................................................92.6 Matching Policy.....................................................................................................................102.7 Mentoring Contact Policy......................................................................................................102.8 Supervision Policy.................................................................................................................102.9 Recognition Policy.................................................................................................................112.10 Record-Keeping Policy........................................................................................................112.11 Confidentiality Policy..........................................................................................................112.12 Unacceptable Behavior Policy.............................................................................................122.13 Evaluation Policy.................................................................................................................12

Section 3: Procedures

3.1 Recruitment Procedure...........................................................................................................133.2 Informational Sessions Procedure..........................................................................................133.3 Screening and Selection Procedures......................................................................................143.4 Training Procedures...............................................................................................................153.5 Shift Selection Procedure.......................................................................................................163.6 Matching Procedures.............................................................................................................163.7 Mentoring Contact Procedures..............................................................................................163.8 Mentoring Procedures............................................................................................................173.9 Supervision Procedure...........................................................................................................183.10 Recognition Procedures.......................................................................................................183.11 Record-Keeping Procedures................................................................................................193.12 Unacceptable Behavior Procedures.....................................................................................203.13 Evaluation Procedures.........................................................................................................20

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1.3 Special Thanks

Although, the first two veterans to act as mentors were Hank Pirowski and Jack OConnor, thefirst person to be a veteran mentor was Mr. Pete Reibel. Unfortunately Mr. Reible passed awayin late November, before the Veterans Court began. Mr. Reible served in the US Army during

the Vietnam War and wished to support other veterans. His family requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Buffalo Veterans Court Diversion Project for the mentoring program. These donations totaled nearly $1000. Chapter 77 of the Vietnam Veterans of America, where Mr. Reibel was a member, also donated $795 to the Veterans MentoringProgram in his honor.

1.4 Mission Statement of the Veterans Mentoring Program

The Mission of the Veterans Mentoring Program is to support the veteran through their readjustment to civilian life, to assist the veteran navigate through the court, treatment, and VA

systems, and to act as a friend and ally through this difficult time.

1.5 Vision Statement of the Veterans Mentoring Program

The Vision of the Veterans Mentoring Program is that no one is left behind.

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1.6 Mentor Coordinator Job Description

Mentor Coordinator Buffalo Veterans Court Diversion Project

Main Function:The role of the Mentor Coordinator is to recruit, train, supervise, and coordinate mentors

within the Veterans Court Diversion Program. The Mentor Coordinator will be responsible for recruiting potential mentors, screening candidates, and selecting individuals to become VeteranMentors. The Mentor Coordinator will be responsible for training selected candidates in skills tofacilitate a mentoring session and skills specific to the Veterans Court Diversion Program. TheMentor Coordinator will also be responsible for individual and group supervision as well asscheduling mentors to be present during the Veterans Court proceedings.

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Recruit and train volunteer Veterans Court mentors.2. Assist in the retention of volunteer mentors.

3. Organize and conduct training for volunteer mentors.

4. Update and revise all training materials.

5. Provide in-service training to staff on current training issues.

6. Maintain volunteer records.

7. Assist in supervision of mentors.

8. Participate individual and group supervision for mentors.

9. Prepare written assessments of training and volunteer supervision.

10. Assist in the development of specialized training projects for the program.

11. Perform all other duties as assigned by direct supervisor.

Qualifications:

The position requires a Bachelors Degree in a human service field plus one year experience, preferably working with veterans or within the court system.

It is preferable that individuals applying for this position are veterans themselves in order to

better understand the concerns of the veterans in the court diversion program and the veteranswho are serving as mentors.

* This is a part-time position.

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1.7 Volunteer Mentor Job Description

Volunteer Veteran Mentor Buffalo Veterans Court Diversion Project

Main Function:The role of the Volunteer Veteran Mentor is to act as a coach, a guide, a role model, an

advocate, and a support for the individuals s/he is working with. A mentor is intended toencourage, guide, and support the mentee as s/he progresses through the court process. This willinclude listening to the concerns of the mentee and making general suggestions, assisting thementee determine what their needs are, and acting as a support for the mentee at a time whenthey may feel alone in a way that only another veteran can understand.

Duties and Responsibilities: Attend at least one out of every four court sessions which occur on alternating Tuesdays.

Participate in and lead mentoring sessions with veterans who have come into contact withthe criminal justice system.

Be supportive and understanding of the difficulties veterans face.

Assist the veterans as much as possible to resolve their concerns around the court procedures as well as interactions with the Veterans Administration system.

Be supportive and helpful to the other mentors within the program.

Requirements: Be a veteran of one of the branches of the United States Military, including the Army,

Marine Corp, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, or their corresponding Reserve or Guard branches

Adhere to all of the Buffalo Veterans Court Diversion Project policies and procedures Commit to program participation for a minimum of six months

Complete the required training procedures

Attend monthly supervision

Participate in additional trainings throughout time of service

Desirable Qualities: Willing listener

Encouraging and supportive Tolerant and respectful of individual differences

For more information or an application, please contact the Buffalo Veterans Court DiversionProject, Mentor Coordinator at 845-2789.

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Section 2: Policies

2.1 Recruitment Policy

It is the policy of the Buffalo Veterans Court Diversion Project that there be recruitmentactivities for new mentors when necessary. As such, an Annual Review will take place in order to determine the recruitment goals and recruitment strategies, including number of mentorsneeded and at where new mentors should be recruited.

The Mentor Coordinator assumes the majority of the responsibly for recruiting new mentors.Other member of the Buffalo Veterans Court Diversion Project as well as current mentors willsupport the Mentor Coordinator in these activities when necessary, including attending andhosting informational sessions.

2.2 Inquiry Policy

It is the policy of the Buffalo Veterans Court Diversion Project that all inquiries around participation in the mentoring program, outside of an informational session or sharing theapplication and information sheet, be directed to the Mentor Coordinator. It will be theresponsibility of the Mentor Coordinator to contact back any prospective mentors within twoweeks of their inquiry.

2.3 Eligibility Policy

It is the policy of the of the Buffalo Veterans Court Diversion Project that each mentor mustmeet the eligibility criteria in order to participate in the program. Extenuating circumstancesmay be reviewed at the discretion of the Mentor Coordinator.

Mentor Eligibility Requirements Be a veteran of one of the branches of the United States Military, including the Army,

Marine Corp, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, or their corresponding Reserve or Guard branches

To adhere to all of the Buffalo Veterans Court Diversion Project policies and procedures To commit to program participation for a minimum of six months To attend at least one out of every four sessions of the Buffalo Veterans Court Diversion

Specialty Court To complete the screening process To complete the required training procedures To attend monthly supervision To participate in additional trainings throughout his/her time of service

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2.9 Recognition Policy

It is the policy of the Buffalo Veterans Court Diversion Project that all mentors be recognizedfor their role in making the program successful. The Mentor Coordinator is responsible for

planning and implementing recognition activities.

