WRIEC Mentorship Program

At this time, WRIEC is not accepting any mentor applications or providing mentor training. Mentees are welcome to apply and WRIEC will make every effort to match you with a WRIEC Mentorship Program mentor. Please contact wriec@wou.edu with questions.

Mentor and Mentee Application

Mentoring Program Overview

Qualifications of Mentors and Mentees

Required Mentee Application Documents

Mentor Directory

Mentors and Mentees Applications!

Online mentee application:https://www.wou.edu/education/sped/wriec/forms/mentee_application.php
Online mentor application:https://www.wou.edu/education/sped/wriec/forms/mentorship_application.php. Please note that we are not accepting applications at this time.
Download the Mentorship Program information packet here

Mentoring Program Overview

In a recent survey assessing interpreter practitioner needs that was conducted by the National Consortium, more than 80% responded positively when asked whether they could benefit from a mentor or tutor. When asked if they wanted a mentor, were one available, 77% responded yes. In response to our stakeholders, the Western Region Interpreter Education Center has trained 50 Mentors to date and able to match a Mentor with a Mentee!

The WRIEC Mentorship program is based on the principles of mentee-centered learning.

In keeping with this philosophy, mentees are responsible for all aspects of their professional development; from application to completion of the program. This process includes mentee-selected goals, self-assessment of skills, and participation in the design of skill enhancement activities. Mentors guide the process and foster the mentee’s self-directed learning. Ultimately, this approach to professional development will result in skill enhancement for the mentee and a rewarding learning experience for the mentor.

Program Structure

The WRIEC Mentorship Program is a self-designed and guided program, whereby the mentee and mentor determine the cost, location, duration and activities within the formalized parameters described below. WRIEC assists in the process by helping pair mentors and mentees. Whenever possible, WRIEC honors requests for specific mentors or mentees.

Mentorship Program Cost

In almost all cases, there is a fee for a mentorship experience. The fee can range from as little as $20/hour to fees more in line with the Mentor Interpreter’s interpreting fees. In some cases, an interpreter will charge little or expenses only to a special mentee as a means of giving back to the community. However, everyone recognizes that time spent mentoring is time taken away from other paid employment. In addition, a mentor may charge for travel, travel time or other expenses.

WRIEC does not set the fees charged by mentors for their services nor assist with any financial transactions between the mentor and mentee. Rather this fee is negotiated between the mentor and mentee. In almost all cases, agreement of fees, payment structure and form of payment is agreed upon between the mentor and mentee prior to their first meeting.

To help offset these fees, WRIEC subsidizes a portion of the cost for mentoring services. Mentoring sessions are compensated at $20 per two-hour meeting for a maximum of ten sessions, once a minimum threshold of five sessions have been met. For example, a mentor charges $40/hour for his or her mentoring services. After completion of the ten sessions, WRIEC will subsidize $200 towards the $400 mentor fee. RID CEU’s are available for the Certification Maintenance Program as well.

Minimum Required Sessions

For optimum effect, WRIEC strongly encourages the mentors and mentees to commit to a ten session mentorship, so that an adequate scope and sequence can be achieved. WRIEC further recommends that a formalized individual session be approximately 1.5 to 2 hours in duration and occur every two to three weeks. WRIEC encourages other outside related activities as a supplement to the formalized meeting time.

WRIEC requires that at least three out of every five sessions must focus on the formal mentoring process. The purpose of this requirement is to ensure that the mentorship focuses on skill development/enhancement and not observations only. The other two meetings may include such activities as observation, journal maintenance and other opportunities described more fully in the Mentorship Manual.

Program components

Up to 10 sessions with matched Mentor/Mentee
Pre/post mentorship skills assessments
Stipend to mentors, other compensation and arrangement of funds are up to the mentee
Log of activity to show development and progress
Follow up survey and exit interview
Ongoing support for Mentors and Mentees conference calls, blog, list serve
Application materials submitted online at www.wou.edu/wriec

Distance mentoring

Distance mentoring is frequented in the WRIEC Mentorship Program. The only difference between face to face and distance mentoring is the way the mentor and mentee will communicate and share materials.

The mentor and mentee may decide to communicate and/or share materials via:

the telephone;
instant message for quick conversations regarding questions, updates, etc.;
video phone calls for longer meetings;
E-mail messages for any needs other than mentorship meeting activities; or
agree upon a unique communication process specific to their circumstance.

The mentor and mentee will have to spend some additional time creating alternate ways to communicate and share materials. However, the reward of the mentorship will make up for the extra time and energy spent on the process.

