MENTOR MINNESOTA CONSULTING
MENTOR Minnesota provides customized training and technical assistance in order to elevate the effectiveness of youth mentoring programs across Minnesota. In 2020, MENTOR Minnesota provided over 376 hours or technical assistance with 18 mentoring programs. We can assist you with a variety of projects including National Quality Mentoring System reviews, program development, training, and more! Check out the descriptors of specific areas of focus we offer below.
WHAT DO WE DO?
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Program Creation
Starting a new program? MMN Consultants have experience guiding you through what you need to get your new program up and running. Consulting for program evaluation is available only after attendance at our quarterly Press Start Events. Our next Press Start will be in January 2022.
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Evaluate your Quality Mentoring Program
The National Quality Mentoring System review identifies how you can elevate your youth mentoring program. The NQMS uses the Elements of Effective Practice to measure your program’s adherence to best practice to create a plan for long term program improvement.
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Continuous Improvement
Our consultants can help you identify areas of your program that need more structure or attention based of your NQMS review and the Element of Effective Practice for Mentoring. Examples include helping you design and implement a screening process for mentors or creating a plan for match closures.
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Management and Program Operations
MENTOR Minnesota can help improve your program operations. Projects include creating onboarding processes, staffing calculators, and implementing new management software.
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Contract Training
Our research-based trainings help train your staff or mentors on best practice in mentoring and increase the quality and responsiveness of your mentoring program. The following trainings are available through contract.
Trainings include:
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Press Start: Mentoring Program Design 101 (for future program leaders)
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Maximize your Awareness (for mentors)
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Maximize your Impact (for mentors),
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Elements of Effective Practice training (for staff, new board members, and NQMS reviewers)
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Trauma Informed Mentoring (for staff and mentors)
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Resources and templates
MMN can help you create documents to streamline program management. Potential documents include train the trainer materials, policies and procedures, match agreements, and more. We can also help develop resources to share with your program participants.
Sign up form?
Do you have a project you need help with? MENTOR Minnesota wants to support you. MMN supports three common consulting categories: consulting for adults 18+, no-cost consulting for projects working with youth >18, and contract training. If you are interested in building a project, attend one of our Press Start events prior to applying for assistance.
18+ consulting option
Interested in hiring a MENTOR Minnesota consultant?
If your work centers individuals older than 18, MENTOR Minnesota consultants can provide personalized technical assistance to fit whatever needs your mentoring program may need.
18 and under: no-cost consulting
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Youth mentoring programs qualify for no-cost technical assistance!
If the participants in your program are under 18, you can qualify for no-cost MENTOR Minnesota consulting services covered by the National Mentoring Resource Center. The National Mentoring Resource Center improves the quality and effectiveness of youth mentoring across the country through increased use of evidence-based practices and sharing practitioner innovations.
MENTOR Minnesota has several amazing consultants who can assist with your program needs. Find someone for your next project here.
EXAMPLES OF PREVIOUS PROJECTS
MENTOR Minnesota assists mentoring programs with a wide range of projects. Below are examples of this work:
QUEERSPACE Collective (2020-2021)
"Collaborating with MENTOR Minnesota was instrumental in our ability to launch QUEERSPACE Collective in 2021. Knowing we were able to tap into proven expertise gave us the confidence to start a mentorship program for LGBTQ+ youth in our community. Carolyn, our consultant, helped us develop a program manual and tactical tools all of which are based on the Elements of Effective Mentoring and best practices. We utilize these daily in our work and feel confident in our policies and procedures. Carolyn also joined us in the LGBTQ+ pilot program to help ensure we were developing a program responsive to the needs of this unique and diverse group of youth. I can say with complete honesty we would not be where we are today without the support of MENTOR Minnesota and the technical support from its amazing team. Thank you!"
-Nicki Hangsleben
Founder and Executive Director of QUEERSPACE Collective
Bridgemakers (2020)
MENTOR Minnesota assisted Bridgemakers in developing a new program focused on creating opportunities for young people interested in community leadership and activism. Our consultant assisted them with identifying program parameters, familiarizing them with the Elements of Effective Practice in mentoring and developing a theory of change and program design. No-cost technical assistance provided by MMN through the National Mentoring Resource Center helped create a strong foundation for their program to be successful.