Possible recognition activities include: An annual recognition event, where mentors are recognized for their length of service tothe mentoring program

Utilizing outstanding mentors in the recruitment and training of new mentors

2.10 Record-Keeping Policy

Mentor ApplicationsIt is the policy of the Buffalo Veterans Court Diversion Project that each step of the application

process be documented and kept in a case file for each potential mentor. All check lists

pertaining to training and observation requirements will also be kept in the case file for eachmentor within the program. These files are to be kept confidential and not shared with anyoneaside from the individuals involved in completing the observation forms and the Mentor Coordinator. All application and training files will be maintained for seven years after the end of the individuals participation in the program. After seven years these files will be shredded anddiscarded by the Mentor Coordinator or another approved individual.

Mentoring ContactsIt is the policy of the Buffalo Veterans Court Diversion Project that each contact between mentor and mentee be tracked by the mentor making the contact. Information concerning the contact

between mentor and mentee will be recorded in the contact log, without the inclusion of any

information that should be kept confidential as there is no confidentiality linked to these contactlogs. After a veteran has completed his/her time in the court system and is no longer seeingmentors, this log will be added to the case file for that individual in the event the individualreturns to the Veterans Court Diversion Project.

2.11 Confidentiality Policy

***There should be a confidentiality policy stating what information should be kept confidential,who has access to confidential materials, what confidential information can be used for, how itwill be kept confidential, and the limits of confidentiality.

***There should be confidentiality for the mentors as well as for the mentees. It will beimportant to specifically outline what information should be included and should not be includedin the contact log as well as how information about the mentors will be protected.

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2.12 Unacceptable Behavior Policy

It is the policy of the Buffalo Veterans Court Diversion Project that unacceptable behaviors willnot be tolerated while a mentor is participating in the program. Behaviors that do not match withthe mission, vision, goals, or values of the Veterans Court Diversion Project will be considered

unacceptable and are prohibited during court proceedings and mentoring sessions.

These behaviors include: Unwelcomed physical contact including inappropriate touching, patting, pinching,

punching, or physical assault. Unwelcomed physical, verbal, visual, or behavioral behaviors that degrades, shows

hostility, or aversion toward an individual. Any attempts to intimidate or coerce an individual. Any actions or behaviors that would be considered beyond the role of the mentor. Being under the influence of alcohol or any illicit substance while attending court

proceedings.

Any unacceptable behavior, as specified but not limited to the above stated behaviors, will resultin a warning and/or disciplinary action including suspension or termination from the program.

2.13 Evaluation Policy

It is the policy of the Buffalo Veterans Court Diversion Project that evaluation will be animportant aspect of determining the effectiveness of the Mentoring Program and for makingcontinuous improvements to the program. Evaluations will be completed every six months from

both mentees and mentors concerning the effectiveness of the program. Mentees will beevaluating the effectiveness of the services provided to them and the mentors will be evaluatingthe supports provided for them, including trainings and supervision.

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3.3 Screening and Selection Procedures

All interested mentors must complete an application (Attachment A) and participate in aninterview with the Mentor Coordinator using the Mentor Interview Questionnaire (AttachmentD) in order to be considered eligible to participate in the mentoring program. This procedure

will be helpful in determining if the applicant has the necessary beginning skills to beappropriate for the mentoring program.

The Mentor Coordinator will take the following points into consideration when conductinginterviews and selecting new mentors.

Effective mentors are those individuals who are committed to the mentoring program andwant to be available to support other veterans.

Effective mentors are able to build relationships with the mentees while maintainingappropriate boundaries through the use of good communication skills, listening skills,and the ability to show empathy.

Communication skills are important to the effectiveness of the mentor/mentee

relationship. Training will also be provided around these skills for all mentors, but having a solid

foundation in these skills will allow mentors to further develop their skills through thetrainings that are offered.

Interview ProcedureBrief interviews will be conducted using the Mentor Interview Questionnaire (Attachment D) inorder to determine if each potential mentor is the right fit for the mentoring program. It will beimportant to determine if the individual is committed to the mentoring program and has theappropriate skills in order to be a mentor. The interview also gives the applicant the opportunityto ask any final questions about the program.

In the interview it will be important to discuss the following points with the applicant. It will beimportant to determine what the applicant views the role of the mentor to be from his/her pointof view. It will also be important to cover the skills and characteristics that the applicant viewsas important to effective mentoring as well as the individuals motivation for wanting to becomea mentor. All of this information will be important to the effectiveness of the individual withinthe mentoring program.

Selection ProcedureAfter the interviews have been completed, the coordinator will be responsible for selecting themost appropriate applicants depending on the number of mentors needed. It may be helpful to

select more than the minimum number of mentors necessary, so that additional mentors have been trained prior to there being a needed within the program.

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3.4 Training Procedures

All new mentors will be responsible for completing observations, trainings, shadowing, andsupervision upon entering the program.Each new mentor will be required to complete all of the activities listed on the Mentor Training

Checklist (Attachment E) and outlined here: Observe one court session Attend communication skills training Attend specialized veterans court training Shadow five mentoring sessions with three different mentors Complete shadowing forms for each shadowed mentoring session Lead three mentoring sessions while being observed Discuss lead mentoring sessions and observation forms Complete individual supervision with the Mentor Coordinator

Each new mentor will be required to observe the court proceedings at least once prior to movingon to shadowing one of the more experienced mentors. After observing the court proceedings,each new mentor will be expected to shadow five mentoring sessions with at least three differentmentors. This will help the new mentor understand how a mentoring session is expected to take

place and help him/her get a feel for some of the different styles that can be used depending onthe personality of the mentor. During each shadowing exercise, the new mentor will be expectedto complete an observation sheet (Attachment G) to assist him/her with tracking important skillsand methods used by the mentors.

While the observation and shadowing is taking place, the new mentor will be expected to attendtwo training sessions, one addressing the general communication skills necessary to conduct a

mentoring session and the other addressing information specific to the Veterans Court program.The general communication skills training will include active listening skills, showing empathy,and questioning skills (Attachment F). The program specific training will include informationabout the court system, the Veterans Administration, and paperwork training for trackingmentoring contacts.

After a new mentor completes both trainings and all of the required observation and shadowing,s/he will be expected to lead at least three mentoring sessions while being observed by a moreexperienced mentor assigned by the coordinator with at least one session being observed by thecoordinator. Observation forms will also be completed in order to track the strengths and needareas of the new mentor (Attachment H). The observation sheets should be discussed with thenew mentor at the termination of the mentoring session.The Mentor Coordinator will then conduct individual supervision with the new mentor to assesthe progress of the new mentor. These activities and the accompanying forms will allow thecoordinator to determine if the new mentor is ready to be conducting mentoring sessions on their own. If the new mentor is found to not be ready to mentor independently, additional shadowingactivities and individual supervision can be used to improve the skills of the new mentor.