The mentorship program is right for you! hear from the mentors:

Here’s what Mentors have been saying about their work with the mentees

"One thing that I learned that I did not expect to was that the "respect" the mentees felt from us meant more than "the answers."
"I didn't expect to learn that it's possible to mentor someone without ever seeing their work firsthand."
"A change I will make based on the training is that I will be focusing more on the mentee and their process... And now know how to really do that."
"This is the 4th mentor training I have attended. Vygotsky and letting the learner lead only finally sunk in because Cindy did such a great job explaining."
"I will change the way that I listen to people in my everyday relationships and how I team with my colleagues."
"I will change my approach on teaming and how I talk to peers about my work."
"I didn’t expect to learn that success can be met mentoring without seeing mentee’s work or the mentor having experience in a specific field."
"I liked most seeing what I need to work on in communication with a mentee. The feedback and exposure to different strategies helped me see areas I can change."
"I have some interpersonal communication changes in my everyday life that has been brought to my attention through this workshop."
"I never saw feedback and mentoring as different/separate until this workshop. I will change my approach."
"I learned how to be a better listener, communicator, and person. Not excluding being an awesome mentor."
"I learned that I don’t have to know it "all."
"Made me re-think the process of mentoring!"
"I believe this will change my entire approach to mentorship, as well as teaming."
"I will begin mentoring based on the mentee. … I will also change the way I ask questions."
"Wonderful! Great way to encourage mentee-centered learning and stop mentorship abuse!"
"Excellent workshop that gave a strong foundation in mentoring."
"It’s been awhile since I’ve felt really inspired and revitalized by an interpreting workshop. This was really good, offering practical, usable ideas."

Learn more about the need for mentees

Qualifications can be found at https://www.wou.edu/education/sped/wriec/Mentorship%20Program.html

For more information regarding the WRIEC Mentorship Program, please contact CM Hall at hallcm@wou.edu.

Qualifications for Mentor & Mentees

Eligible mentors and mentees will meet the following qualifications:

Certified member of RID or skill equivalent--Deaf, Deaf-Blind
Recommended by other mentors and/or Deaf Community members
Have passion and "heart"
Ability to schedule time for ten mentoring session
Ability to articulate the interpreting process**
Familiar with adult learning theory**
Ability to schedule time for ten mentoring sessions
Commitment to the process
Completion of an Interpreter Education Program or working interpreter
Member of RID or other related professional organization e.g., NAD, ASLTA, etc.
Must complete the WRIEC Mentorship Training
** Information and resources on the interpreting process and adult learning theory will be shared at the WRIEC Mentoring Workshop.

Qualifications for mentees:

Motivation for professional development
Ability to schedule time for ten mentoring sessions
Commitment to the process
Completion of an Interpreter Education Program or working interpreter
Member of RID or other related professional organization e.g., NAD, ASLTA, etc.

CEU's are available for mentors and mentees:

In keeping with WRIEC's dedication to the identification and implementation of effective practices, each mentorship experience will undergo the rigors of evaluation.

Required Mentee documents if have submitted the application to for the Mentorship Program

Greetings potential Mentees: thank you for your interest in our Mentorship Program!

At this point, the next steps for you is to read and complete the applicable documents:

Read the Mentee Manual--Especially the Mentorship Program Overview be wary--it's a long attachment--don't try to print it if you don't want a lot of toner used!
Fill out and email back to me your Mentee's Goals Worksheet see the Setting Initial Goals Guide for help formulating what you want to work on
Send me your electronic signature just type your name in on the WRIEC and Mentee Service Service Agreement .
You are to return the WRIEC & Mentee Service Agreement and the document, Mentee's Goal Worksheet. Upon receipt of these documents we'll begin making matches with Mentors.

If you remain interested in being mentored, please send these documents by email. The sooner you send them, the quicker the match.

To be clear, this is a professional mentoring relationship, and it is mentee-driven. With that said, it is likely that the mentors you will be working with may expect compensation for their time. The WRIEC grant will subsidize $10 of every hour, but the remainder of their usual hourly rate may be something they wish to negotiate with you. If you are unable to compensate their time upon being matched, let us know and we may need to hold your application. We encourage you to negotiate as fellow interpreting professionals, passionate about our shared vocation.

If after you submit your materials, you are not immediately matched, worry not. We'll keep your application as the mentorship trainings are ongoing throughout the western region and as more mentors are being trained.

Once you are matched, we will send you a DVD for you to videotape yourself to begin the mentoring relationship with some source material. You may want t begin lining up to borrow a video camera to do that in a few weeks! Refer to pages 47-55 of the Mentee Manual for info on how to do your self-assessment.

WRIEC Mentor Directory

To view the list of trained Mentors in the Western Region, you can click on the attached list. You may contact these individuals and ask if they would engage in a mentoring relationship with you. They may or may not assess a fee for their mentoring services.