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Mentor Mentee Program
By Virgil Oliphant
MENTORING PROGRAM HANDBOOK
The BAA has established a Mentoring Program designed to assist all fanciers with the growth and advancement of the Budgerigar Fancy.  This program includes a handbook that defines the program and establishes responsibilities and a “Strawman” Mentor Mentee Program for clubs to either use or write their own.  This program was written with the idea of continuing our theme of local club control.  The handbook and the guidelines will be maintained on the BAA web site. Please read and consider incorporating a program within your local club. 

What is Mentoring?

 

   A. Mentoring creates an environment where individuals feel valued and motivated to excel. 

 

   B. Mentoring is an avenue for more experienced budgie fanciers to share their experiences with novices

      to the hobby. 

 

   C. Mentoring is an ongoing process designed to help individuals reach their optimal potential in the

      breeding of exhibition budgerigars. A mentoring culture allows those who participate to benefit

      directly from the experiences of others through mentoring and modeling.

 

   D. Mentoring provides relationships that foster free communications between protégé’s and their mentors

      concerning breeding and exhibiting of Budgies.

 

   E. A mentoring culture depends on a focused training and education program that reinforces the goal of

      growing the hobby and provides information to both mentors and protégés. 

 

Responsibilities

 

   A. The Budgerigar Association of America will define program guidelines and overall direction for

      mentoring activities.

 

   B. The BAA Mentoring Chairman will:

 

       (1) Organize and distribute the initial mentor/mentee guidelines.

 

       (2) Monitor the program and input by affiliated clubs to ensure their success.

 

       (3) Gather Lessons Learned and adjust guidelines based on those Lessons Learned.

 

       (4) Search out and provide mentors for members in areas where no local club exists.

 

   C. Affiliated clubs will:

 

       (1) Appoint a Mentoring Program Coordinator for their club.

 

   D. Affiliated Club Mentoring Program Coordinator will:

 

       (1) Develop and promote a mentoring program within their organization.

 

       (2) Coordinate newly affiliated member assignment to club mentor.

 

       (3) Monitor the effectiveness of their mentoring programs and provide lessons learned to BAA

           Mentoring Chairman for dissemination to other affiliated clubs.

 

       (4) Assist individual mentors in maintaining an effective mentor/protégé process.

 

       (5) Assist mentor volunteers with establishing mentor/protégé assignments.

   

    E. Affiliated Club Mentors will: 

 

       (1) Act as trusted friends, or guides, who assist the mentored individuals in setting and achieving

           goals. 

 

       (2) Provide guidance, support, and encouragement throughout the time of the mentorship agreed upon.

 

       (3) Assess protégé budgerigar breeding needs; help with selection and planning for the breeding

           season, and monitor protégé progress toward achieving successful results.

 

       (4) Mentors will be available to meet with the protégé at intervals sufficient to assess the

           protégé’s progress towards achieving their objectives.

 

Strawman Mentor/Mentee Program

 

The purpose of a mentor program is to not only pass on knowledge, but to make sure that all members, new and those not new, feel as though they are part of the club.

  

Mentors

 

What is a mentor?

 

      . A mentor is one that is willing to help, assist, and train novice and/or intermediate bird club personnel that need or want help.
      . A mentor should initiate conversations with their mentee.
     . A mentor should be available for questions.
     . A mentor should impart knowledge transfer through words and actions:
     . Don’t just tell the mentee how to do something – show them, then let them try with you watching.
     . Be patient, not everyone learns quickly or is comfortable doing things on their own.
     . A mentor should teach the mentee how to make the correct decisions when pairing birds, so that once they make champion they can maintain the level  
         needed to be competitive.
     . A mentor should walk the mentee through stages.  Don’t try to train them in everything all at once (things that took you years to learn).  Train a little, and
        then help them put that training into practice.  Once mastered, train some more etc. etc.
     . Help the mentee in locating equipment, who and/or where equipment can be purchased.
     . Help the mentee with how and where to sell the stock they are not keeping.

 

What a mentor is not:

 

      . A mentor IS NOT a source for free birds.
      . A mentor is not intended to be a quick avenue to becoming a Champion.
 
 

Mentee

 

What is a mentee?

 

      . A mentee is one that is still learning the art of raising exhibition budgies.
      . A mentee should be willing to do their own research (through reading or trial and error)
      . A mentee should be willing to ask questions.  The mentor/mentee relationship is a two way street.  It is not up to the mentor to initiate all actions.
      . A mentee should be striving to learn enough to stand on their own.

 

What a mentee is not:

 

       . A dumping ground for poor quality birds.

 

 

Remember – this is a voluntary program.  If we do not treat each other with respect, the Fancy will die and with it, many years of knowledge.