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3.5 Shift Selection Procedure

Each month, after group supervision, all mentors will be asked to select shifts for the followingtwo month period. Mentors are required to attend at least one out of every four court sessions,one session every two months. Four mentors will be present at every court session, not including

the Mentor Coordinator and any mentors who have not completed their training. When a sessiondoes not have at least four mentors scheduled to attend, the Mentor Coordinator will contactmentors, who have not selected a shift, in order to fill those spaces.

3.6 Matching Procedures

Prior to the court session, the Mentor Coordinator will gather all of the files for the mentees whowill be seen before the court in that session. It will be the responsibility of the Mentor Coordinator to match those mentees with the mentors that are available at the court session thatday. The mentee should then be given the option wait for a specific mentor if s/he so chooses.

The Mentor Coordinator will make matches based on the following criteria: Previous sessions where the mentor and mentee were matched Matching branch of service Specific skill of a mentor matched to the need of a mentee Similar age/gender/ethnicity Requests from mentee or mentor

After a match has been made, the mentee file should be passed along to the selected mentor toallow him/her to become familiar with the specifics of the mentees file and the information from

previous mentoring sessions.

3.7 Mentoring Contact Procedures

Mentors should not give out their personal contact information. Mentors should give out ageneral number for standard business hours. Mentors should tell their mentees to contact their case managers if they need immediate assistance or if they would like to get in contact with aspecific mentor. The case manager will decide whether or not to contact the mentor and thementor will be able to determine when to contact back the mentee.

Business cards (Attachment I) with the appropriate contact information and instructions should be given by each mentor during each mentoring session. The mentor should also verballyinstruct the mentee of the policy and procedure for making contact with the mentor outside of thecourt selected sessions.

Mentors may give out their professional information if they work or volunteer in a program thatwould be helpful to the veteran outside of the assistance provided by the court. This mightinclude veteran organizations, such as the VFW or AMVETS, or support organizations, such asthe Military Order of the Purple Heart or the Department of Veterans Affairs.

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3.9 Supervision Procedure

Once a month, the Mentor Coordinator will hold group supervision. This group supervision willserve as on opportunity for all of the mentors to come together to discuss their concerns, their successes, and their ideas. Group supervision will last between 60 and 90 minutes, and follow

the general structure of the Group Supervision Outline (Attachment J). Topics to be addressedduring supervision are questions about what to do for a mentee, how to handle a particular question or situation with a mentee, and any other questions that a mentor may have abouthis/her contact with a mentee. The group setting will allow all of mentors to benefit from thequestions and answers that are discussed as well as increasing the number of ideas and strategies

provided around a specific concern or question. The group setting will also allow for thementors to praise and support each other.

Supervision will also serve as an opportunity for the Mentor Coordinator to check-in with all of the mentors as well as allowing for information to be dispelled to the entire group. This wouldinclude changes to the procedures of the program or any changes that need to be made to the way

that paperwork is completed by the mentors. Supervision will serve as an opportunity for casereview both in the process of the cases and in content of the case file.

Individual supervision will also be available to mentors upon request of the mentor or the Mentor Coordinator. Most concerns should be addressed in group supervision, as to allow for allmentors to benefit from the information.

3.10 Recognition Procedures

On an annual basis, all mentors will be recognized for their participation in the mentoring program. A recognition luncheon will be held in order to allow all mentors to be acknowledgedfor their hard work and dedication to the program. Award certificates will be presented to all

participants and specialty awards will be developed to recognize participants who have exceededexpectations and requirements, as determined by the Mentor Coordinator, other members of theVeterans Court Diversion Project, and the other mentors. Length of service to the program willalso be included as a point of achievement for each mentor at each recognition luncheon. Allcurrent mentors and all mentors that completed a minimum of six months of continuous servicewithin the previous year will be invited to attend the recognition luncheon.

It is the responsibility of the Mentor Coordinator to select a time and location for the recognitionluncheon as well as developing the program for the luncheon and the certificates that are to be

presented to the mentors.

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3.11 Record-Keeping Procedures

Mentor Application and Training Recording Each step of the application process will be documented and kept in a file for each potentialmentor. After a mentor has been selected, all check lists pertaining to training and observation

requirements will be added to the file. Mentor evaluations will also be kept as part of the file.These files are intended to serve as a record of the service of the mentor for development purposes rather than disciplinary purposes.

These files are to be kept confidential and not shared with anyone aside from the individual thefile belongs to and the Mentor Coordinator. Observation forms will be shared at the time of observation and then placed into the file of the mentor being trained.

Mentoring ContactsEvery contact that occurs between mentor and mentee will be tracked by the mentor making the

contact in the mentees contact log. Information concerning the contact between mentor andmentee will be recorded in the contact log, without the inclusion of any information that should be kept confidential as there is no confidentiality linked to these contact logs. After the contacthas been logged, the file will be returned to the court for transcription. The court will transcribethe information in the contact log in order to keep the log legible and free of information thatshould not be included. After the written log has been transcribed into an electronic format, thelog will be printed and added to the file so that it can be read by the next mentor working withthat mentee. The hand written log sheets will be kept in a file by the court, if the need ever arisesto return to the original log pages.

After a veteran has completed his/her time in the court system and is no longer seeing mentors,this log will be added to the case file for that individual to be made available if the individualreturns to the Veterans Court Diversion Project.

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3.12 Unacceptable Behavior Procedures

A number of behaviors are considered unacceptable and will not be tolerated while a mentor is participating in the program. Behaviors that do not match with the mission, vision, goals, or values of the Veterans Court Diversion Project will be considered unacceptable and are

prohibited during court proceedings and mentoring sessions.

These behaviors include: Unwelcomed physical contact including inappropriate touching, patting, pinching,

punching, or physical assault. Unwelcomed physical, verbal, visual, or behavioral behaviors that degrades, shows

hostility, or aversion toward an individual. Any attempts to intimidate or coerce an individual. Any actions or behaviors that would be considered beyond the role of the mentor. Being under the influence of alcohol or any illicit substance while attending court

proceedings.

Any mentors who observe unacceptable behavior occurring between a mentor and a menteeshould report the incident to the Mentor Coordinator as quickly as possible. The individualreporting the behavior may be asked to complete a short written statement of whom and whatwas observed. It will then be the responsibility of the Mentor Coordinator to look into thequestionable interaction and determine if a warning and/or disciplinary action includingsuspension or termination from the program is warranted.

3.13 Evaluation Procedures

Evaluations will be completed every six months from both mentees and mentors concerning theeffectiveness of the mentoring program. Mentees will be evaluating the effectiveness of theservices provided to them by the mentors (Attachment K) and the mentors will be evaluating thesupports provided for them, including trainings and supervision, by the Mentor Coordinator andeach other (Attachment L). Evaluations will also be completed after all trainings that occur for the mentors in order to determine the effectiveness of the trainings.

