Mentoring Program for IACOJ explorers.

[PuffyNPFD]

I am proposing a new Mentoring Program to lead explorers on the correct path to "Crustydom". I am calling on all members to take an explorer under their wing and teach them the way of the walk. I feel that this might be a good way to avoid situations that have been in the past.

[Ohiovolffemtp]

Puffy,
I'd be glad to help mentor an explorer. Let's check with Tempie on what she thinks about this and who she'd like to assign to whom.

I think we'd need to make it clear to the explorers that we were another person to bounce things off of, but that their own dept's. hierarchy and their explorer troop leaders were their bosses.

[Temptaker]

Outstanding Idea!

I was thinking this very same thing :) Asking questions in this medium, by IM etc, is far less intimidating then asking someone who is standing right in front of you, and might look at you like you have three heads, or harass you for the next three months because they can. Oh wait, that still happens here... well no matter, it's all good. :)

I started a thread for the explorers, in off-duty to give them a chance to introduce themselves and get to know me and each other a little better. After they've all popped in I'll know better who to put with who.

Since I didn't get any Nay's on it, I am going to do an IACOJ Explorer site specifically for them, and see if we can't link up to the regular site. I would appreciate any suggestions the 'mentors' would have, I would also like to bounce ideas off the mentors if that would be ok. Once up and running it will be open to all IACOJ members.

Puffy... really outstanding idea! Just wanted to mention it again ;) Oh btw... welcome back, haven't seen you for a while. Was just thinking of you last night at the IACOJ meeting when we were discussing persons who are MIA.

[PuffyNPFD]

I'm still here sweetie. I just have been working a lot lately. I figured we could pair up a Crusty and an explorer and they could communicate either by PM, IM, or via e-mail. That way if they have any questions they don't feel like posting because they may feel uneasy about throwing out, they could ask the Crusty direct. I had an old Crusty who showed me what this job was all about when I first started, I am eternally grateful to him and I believe in doing the same for the other future Crustys among us.

[PuffyNPFD]

To the gentleman from Ohio: I agree that they should follow their own organization's rules and reg's but we could a valuable resource to them as well. To let them know paid or volunteer, big city or backwoods town we are firefighters, the fire burns just as hot and all dangers and hazards are the same. We are all one.

[SPIPER]

Great idea Puffy. I'd be happy to take one. I don't know it all, but I know enough.:D

[Temptaker]

Agreed!

There have been a good number of 'Crusties' that have allowed me to pick their brains, via email and IM. They have actually been much more encouraging and supportive then the ones that I know and work with here.

Quite often I'll be reading something on the forums, or a news story, and questions will come to mind that don't directly relate to what is being talked about in thread. Having someone to talk to that has been there, done that, and cleaned up the mess afterwards makes a huge difference in understand why certain things are done, timing etc.

Any of our IACOJ members who would like to participate in the mentoring program, if you would please PM me, or post it here, that would be great. I'll hook you up with one of our explorer's. :D

To those who have already posted that you are interested: Thank you, I'll get working on it right away.

[MOTOWN88]

OH BOY OH BOY OH BOY!!!!!! CAN I HAVE ONE PLEEEEEEEEEEASE I PROMISE TO WALK HIM AND FEED HIM AND CLEAN UP AFTER HIM . I WILL HUG HIM AND KISS HIM AND CALL HIM GEORGE!!!!!!!

[MOTOWN88]

OH WAIT ON SECOND THOUGHT.......

perhaps I should stay clear of the explorers. Unless you want them to curse like truckers, drink like a man possesed, chain smoke, wear a kilt, have toooooo many tattoos and just a general HOOLIGAN outlook on life.

[Steamer]

omg :eek:

[MOTOWN88]

stroutkristen,

Thank you for pointing out my error, please see above post for changes.

HUGS AND SMOOTCHES
MOTOWN

[UAF]

Motown-- does your post mean there's actually something you're afraid of-- teenage girls?

[Temptaker]

Motown,

You can have one, but not until they are bigger. :rolleyes: I'll think about one of the guys who is ALREADY a firefighter.

