TEAM 2137TEAM 2137

Team Handbook

Mentor and Volunteer Expectations

Mentors

Mentors are critical to the success of the team. Their support of the community helps ensure the students learn the necessary skills to be effective — and have the support needed to go to events and deliver outreach.

Mentors are consistent support for enabling students with the skills they need to operate the team. They are hands-on in working with students to provide the team the necessary guidance and direction to achieve our goals. In working with the team, mentors are expected to:

  • Foster independent thinking. Create an atmosphere of open communication where students feel free to think independently, voice their opinions, and take risks — as long as they do not impose a safety hazard.
  • Be active listeners. Make sure everyone understands what is being said and what is being decided.
  • Keep the work on time. Help ensure students complete tasks on time: provide a timeline for activities, trust students to complete tasks, and hold them accountable for their assignments.
  • Build trust and respect. Mentors are expected to show trust and respect to every student while fostering the same trust and respect in them.
  • Protect safety. Make sure a safe environment is maintained and safety procedures are being followed. If there is an unsafe condition, mentors must step in and restore safety to the situation.
  • Be positive examples. This includes refraining from profane or offensive language, and avoiding inappropriate conversation, jokes, and innuendo.
  • Let students do the work. Facilitate instruction and encourage students to do as much of the work as possible. Mentors teach and observe while staying ready to help — and only step in to perform work that is beyond the students' capabilities, ideally with students present to observe and learn. Mentors can also serve as extra help if the project is behind schedule.
  • Stay alert to vulnerable situations. Mentors must not transport students in their own vehicles without written parental permission, and are NEVER to be alone with only one student in a vehicle or in a hotel room during team travel.
  • Share data, not preferences. Do not manipulate or attempt to sway students toward a personal preference; instead, provide the group as a whole with pertinent data.
  • Put the team first. Put the team's goals over personal goals. Once a team decision is made, support it wholeheartedly, even if it differs from your personal preference.
  • Model FIRST. Adhere to the FIRST® philosophies of Gracious Professionalism® and Coopertition®.
  • Follow youth protection rules. Adhere to the FIRST® Youth Protection Program guidelines.
  • Follow school rules. Adhere to the same OHS codes of conduct as the students, and the OCS policies for volunteers.
  • Communicate availability. Proactively communicate availability and attendance for planning team meetings and events.

Becoming a mentor (registration)

Because mentors are often in a position to work directly with students without other adult supervision, the following steps must be completed to be a mentor with the team:

  1. Complete and return the Oxford Community Schools Volunteer Release Form to the Teacher Advisor at the start of each school year (note: this form has been updated over time).
  2. The FIRST® Lead Mentor then invites you to be a team mentor and requests that you take the FIRST® Youth Protection Program training. Once you accept the invite and complete the training within a reasonable time frame, you will be considered a mentor with the team.

Volunteers

Volunteers provide more incidental and operational support for the team — but they are just as critical to its success. See Volunteer Opportunities for the key areas where the team needs support each season.

Like mentors, volunteers are expected to live up to the values and expectations of the team, Oxford Community Schools, and FIRST®. In particular, volunteers are expected to:

  • Protect safety. Make sure a safe environment is maintained and safety procedures are being followed; step in and restore safety if there is an unsafe condition.
  • Be positive examples. Refrain from profane or offensive language, and avoid inappropriate conversation, jokes, and innuendo.
  • Follow school rules. Adhere to the OHS codes of conduct and the OCS policies for volunteers.
  • Follow youth protection rules. Adhere to the FIRST® Youth Protection Program guidelines and Oxford Community Schools policies for adults working with students.
  • Communicate availability. Proactively communicate availability and attendance for planning team meetings and events.

See Mentors for the full list of expectations.