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Buffalo Veterans CourtVolunteer Mentoring Program

Application Form

Date:

Last Name: First Name:

Address:

Email Address:

Phone 1: Home Work Cell

Phone 2: Home Work Cell

Branch of Service: Length of Service:

Occupation:

Are you available on Tuesday afternoons between 2 and 4pm? Yes No

What does being a mentor mean to you?

What motivated you to want to participate in Veterans Court Mentoring Program?

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Application Form

What skills and experiences do you bring to the mentoring program that will be helpful to you,the other mentors, or the veterans in the program?

What are you hoping to take away from volunteering with the Veterans Court MentoringProgram?

Mentors will be expected to participate in observation, training, shadowing, and supervision as

part of their entry into the mentoring program. Mentors will also be expected to attendadditional trainings and monthly group supervision meetings. The Veterans Court MentoringProgram is looking for at least a 6 month commitment from all volunteers prior to entering intothe training program.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Mr. Jack OConnor Volunteer Coordinator for the Veterans Court Mentoring Program at 858-7345 or by e-mail [email protected]

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Attachment B:Volunteer Mentoring

Program

Information Sheet

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Buffalo Veterans Court Diversion ProjectMentoring Program Information Sheet

Mission Statement

The Mission of the Veterans Mentoring Program is to support the veteran through their readjustment to civilian life, to assist the veteran navigate through the court, treatment, and VAsystems, and to act as a friend and ally through this difficult time.

Vision Statement

The Vision of the Veterans Mentoring Program is that no one is left behind.

Having veterans participate as mentors is an important part of the Veterans Court DiversionProject as there is a bond that occurs between veterans around the values that are shared and the

sacrifices that have been made. There are veterans in the community that are having difficultiesand are in need of support. It is the responsibility of the veteran community to advocate for andsupport these veterans that have come into the hardest times and have made contact with thecriminal justice system. Are you ready to take on that responsibility?

The Buffalo Veterans Court Diversion Project: Mentoring Program can help you to take the firststeps toward taking on that responsibility. The Mentoring Program offers support andencouragement for veterans in the court system by spending one-on-one time with the veteranafter they appear during the proceedings of the Veterans Specialty Court. These mentoringsession usually do not last longer than 30 minutes and give the veteran the opportunity to bringup concerns and get feedback and support from another veteran.

Trainings on how to lead a mentoring session, what to ask, how to ask, and how to listen to theanswers, are offered as part of the orientation trainings. In addition, program specific trainingsare also offered as part of the orientation training, including information about the court systemand the VA system.

The Buffalo Veterans Court Diversion Project: Mentoring Program also offers support andsupervision to all of the mentors from the Mentor Coordinator as well as from the other mentorsin the program. Support is the main component of the program, for the veterans involved withthe court system as well as the mentors in the program. Supervision occurs on the monthly basisin a group format to allow mentors to share experiences, ideas, barriers, and advances.Advanced trainings will also be offered to address concerns voiced during group supervision.

The Mentoring Program is looking for a six month commitment from all volunteer mentors inorder to maintain the program at a level that will be effective in supporting the veterans in thecourt system. All potential mentors are required to fill out an application and complete a shortface-to-face interview with the Mentor Coordinator prior to being accepted into the program.Observational activities, including observing the court proceedings and observing other mentors,will be completed prior to a new mentor leading a mentoring session.

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Volunteer Veteran Mentor Position Description

Main Function:The role of the Volunteer Veteran Mentor is to act as a coach, a guide, a role model, an

advocate, and a support for the individuals s/he is working with. A mentor is intended toencourage, guide, and support the mentee as s/he progresses through the court process. This willinclude listening to the concerns of the mentee and making general suggestions, assisting thementee determine what their needs are, and acting as a support for the mentee at a time whenthey may feel alone in a way that only another veteran can understand.

Duties and Responsibilities: Attend at least one out of every four court sessions which occur on alternating Tuesdays.

Participate in and lead mentoring sessions with veterans who have come into contact withthe criminal justice system.

Be supportive and understanding of the difficulties veterans face.

Assist the veterans as much as possible to resolve their concerns around the court procedures as well as interactions with the Veterans Administration system.

Be supportive and helpful to the other mentors within the program.

Requirements: Be a veteran of one of the branches of the United States Military, including the Army,

Marine Corp, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, or their corresponding Reserve or Guard branches.

Adhere to all of the Buffalo Veterans Court Diversion Project policies and procedures.

Commit to program participation for a minimum of six months.

Complete the required training procedures.

Attend monthly supervision.

Participate in additional trainings throughout time of service.

Desirable Qualities: Willing listener

Encouraging and supportive

Tolerant and respectful of individual differences

For more information or an application, please contact the Buffalo Veterans Court DiversionProject, Mentor Coordinator at 845-2789.

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Attachment C:Volunteer MentoringProgram

Information SessionMentoring Makes a Difference

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Mentoring Makes a Difference The objectives for the informational session are to

Build engagement between the program and the potential mentors in order to increase program participation

Provide basic information about the program including the mission, vision, goals, andhistory of the program

Provide basic information about the role of and expectations for mentors in this program Assist potential mentors determine if they are willing and able to continue on into the

screening process

The agenda for the hour long informational session is as follows:1. Introduction (10 minutes)

a. Each of the presenters will introduce his/her self, including name, branch of service, and what brought them to the Buffalo Veterans Court Diversion Project:Mentoring Program.

b. Each potential mentor will introduce him/her self, including name, branch of service, and what motivated them want to join the Buffalo Veterans CourtDiversion Project: Mentoring Program.

2. Buffalo Veterans Court Diversion Project: Mentoring Program Overview (15 minutes)a. Give an overview of the mission, vision, goals, and history for the mentoring

program. b. Give an overview of the mentoring role and expectations for mentors in the

program.c. Give an overview of the application and screening procedures for the mentoring

program.3. Mentoring Makes a Difference (20 minutes)

a. Each of the current mentors in attendance will share with the potential mentorshow being a mentor in the Veterans Court Diversion Project has positivelyimpacted him/her self.

b. Each of the current mentors in attendance will share with the potential mentorshow s/he has impacted the mentees that s/he has worked with.

4. Question and Answer (10 minutes)a. Give all potential mentors the opportunity to ask questions about the program, the

mentoring role, and the expectations for mentors.

b. Allow current mentors to ask and answer questions that they previously had aboutthe program in order to stimulate questioning.

5. Wrap-up (5 minutes)a. Thank the potential mentors for their attendance and attention.

b. Provide application forms and information sheets for potential mentors to takewith them.

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Attachment D:Volunteer MentoringProgram

Mentor Interview

Questionnaire

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Mentor Interview Questionnaire

Applicant Name: Date:

Interview Conducted by:

I need to ask a number of questions about you that will help me determine if you fit with themission, vision, goals, and values of the Buffalo Veterans Court Diversion Project: MentoringProgram. Do you understand?

