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http://rid.org/UserFiles/File/pdfs/Standard_Practice_Papers/Drafts_June_2006/Mentoring_SPP.pdf

About MentoringRID believes that the mentoring relationship is of benefit to consumers of interpreting services aswell as to those in the interpreting profession. Each mentoring situation is unique depending upon theindividuals involved and the goals of the relationship. Some mentoring relationships are formalarrangements that are arranged and managed by an agency, RID Affiliate Chapter, interpreter educationprogram or other entity. Other mentoring relationships are private commitments between twoindividuals. These may include scheduled meetings and written goals or may simply involve an informaldiscussion of the interpreting work. Group mentoring may also occur. Common to all successfulmentoring relationships is a mutual commitment to professional growth.There is no standard term used for the person seeking mentoring. For the sake of consistency, theterm used throughout this document is “mentee.”What are the benefits of mentoring?Consumers of interpreting services benefit from mentoring services because it increases the pool ofinterpreters skilled in specialized areas (such as medical or legal) and assists less experienced interpretersin developing a higher level of competency at a faster pace. In addition, many interpreterswho provide mentoring report that they experience greater job satisfaction as a result. This mayincrease retention in the field, making more interpreters available for consumer needs.Mentors benefit through direct involvement in the professional growth of interpreters. Beinginvolved in a mentoring relationship may also provide inspiration for the mentor’s own professionaldevelopment through working with newer interpreters who may have more current theoretical knowledge.Mentoring can also provide interpreters with an opportunity to expand business options andearn continuing education credits (CEUs) through independent study programs.The interpreting profession as a whole benefits from mentoring relationships by having more wellroundedprofessionals in the field and opportunities for collaboration between interpreters and Deafcommunity members. In addition, mentoring helps to develop supportive relationships among colleagues.Individual interpreters benefit from mentoring by connecting with colleagues, broadening perspectives,being challenged and developing or strengthening skills and knowledge. When the relationshipinvolves a more experienced interpreter working with a novice interpreter, the newer interpreter mayexperience a smoother entry into the interpreting field.STANDARD PRACTICE PAPERWhat does the mentoring relationship look like?There are many approaches to mentoring. The mentor may serve as a coach or advisor, providingsuggestions and information. The mentor may act as a sponsor, providing entree to the Deaf communityand businesses that employ interpreters as well as valuable networking connections with other interpreters.The mentor may also provide encouragement and emotional support. It is important that mentorsunderstand the limitations of the relationship and do not try to provide counseling.What are the qualifications of a mentor?A mentor can be a deaf or hearing person who has knowledge or experience that can be of benefitto the mentee. Mentors should be open, respectful, willing to risk mistakes and admit to them, interestedin learning and sensitive to issues of power, culture and interpersonal dynamics. The mentor shouldhave an understanding of adult learning theory, the mentoring process and culture and have the time tocommit to the mentoring relationship. Depending upon the goal of the mentoring relationship, the mentorshould have a working knowledge of American Sign Language (ASL); English; other languages, ifrelevant; interpreting methodologies; ethics; business practices; or other skills or knowledge salient tothe mentoring relationship and the interpreting process. Local regulations or statutes may also stipulatequalifications of a mentor.How are goals determined in a mentoring relationship?The mentee, in consultation with the mentor, determines the goals for the mentoring relationshipbased on individual needs. The mentee may set long-term or short-term goals or both. These goals maybe influenced by legislation or organizational policies. For example, a state or agency may require acertain level of certification for employment which may drive the goals of the mentoring relationship.Interpreters may also wish to develop skills in a specific setting. For example, an interpreter may wish towork in medical or legal settings and seek a mentor with experience in these areas who could assist insetting goals and subsequently determining appropriate activities and experiences to work toward thosegoals.How is mentoring different than an internship?Internship programs usually occur when an interpreter is still a student. Sometimes referred to aspracticum programs, these are limited to a defined period of time when the interpreting student is undersupervision. An intern usually observes experienced interpreters and may provide supervised interpretingservices. Goals for an internship are established by the training program and may encompass manyskill areas. Generally, an intern is evaluated by the training program and possibly by the internship siteand must meet certain criteria in order to satisfactorily complete the internship.Mentoring relationships may be sought by graduates of interpreter education programs, novices inthe field and experienced interpreters. Mentoring allows an interpreter to target specific areas forimprovement and to set goals in consultation with a mentor. Evaluation consists of reviewing progressand adjusting goals and is not based on a grading system to measure success. Mentors may or may notbe present when mentees are providing interpreting services and generally do not function in a supervisoryrole.Who pays for mentoring services?Mentoring time may be paid by the mentee’s employer, an agency or by the mentee. Some mentorsbarter their time in exchange for services or offer limited pro-bono services as a way of giving back tothe profession. Mentoring time is often charged on an hourly basis but can be established as anarrangement for a block of time or per service. In some cases, mentoring is part of the regular duties ofa salaried or hourly interpreter.2 MentoringMentoring 3 STANDARD PRACTICE PAPERHow can I contact a mentor?Mentoring services are offered in a wide variety of contexts and programs. RID Affiliate Chapters,state commissions, educational institutions, interpreting agencies or independent mentoring businessesmay provide or know about these services and be able to connect an interpreter with a mentor. TheNational Interpreter Education Center hosts Project TIEM.Online (Teaching Interpreting Educators andMentors), which includes a list of “best resources in mentoring.” (See resources section.)How can I add mentoring to my business practice?While a mentoring practice is rarely the primary income source for interpreters, many individualinterpreters and agencies provide mentoring services in addition to providing other services. Interpreterswho have formal training as a mentor are more likely to have the necessary knowledge, skills and abilitiesto provide effective services. Interpreters working as mentors should follow ethical business practicestandards in providing service, setting rates and determining when to mentor and how to be compensatedfor these services.How does mentoring apply to the NAD-RID Code of Professional Conduct?Involvement in a mentoring relationship demonstrates a commitment to many of the principles of theNAD-RID Code of Professional Conduct (CPC) for sign language interpreters. Tenet 7 of the CPC statesthat, “Interpreters engage in professional development.” Mentoring falls within this domain. For all whoare involved, it is a learning and growing experience that raises the level of professionalism for individualpractitioners as well as the field as a whole. Additionally, a mentoring relationship that includes anagreement to keep what is shared confidential can provide an ethical framework for discussing thechallenges faced in interpreting situations. While still respecting the rights of consumers, mentoring canallow interpreters an opportunity to discuss, with trusted colleagues, appropriate and effective choices tomake in real-life settings. Finally, mentoring relationships strengthen collegial relationships and can contributeto a higher level of respect among colleagues.