[1835Wayne]

Motown- Aren't most of us like you described any way??;)

I too will volunteeer to be a mentor to one of the little brats:eek: umm........ I mean explorers!!:D

[1835Wayne]

How about rewards for the crusties that help out??;)

[MOTOWN88]

Temptaker,

You would'nt be talkin about the helmet toss episode now would you?????

OH and watch which e-mails you send the youngsters........TIGER..... YAWWWSAAAAAH!!!!!!!!

[Temptaker]

Wayne

What were you thinkin in the way of prizes? Or do I want to know at this point? :rolleyes:

Motown

Ahhh... yes that would be the incident I was thinking of ;)

Not to worry about Tempie's mailing list. Only the select few get the ones with the stripes ;) Kinda makes ya wanna have a big cat of your own to play with doesn't it. :D

[dfdex1]

So how do we know when we are the choosen one? Do we know when the clouds out side form into a giant firefighter head and say "Explorer- you are the chosesen one- resistance is futile" :D :D :D

[SPIPER]

Tempie will swat your behind with a rolled up newspaper.:D

[Temptaker]

DFDEX

*note to self: DFD needs someone with a good sense of humour*

You will know cause I will send you a PM telling you your mentor is.

This will of course be after discussing the candidates for mentorship with the mentors. Stuff like general area, type of calls you would have as a ff in your area, blah blah blah. No point hooking you up with a dive specialist if you live in a desert.

Or I'll spank you with a news paper as Spiper stated :D

[dfdex1]

Ummmm if your gonna swat- pack a lunch theres alot to swat back there! LOL:D :D

[hfd66truck]

Motown,

My only concern is that you would break him/her accidentally...reference the hug him and hold him and squeeze him and hug him part. At least you watch the right cartoons.

Hey Puffy and Tempie good call. You know I will be here for whatever is needed.

Dave

[captstanm1]

Should not be difficult...can correspond through email....or IM if available... and....since it is a long distance thing (next best thing to being there):D I can beat them senseless...oh...that's right...they are already senseless!...:rolleyes: JUST KIDDING ...SERIOUSLY...

Seriously...I will take one....but go easy on the assignment...At my age the patience is thin (although I am far from it...thin that is).

Should add that they have to have their posts scrutinized by the mentor before posting...:eek:

[SPIPER]

Originally posted by captstanm1

Should add that they have to have their posts scrutinized by the mentor before posting...:eek:

Wow, that would be quite a time investment. Maybe only if they want to post outside of the jr/explorer forum.:D

[HFDEXP777]

i mean no disrespect and i appreciate the effort you guys are putting forth, but i'm not going to wait for every single one of my posts to be "reveiwed" by someone.

[MOTOWN88]

SPIPER, hfd66truck, Temptaker, captstanm1, and MOTOWN all standing in a tight huddle.

In a whispered voice MOTOWN proclaims that he actually agrees with the explorer. "Do we need to monitor and approve every post or just keep a close eye on what they are posting??" "Would it not make more sense to act as a true mentor in that we pass along little nuggets of wisdom and reinforce the proper attitudes and spirit into the explorers?????"

[SPIPER]

Originally posted by MOTOWN88
SPIPER, hfd66truck, Temptaker, captstanm1, and MOTOWN all standing in a tight huddle.

In a whispered voice MOTOWN proclaims that he actually agrees with the explorer. "Do we need to monitor and approve every post or just keep a close eye on what they are posting??" "Would it not make more sense to act as a true mentor in that we pass along little nuggets of wisdom and reinforce the proper attitudes and spirit into the explorers?????"

Just keep an eye out. I certainly am not going to monitor every post one of the younguns wants to make. Let them make them, they all know we are watching already.

[Temptaker]

I agree that they don't all need to be pre-read. Perhaps posts that are sensitive in nature due to the subject material, could be easily misinterpreted or whatever. They should also feel comfortable to ask their mentor to preview their post, if they want a second opinion, etc...