1. What motivated you to become a mentor?

2. How do you think you will be helpful to the veterans that you mentor?

3. What do you think are your strengths?

4. What do you think are some areas you need to improve on?

5. Are you willing and able to fulfill the commitments of the program attending one out of every four court proceedings and attending all of the required trainings and supervisionsessions for a minimum of six months?

6. What skills and experience do you bring that will be helpful to your fellow mentors and theveterans you mentor?

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Mentor Interview Questionnaire

Applicant Name: Date:

Interview Conducted by:

7. What does being a mentor mean to you?

8. What do you hope to gain from the experience?

9. What do you hope your mentees gain from working with you?

10. Do you have any questions about the program that I can answer for you?

Interviewers Comments:

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Mentor Training Checklist

Starting Date:

Last Name: First Name:

Phase 1. The following activity must be completed prior to moving to Phase 2.

One Courtroom Observation Date: MC Initials:

Phase 2. The following activities must be completed prior to moving to Phase 3.

Communication Skills Training Date: MC Initials:

Specialized Court Training Date: MC Initials:

Shadow Mentoring Session Date: VM Initials: Form



Shadow Mentoring Session Date: VM Initials: FormShadow Mentoring Session Date: VM Initials: Form

Phase 3. The following activities must be completed prior to moving to Phase 4.

Lead Mentoring Session Date: VM Initials: Form

Lead Mentoring Session Date: VM Initials: Form

Lead Mentoring Session Date: MC Initials: Form

Phase 4. The following activity must be completed prior to moving to Phase 5.

Complete Individual Supervision Date: MC Initials:

Phase 5. Independent Mentoring. Congratulations!

MC = Mentor Coordinator VM = Veteran Mentor

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Attachment F:Volunteer MentoringProgram

Communication Skills

Training

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Communication Skills Training Outline

Session Title: Mentoring Communication Skills

Objectives:

To teach new mentors the communication skills necessary for them to be able to conducteffective mentoring sessions, through good listening skills, showing empathy through

paraphrasing, and using effective questioning techniques.

Agenda

1. Icebreaker: Introductions (15 minutes)

2. What is a mentor? (15 minutes)

a. A mentor is

b. A mentor is not

3. Active Listening Skills (30 minutes)

a. Non-verbal listening skills

b. Verbal listening skills

c. Active listening activities

BREAK (10 minutes)

4. Empathy Through Paraphrasing (45 minutes)

a. What is empathy?

b. What is paraphrasing?

c. How are empathy and paraphrasing helpful?

BREAK (10 minutes)

5. Questioning Techniques (45 minutes)

a. Purpose of questioning

b. Types of questions

c. Putting it all together

6. Wrap up (15 minutes)

a. What is next?

b. Questions

c. Evaluation of the training

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1. Icebreaker: Introduction (10 minutes)

The group of individuals attending this training may or may not know each other or may notknow each other well. It will be important to begin building group trust that will allow allmember of the group to be engaged with the group and the work that needs to be accomplished.

Purposes:

1. To encourage the group members to get to know each other better.

2. To begin involving the trainees in the training process.

3. To begin thinking about listening and communication skills.

Icebreaker Activity

Ask the group make partners. They should select someone they do not know at all or that theydo not know well. Ask the partners to take turns introducing themselves to their partners andsharing information about themselves for about two minutes and then switch. Remind the groupthat part of this training will be about listening skills.

After each member of the partnership has had the opportunity to introduce him or herself, bringeveryone back together into a large group. Ask each member of the group to introduce their

partner to the group. How much did the partners remember about each other? Did they use anystrategies to remember information about the other person?

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2. Role of a Mentor

Ask the group to work for a few minutes answering the questions on the first page of their training packets about the role of a mentor. After 5 minutes ask the group how they answered thefirst two questions, one at a time.

Question 1: What does the word mentor mean to you?Question 2: What roles do mentors fill?

As the group answers, write the key words onto an overhead or flip chart so that the group cansee the words that have been used.

The next page of the flip chart should have a list of all of the key words from the followingstatement. Most of these key words should be generated by the group.

Coach Guide Role Model Advocate A support

Someone who

Encourages Guides Understands Listens

Share any ideas from the statement that the group does not suggest on their own.

Role of the Mentor The role of a mentor is to act as a coach, a guide, a role model, an advocate, and a support for theindividuals s/he is working with. A mentor is intended to encourage, guide, and support thementee as s/he progresses through the court process. This will include listening to the concernsof the mentee and making general suggestions, assisting the mentee determine what their needsare, and acting as a support for the mentee at a time when they may feel alone.

Then ask the group how they answered the third question.

Question 3: What roles do mentors not fill?

As the group answers, write the key words onto an overhead or flip chart so that the group cansee the words that have been used.


A parent A professional counselor

A social workers A doctor

Share any ideas from the statement that the group does not suggest on their own, especially theideas that supervision will be helpful in maintaining appropriate boundaries and to bringconcerns to the court personnel if something comes up that is outside of the scope of the mentor.

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Mentors are notMentors are not intended to take on the role of a parent, a professional counselor, a socialworker, or a doctor. Although a mentor will be expected to use some of the skills used by these

professions; listening, supporting, and advising, the level of involvement will be significantly

less as the mentors are not trained professionals.It will be the responsibly of the mentor and the coordinator to maintain this boundary throughgroup supervision and individual supervision when necessary.

Then ask the group to share their answers for the fourth question.

Question 4: What are some concerns that would be outside of the scope of the mentoring role?


Suicide or other self harm Homicide or harm to others Non-compliance with medication

Health or mental health concerns thathave not been shared with a health professional.

When concerns are brought up that fall into any of these categories, the mentor should encouragethe veteran to share the information with an appropriate health care professional. The mentor can suggest that if the health care professional is present that the mentor will accompany theveteran and support him/her during the conversation. If the health care professional is not

present, the information should be shared with the case manager through the court or withanother member of the COURTS staff, either by the veteran or by the mentor, prior to the veteran

leaving court.

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3. Active Listening

Active listening involves both verbal and non-verbal components that help the mentee know thatthey are being listened to and that the mentor is involved in the discussion. Displaying theseverbal and non-verbal components will help the mentee feel more comfortable and more willing

to share information with the mentor.

Non-verbal Components Non-verbal components of active listening include

eye contact open and relaxed body posture slight inward lean head nodding appropriate affective responses; laughing, smiling, or concern

These behaviors let the mentee know that the mentor is actively listening to what is being said.

Verbal Components Minimal encouragement; uh-huh, so, sure Verbal following; making statements that follow from the preceding statements made by

the mentee

Minimal encouragements include short statements like uh-huh, so, sure, which let thementee know that the mentor is still listening while allowing the mentee to continue talkingwithout being interrupted. Verbal following involves the mentor making statements that followfrom the preceding statements made by the mentee. This creates continuity and shows that thementor is listening to the mentee. Using this skill also helps the mentor to not interrupt thementee and helps the mentor to stay on track and not shift topic unexpectedly.

Active Listening Activity

Part 1Explain that the group is going to observe a role-play demonstrating good active listening skillsand not so good active listening skills. They will have to determine which one is which. Select avolunteer to act as the mentee in the role play, while the mentor is played by the trainer. Ask the mentee to tell you a story about a recent event that happened. It doesnt have to besomething personal, just a story about the person.

Ask the group to keep track of what the mentor does well and what the mentor does not dowell on their handouts. Try to determine which role-play is the good active listening role-playand which is not.

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Role-play A: Less than 5 minutesWhile the mentee is telling the story, the mentor should display non-attending behavior, bynot looking at the mentee, having crossed arms and/or legs, slouching in his/her chair, andlooking disinterested in the story the mentee is telling. The mentor should also interrupt andask a question that is unrelated to what the mentee has been saying.

After the role-play is terminated, ask the group which role-play was just demonstrated. Theyshould respond that it was the not so good active listening skills. Ask the mentee how s/he feltduring the role-play. S/he should respond that s/he did not feel heard or that the mentor did notcare about what s/he was saying. We dont want to be that mentor!

Role-play B: Less than 5 minutesAgain ask the volunteer to act as the mentee and tell you a story. This time the mentorshould display attentive, active listening skills; eye contact, open body language, and useminimal encouragers. The mentor should also appropriately ask a question related to the story

the mentee is telling them.After the role-play is terminated, ask the group what they thought of that role-play. What did thementor do well? Ask the mentee how s/he felt during that role-play. What was differentfrom the first role-play?

Part 2Ask the trainees to break up into partners, different from their partners from either, but againsomeone that they do not know well. Ask each group to take turns sharing a story and practicingtheir active listening skills. Remind them that since this is a listening exercise, they will beasked to retell their partners story later.

After the groups have been working for 5 minutes, remind them to switch roles. Throughout theactivity, move from group to group checking on each groups progress. After the time period isup, bring the group back together and ask for a few volunteers to retell their partners story.After a few stories, ask the group if they felt this was an easy thing to do or if they had a hardtime. Validate their feelings either way. Listening can be a really hard thing to do. The listener has to focus and listen actively in order to take in the information and help the speaker to feelheard. Or some people might think it was easy. That is good, that means they already use theseskills and are an active listener. Do they do anything that they have found to be helpful withactive listening?

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4. Empathy through Paraphrasing

Part 1.Ask the group to work for a few minutes answering the questions on the next page of their training packets about empathy. After 5 minutes ask the group how they answered the first two

questions, one at a time.

Question 1: What does empathy mean?Question 2: What role does empathy play in mentoring sessions?

As the group answers, write the key words onto an overhead or flip chart so that the group cansee the words that have been used. The next page of the flip chart should have a list of all of thekey words from the following statement. Most of these key words should be generated by thegroup.

Empathy is the sense of sharing feelings with someone else. This is accomplished through being present in the moment and non-judgmentally observing the thoughts and feelings within onesself, while also observing the other persons feelings, needs, requests, and perspective.I understand how that would be difficult. That must have been really frustrating for you?

Empathy is different from offering advice, educating, consoling, telling a story, interrogating,explaining, correcting, or reassuring. Empathy requires a willingness to understand the thoughtsand feelings of another individual without concern for the correctness or the accuracy of thosethoughts and feelings. You may not agree with his/her feelings, but you understand his/her feelings and what, from his/her perspective, contributes to those feelings.

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Part 2.Ask the group how they answered the next three questions, one at a time.

Question 3: What does paraphrasing mean?

Question 4: How is paraphrasing helpful in mentoring sessions?Question 6: How are verbal and non-verbal active listening skills used to show empathy?

As the group answers, write the key words onto an overhead or flip chart so that the group cansee the words that have been used. The next page of the flip chart should have a list of all of thekey words from the following statement. Most of these key words should be generated by thegroup.

Paraphrasing involves the mentor repeating back the important aspects of the previous statementmade by the mentee in their own words, while incorporating the non-verbal communication and

tone into the statement back. This serves many purposes. This statement back of content,feeling, or both, lets the mentee know that the mentor is listening and interested in what thementee is saying to him/her. This statement also shows that the mentor understands what is

being said and how the mentee feels.

Here are some examples of how to begin a paraphrasing statement. I hear you saying that It seems to me Okay, let me see if I am hearing

you

In other words It seems to me If I am hearing you correctly

The paraphrasing statement also opens up the opportunity for the mentee to disagree, clarify, or give additional information. This is not only helpful for the mentor to make sure they understandwhat is being said, but is also helpful for the mentee as it can help the mentee reflect upon whats/he said when hearing it stated back to him/her.

Using paraphrasing allows a mentor to show empathy for a mentee. By using the lead-ins provided, mentors can show that they are trying to understand the situation that the mentee is in,in a non-judgmental way.

Empathy can also be expressed through verbal and especially non-verbal components of active

listening. By maintaining appropriate eye-contact, nodding along with a story, and displayingappropriate facial expressions, a mentor can express a great deal emotion to a mentee withouteven saying a word. Combining these behaviors with short verbal expressions can further increase the feelings of empathy.

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5. Questioning Techniques

Ask the group, before they turn to the next page, what reasons are there to ask questions?After they answer, allow them to turn the page to find information about the purposes of questions and the types of questions.

Questioning serves a number of purposes. It allows for information to be gathered, to clarifyinformation, to encourage the mentee to participate in the session, and to help the mentee clarifyhis/her situation for his/her benefit. Questioning is also helpful to get things started. Askingabout how things are going will usually get an individual going and participating in thediscussion.

Questions can be either opened or closed questions. Open questions invite an explanation whereclosed questions are either yes or no answers or require some other specific answer such as ageor marital status. Questions should be open ended for the most part, allowing for the mentee totake the conversation to the area of the most concern for him/her and allowing the mentee to

share additional information about the topic. There are instances when closed questions may beappropriate, such as times when specific information is needed or in order to clarify somethingthat has been said. Ideally questions should build from something said by the mentee in the

previous exchange or regarding previous information that was gathered.

Standard Questions: How are things going? How are things with ___________? (insert significant family member) How did it work out with _________? What can I be helpful with? Can you tell me more about that? What have you done before that was helpful? What do you want to do next?

Ask the group to develop some more questions that would be helpful when working with thementees.

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Putting it all Together

These steps are intended to assist the mentor in supporting the mentee by having someone who islistening and understanding of their concerns.

Step 1: QuestionThe first step is to ask an opening question. This is usually something open-ended whichwould allow the mentee to take the session in a direction that will be most helpful for them.

How are things going?How are things with ___________? (insert significant family member)

This opening question could also be checking in on something that was discussed in a pervious session.

How did it work out with _________?

Step 2: EmpathizeThe next step is to empathize with the mentee by being present. This means not sayinganything and listening fully and carefully. This also requires not formulating a responseuntil the mentee has completed their statements.