After all it isn't how many mistakes you make, it is whether you learn from them so you don't make them again.

[SPIPER]

Indeed, that is the way to go Tempie. Hopefully they'll be smart and brave enough to ask before they post. I wouldnt hold that against any of them.

[hfd66truck]

From the middle of the huddle, " Hey, Motown.....is that your hand?"

I agree with everything said and offer this. Sometimes the only way to learn is to be stupid. I will reference the "This man is a trained professional, don't try thgis at home" post of mine. We are not talking about censors, but mentors. Let them post, but give them a place, a brother/sister(got your back tempie) to bounce questions or ideas off. It may also give some pause before posting a tremendously out of line answer "hmmm, what would my mentor think if they read this".

[1835Wayne]

(from outside the huddle) Hey! don't forget me!! I think that we should go about it like MOTOWN says. We need to mentor, not censor. We can still tell them that they screwed up after the fact, when the pain of the attacks on the forum is still stinging.(We know they will still get jumped.)

[Ohiovolffemtp]

I understand the mentoring thing - got teenagers & have brought along more than a few pups over the years. I suggest that Tempie draft a "here's your mentor and how to use him or her" message. These young people should be respected for their interest and desire to learn. So, we should be offering them a sounding board, someone safe who cares about their growth, not another parent. They should have 1-2 of those, plus their normal FD/EMS supervisors.

We could suggest things like:
- here's someone to ask if you don't feel comfortable asking publicly
- here's someone to ask for perspective if you're feeling very strong emotions while you're writing your post
- here's someone who can take the time to explain why things are the way they are, or how it may look from the higher up's perspective.

I'll gladly take a fire and/or EMS explorer/junior, preferrably from a vollie/part-time/paid-on-call dept.

[SPIPER]

Oh my dear Kristin, just remember my motto in my sig. :D

[Ohiovolffemtp]

Kristen,
I'm batting 100% on my intubations as a medic. Just come to my station & I'll get out the McGill forceps - shouldn't take but a minute to remove fist or foot from mouth. If that fails, well, there's always the Heimlich maneouver. All I ask is that you fast for 12 hours beforehand.:D

[Temptaker]

Wayne, we couldn't forget you. I thought you were handling crowd control ;)

I agree totally. We all like to bounce ideas off of each other, make sure that we are clear and giving accurate information etc, it makes sense for them to have an outlet. It also makes sense to let them put their foot in their mouth, if they choose to do so, since it happens to be a really fast way to learn diplomacy.

That being said, if there are unwarrented attacks, harassment or otherwise badgering on any of the explorer's by other explorer's, I will be contacting the explorer's and their mentors to find out what the problem actually is. So the matter can be dealt with and we can get back to having a cohesive group. I would like to think that we (all involved with the mentoring program, including the explorer's) are all mature enough that these types of situations wont arise. :)

Ohio

Sorry didn't see your post until after I posted this the first time.
The letter sounds like a good idea. I'll start working on it, if anyone has other suggestions as to what should go in there, let me know.

[captstanm1]

ok ok ok... I guess my intentions were good, but the time investment was not all there...

I agree with whomever said..."just keep an eye on them and offer advice."

[SPIPER]

Originally posted by stroutkristen
Can someone point me in the direction out of the corner and kindly remove the fist from my mouth?:(

If Ohio didnt get it out for you, I can break out the halligan or the jaws.:D

[Althea Forhan]

...It's too bad you won't take a girl, I'd be perfect. Except for the chain-smoking. I'm trying to learn Gaelic, have my tattoos picked out for when I'm 18, and made it on stage at the Dropkick Murphys SLSP show in Chicago last year. You can see me in some of the pics of poor kids being pressed against the crowd barriers.

[Engine101]

Somewhat lost and somewhat confused after reading this thread

[Temptaker]

Althea Forhan

I believe you are on my list, so if you go to the ATTN: IACOJ Explorer's (http://www.firehouse.com/forums2/showthread.php?s=&threadid=40456) thread, and fill in the blanks as it were, I'll make sure you get hooked up with a mentor. (not Motown sorry)

Engine 101

Lost and confused.... What can we help you out with?