Step 3: ParaphraseThe third step is to paraphrase the mentees statement. This expresses that you heardhim/her say and gives him/her an opportunity to clarify if you misunderstood what s/hewas saying, how s/he was feeling, or what s/he was thinking about.

Step 4: ClarifyIn the event that you are still not clear or you want additional information aboutsomething, you can use a statement similar to this one:

I am still a little confused. Can you tell me more about that?

Step 5: QuestionThis brings the cycle back to questioning. After you have gained a clear picture of thesituation from the mentees point of view, through empathizing, paraphrasing, andclarifying, it is time to ask another question. The best questions are developed out of themost recent previous statement in the discussion. This helps to keep the discussion fluidand lets the mentee know that you are listening.

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Role Play 1

Billy, 24, was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps six months ago.

Since that time, Billy has not been able to hold down a job and is currently

unemployed. While Billy was in a Marine Corps, he was deployed to Iraq twice inthe last three years. Six weeks ago, Billy was arrested at a local bar for assault.

His case was transferred into the Veterans Court Diversion Program at that time.

This is the second time that you are seeing Billy and during your first

meeting Billy reported that his mom is trying to be supportive and wants to be

involved in helping him get back on track. He also reported that she just doesnt

understand what it is like. How does the first five minutes of this mentoring

session with Billy look?

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Role Play 2

Sam was honorably discharged from the Army in 1973, after spending time

in Vietnam. Sam had been working as a mechanic since his discharge in 1973 until

he was forced to retire due to an injury he sustained three years ago, whichexacerbated an injury he received while in Vietnam. Since then he has had trouble

making ends meet and has started drinking heavily. He was arrested two months

ago for a domestic violence offense against his wife of 35 years, Carol. His case

was transferred into the Veterans Court Diversion Program six weeks ago. Carol

is still living with Sam and is supportive of his efforts to change. Sam is skeptical

of the VA system and has not been in touch with them about his situation.

This is the first time that a mentor is meeting with Sam. How does the first

five minutes of this mentoring session look?

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Communication Skills Role PlayObservation Form

Date:

Mentor:

Observer:

Strengths What are the important skills that the mentor used?

1.

2.

3.

Alternatives What might you have done differently?

1.

2.

3.

Additional Comments:

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Please share your observations with the mentor and discuss alternative options for aspects of thementoring session.

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6. Wrap up

What is Next?

Observe one court sessionAttend communication skills trainingAttend specialized veterans court trainingShadow five mentoring sessions with three different mentorsComplete shadowing forms for each shadowed mentoring session

Lead three mentoring sessions while being observed Discuss lead mentoring sessions and observation forms Complete individual supervision with the Mentor Coordinator

Questions from the group

Please complete the training evaluation.

Thank you for your attention and participation!

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Communication Skills Training

EvaluationTrainer: Date:

What did you find to be most useful about this training?

What did you find to be least useful?

Was there anything you felt was missing that you would have liked to learn more about?

Please rate the following: Poor Average ExcellentEffectiveness of trainer 1 2 3 4 5Training room 1 2 3 4 5Training content 1 2 3 4 5Training activities 1 2 3 4 5Training materials 1 2 3 4 5Overall rating 1 2 3 4 5

List of other topics or concerns you would like to have addressed in future trainings.

Other comments:

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Buffalo Veterans CourtDiversion Project:

Mentoring Program

Mentoring Communication Skills

Trainee Handbook

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Veterans Mentoring ProgramMentoring Communication Skills

The objective for this training is to assist you to develop the communication skills necessary to be able to conduct effective mentoring sessions with the veterans that are assigned for you tomentor. These skills include good listening skills, showing empathy through paraphrasing, andusing effective questioning techniques.

We will begin first with discussing what it means to be a mentor and what it does not mean.When asked by the trainer, please answer the following questions about being a mentor.

Being a Mentor

What does the word mentor mean to you?

What roles do mentors fill?

What roles do mentors not fill?

What are some concerns that would be outside of the scope of the mentoring role?

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Active Listening Skills

Active listening involves both verbal and non-verbal components that help the mentee know thatthey are being listened to and that the mentor is involved in the discussion. Displaying theseverbal and non-verbal components will help the mentee feel more comfortable and more willingto share information with the mentor.

Positive Non-verbal Components Eye contact Open and relaxed body posture Slight inward lean Head nodding Appropriate responses; laughing, smiling, or concern

Verbal Components Minimal encouragement; uh-huh, so, sure Verbal following; making statements that follow from the preceding statements made by

the mentee

Active Listening Activity

The trainer is going to conduct a role-play demonstrating good active listening skills and not so

good active listening skills. Please answer the following questions for both role-plays. Can youtell which is which?

Role-play 1: Active Listening? YES/NOWhat did the mentor do well?

What could the mentor have done better?

Role-play 2: Active Listening? YES/NOWhat did the mentor do well?

What could the mentor have done better?

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Empathy throughParaphrasing

What is empathy?

What role does empathy play in mentoring sessions?

What is paraphrasing?

How is paraphrasing helpful in mentoring sessions?

How can active listening skills be used to show empathy?

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Empathy throughParaphrasing

EmpathyEmpathy is the sense of sharing feelings with someone else. This is accomplished through being

present in the moment and non-judgmentally observing the thoughts and feelings within onesself, while also observing the other persons feelings, needs, requests, and perspective.I understand how that would be difficult. That must have been really frustrating for you?

Empathy is different from offering advice, educating, consoling, telling a story, interrogating,explaining, correcting, or reassuring. Empathy requires a willingness to understand the thoughtsand feelings of another individual without concern for the correctness or the accuracy of thosethoughts and feelings. You may not agree with his/her feelings, but you understand his/her

feelings and what, from his/her perspective, contributes to those feelings.ParaphrasingParaphrasing involves the mentor repeating back the important aspects of the previous statementmade by the mentee in their own words, while incorporating the non-verbal communication andtone into the statement back. This serves many purposes. This statement back of content,feeling, or both, lets the mentee know that the mentor is listening and interested in what thementee is saying to him/her. This statement also shows that the mentor understands what is

being said and how the mentee feels.

Here are some examples of how to begin a paraphrasing statement.

I hear you saying that It seems to me Okay, let me see if I am hearing

you

In other words It seems to me If I am hearing you correctly

The paraphrasing statement also opens up the opportunity for the mentee to disagree, clarify, or give additional information. This is not only helpful for the mentor to make sure they understandwhat is being said, but is also helpful for the mentee as it can help the mentee reflect upon whats/he said when hearing it stated back to him/her.

Using paraphrasing allows a mentor to show empathy for a mentee. By using the lead-ins

provided, mentors can show that they are trying to understand the situation that the mentee is in,in a non-judgmental way.