[SPIPER]

Tempie, when are you gonna start passing them out? I feel like I'm waiting to see if my name gets picked for a door prize.:D I'm not afraid of teenage girls, unless they bite, I dont know, I dont have any daughters.:D

[CJMinick390]

Puffy, I think this is a great idea, and I agree with all who look at this as an oppurtunity to mentor someone rather than be a parent. Tempie, I'd be happy to be added to your mentor list.

[Temptaker]

Spiper

I have already started. ;)

[FlyingKiwi]

Temp I was wondering what sort of help I could be for the mentoring program from NZ.

I was wondering if in the spirit of things if I can get the other Kiwi, Ell-Eff-Bee as my mentor. A retired British FF of many years service, and a very discerning crust he has.

Methinks I would have to go and visit him in sunny Northland, sit down and drink some, talk some, laugh some, and learn a lot every now and then.

That ok with you?

[Temptaker]

Kiwi,

I'm sure that I can find someone to 'pick your brain' ;)

If you and Ell-Eff-Bee want to get together you certainly don't need to ask permission. Might ask that you pass on the wisdom though ;)

[1835Wayne]

(pouting like a child....) I want an Explorer NOW!!!! I'll hold my breath!! I mean it! :rolleyes: ;)

[SPIPER]

Don't forget to stamp your feet too! I got mine :D

[17BRIN]

Ladies and Gentlemen, Fellow Firefighters, What if we made a list of who we are, what we can offer, then let the Explorers choose us?

Brin

[SPIPER]

Tempie has already compiled herself a list of who fits best with who.

[MOTOWN88]

Temptaker,

Who got who???????

[MOTOWN88]

Althea Forhan,

I never said I did not want a female. I was just trying to get STROUTKRISTEN ticked off. If you were 18 I would indeed ask you to marry me!!!!!

[DFDRev]

Instead of assigning an explorer to a crusty, why don't we see if Ebay will create a new category for us? With the money we raise, we can help Motown with honeymoon expenses! :D

[SPIPER]

Probably be a cheap honeymoon! LOL :D

[MOTOWN88]

I CAN SEE THE EBAY SALES POST NOW.


EBAY AUCTION ITEM 888377465785897474

This item is a one of a kind. An authentic crusty mentor, a true diamond in the ruff. This mentor is a fully functioning mentor, no knock off seconds here, and this is the real deal still in the package. You are bidding on a tattooed, Guinness swilling, foul mouthed, kilt wearing, bagpipe blowin, rugby playin, fire fightin hooligan. Buyer pays all shipping.

[SPIPER]

Seller is not responsible for any damage or missing beer.

[DFDRev]

*Penguin sold separately.

[1835Wayne]

Spiper!! LOVE the avatar!! ROFLMAO!!:D

[SPIPER]

I actually found that by accident. Since Tempie gave me the disciplinarian job I thought it was just perfect!:D

[Temptaker]

Temptaker,

Who got who???????

1835Wayne....tc/cdfexplorer
Steamer......dfdex1
Spiper.......HFDEXP777
Motown.......ff21
Puffy........College Buff
hfd66truck...90 truck
CaptStanm1...Engine 101
LadyCapn.....Althea Forhan

Still waiting for the other explorer's to reply to assign the other volunteers.

Spiper, I love that avatar too. Fits nicely ;)

[MalahatTwo7]

After some deep and careful consideration, I have decided to ask to have my name applied to the Mentor's List.

Temp if you would be so kind, and when you have a suitable candidate, I am willing to offer my services.

[Temptaker]

Thanks 27,

I'll let you and the other 'volunteers' know when one becomes available.

[Temptaker]

amendment to the list:

Ohiovol_ff/emtp....Co11FireGal


For those who haven't seen it. Spiper has started a thread, where questions are thrown out to the explorer's regarding fire issues. Great idea! :D

If you have suggestions, please let Spiper know. :)

http://www.firehouse.com/forums2/showthread.php?s=&threadid=40963