Empathy can also be expressed through verbal and especially non-verbal components of activelistening. By maintaining appropriate eye-contact, nodding along with a story, and displayingappropriate facial expressions, a mentor can express a great deal emotion to a mentee withouteven saying a word. Combining these behaviors with short verbal expressions can further increase the feelings of empathy.

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Questioning Techniques

Purpose of QuestioningQuestioning serves a number of purposes. It allows for information to be gathered, to clarifyinformation, to encourage the mentee to participate in the session, and to help the mentee clarifyhis/her situation for his/her benefit. Questioning is also helpful to get things started. Askingabout how things are going will usually get an individual going and participating in thediscussion.

Types of QuestionsQuestions can be either opened or closed questions. Open questions invite an explanation whereclosed questions are either yes or no answers or require some other specific answer such as ageor marital status.

Questions should be open ended for the most part, allowing for the mentee to take theconversation to the area of the most concern for him/her and allowing the mentee to shareadditional information about the topic. There are instances when closed questions may beappropriate, such as times when specific information is needed or in order to clarify somethingthat has been said. Ideally questions should build from something said by the mentee in the

previous exchange or regarding previous information that was gathered.

Standard Questions: How are things going? How are things with ___________? (insert significant family member) How did it work out with _________? What can I be helpful with? Can you tell me more about that? What have you done before that was helpful? What do you want to do next?

What are some other questions that could be used with mentees?

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Putting it all Together

Step 1: QuestionThe first step is to ask an opening question. This is usually something open-ended whichwould allow the mentee to take the session in a direction that will be most helpful for them.

How are things going?How are things with ___________? (insert significant family member)

This opening question could also be checking in on something that was discussed in a pervious session.

How did it work out with _________?

Step 2: EmpathizeThe next step is to empathize with the mentee by being present. This means not sayinganything and listening fully and carefully. This also requires not formulating a responseuntil the mentee has completed their statements.

Step 3: ParaphraseThe third step is to paraphrase the mentees statement. This expresses that you heardhim/her say and gives him/her an opportunity to clarify if you misunderstood what s/he

was saying, how s/he was feeling, or what s/he was thinking about.

Step 4: ClarifyIn the event that you are still not clear or you want additional information aboutsomething, you can use a statement similar to this one:

I am still a little confused. Can you tell me more about that?

Step 5: Question

This brings the cycle back to questioning. After you have gained a clear picture of thesituation from the mentees point of view, through empathizing, paraphrasing, andclarifying, it is time to ask another question. The best questions are developed out of themost recent previous statement in the discussion. This helps to keep the discussion fluidand lets the mentee know that you are listening.

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Communication Skills Role PlayObservation Form

Date:

Mentor:

Observer:

Strengths What are the important skills that the mentor used?

1.

2.

3.

Alternatives What might you have done differently?

1.

2.

3.


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What is Next?

Observe one court sessionAttend communication skills trainingAttend specialized veterans court training

Shadow five mentoring sessions with three different mentors Complete shadowing forms for each shadowed mentoring session Lead three mentoring sessions while being observed Discuss lead mentoring sessions and observation forms Complete individual supervision with the Mentor Coordinator

Questions

Please complete the training evaluation.

Thank you for your attention andparticipation!

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Communication Skills Training

EvaluationTrainer: Date:

What did you find to be most useful about this training?

What did you find to be least useful?

Was there anything you felt was missing that you would have liked to learn more about?

Please rate the following: Poor Average ExcellentEffectiveness of trainer 1 2 3 4 5Training room 1 2 3 4 5Training content 1 2 3 4 5Training activities 1 2 3 4 5Training materials 1 2 3 4 5Overall rating 1 2 3 4 5

List of other topics or concerns you would like to have addressed in future trainings.

Other comments:

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Attachment G:Volunteer Mentoring

Program

Shadowing ObservationForm

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New Mentor Observation

Date:

Mentor:

Observer:

Strengths What does the mentor do well?

1.

2.

3.

Improvement Where could the mentor improve?

1.

2.

3.



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Attachment I:Volunteer Mentoring

Program

Mentor Contact Cards

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Buffalo VeteransDiversion Court Project

Mentoring Program

If you have any questions or concernsplease contact your case managerand s/he will assist you in contactinga mentor.


Mentoring Program



Mentoring Program



Mentoring Program



Mentoring Program



Mentoring Program



Mentoring Program



Mentoring Program



Mentoring Program



Mentoring Program



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Attachment J:Volunteer Mentoring

ProgramGroup Supervision Outline


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Group Supervision Outline

Greeting and Administration

Greet the group and give any administrative information; when the next groupsupervision is, if there is something outside of the norm coming up soon, or if there are any procedural changes that have been made.

Case UpdatesAsk the group to share the outcomes of any of the case questions that were brought up

during previous group supervision sessions. Give the mentors praise for the positive outcomesthey have helped to achieve.

Case QuestionsAsk the group how things have been going and if anyone has any question about any of the mentees that have come up since the last supervision.

Questions to pose to the group to get things started: How are things going? Are you feeling confident around your skills as a mentor? When have you felt confident? When have you not felt confident? Has anyone had a hard time during a mentoring session? Did any questions come up that you could not answer?

Case File QuestionsAsk the group if they have any questions about the paperwork or questions around what

to include and what not to include. This is also the opportunity for the Mentor Coordinator to bring up any paperwork concerns that have been brought to his/her attention.

Shift SelectionA calendar listing the upcoming court sessions will be available for mentors to select the

sessions they would like to attend. This list will be available after supervision is completed tomake selections.

Thanks and DismissalThank everyone for attending and sharing their thoughts. Remind the group of the next

group supervision date and time and dismiss the group.


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Attachment K:Volunteer MentoringProgram

Mentoring Evaluation Form


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Mentoring EvaluationMentor: Date:

What did you find to be most useful about your mentoring sessions?

What would you like to be different to make mentoring sessions more helpful?

Was there anything you felt was missing that you would have liked to be included in thementoring sessions?

Please rate the following: Poor Average Excellent

Effectiveness of mentor 1 2 3 4 5Mentoring location 1 2 3 4 5Mentoring content 1 2 3 4 5Mentors listening skills 1 2 3 4 5Mentors positive support 1 2 3 4 5Overall rating 1 2 3 4 5

Other comments:


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Attachment L:Volunteer MentoringProgram

Supervision Evaluation Form


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Supervision EvaluationDate:

What did you find to be most useful about group supervision?

What would you like to be different to make group supervision more helpful?

Is there anything you feel is missing that you would like to be included in group supervision?

Please rate the following: Poor Average ExcellentEffectiveness of coordinator 1 2 3 4 5

Supervision format 1 2 3 4 5Supervision content 1 2 3 4 5Peer support 1 2 3 4 5Support with problem solving 1 2 3 4 5Overall rating 1 2 3 4 5

List of other topics or concerns you would like to have addressed as part of an advanced training.

[email protected]

Documents

Transcript of [email protected]