Virginia 4-H Camping Volunteer Training Modules

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Virginia 4-H CampingVolunteer Training Modules
MODULE 18 DEVELOPING MENTORING RELATIONSHIPS AT
4-H CAMP
Developed by Barry A. Garst, Ph.D., Assistant
Professor and Extension Specialist 4-H Youth
Development, March 2006
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How to Use this Information

• If you are a 4-H adult volunteer leader
• 1. Review the 4-H camp-related information
  contained in this presentation.
• 2. Consider the Discussion Questions listed on
  the last page.
• 3. Contact your local 4-H Extension Agent (or
  other person responsible for
• 4-H camping in your county/city) to review
  this information.
• If you are a VCE faculty or staff member
  responsible for 4-H camping in your unit
• 1. Review the 4-H camp-related information
  contained in this presentation.
• 2. Use this presentation to support your 4-H camp
  teen/adult volunteer
• leader training.
• 3. Use the Discussion Questions listed on the
  last page as a resource in
• reviewing this information with your 4-H
  camp volunteers.

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Overview

• What is mentoring?
• What is your experience with mentoring?
• Pass Down Principle
• Being a 4-H camp mentor

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What is mentoring?

• The word comes from a Greek story about a man
  named Mentor who was a trusted...
• Friend
• Advisor
• Teacher

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What is mentoring?

• Mentoring is a relationship where the person
  with greater experience, expertise, and wisdom-
  guides and teaches someone with less experience
  to help them to be successful.
• At 4-H camp, experienced 4-H camp volunteers can
  be mentors to less experienced volunteers.

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What is mentoring?

• Mentoring involves going above and beyond your
  expectations at an adult 4-H camp volunteer.
• Mentoring is more than doing a job- it is help
  that goes beyond the normal obligations of the
  job.

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What is your experience with mentoring?

• Take a few moments to complete the handout Being
  a 4-H Camp Mentor.

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Pass Down Principle

• The way that experienced 4-H camp volunteers
  treat less experienced 4-H camp volunteers
  becomes a model for how they will treat 4-H
  campers.
• What types of knowledge, skills, and behaviors do
  you hope to pass down to those with less
  experience?

Michael Brandwein, 1999
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Being a 4-H Camp Mentor

• Mentoring can help 4-H camp volunteers to avoid
  making the same mistakes from year-to-year.
• The opportunity to learn from each other builds
  the 4-H camp community.

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Being a 4-H Camp Mentor

• Your county/city 4-H camping program may not have
  a formal mentoring system for new 4-H camp teen
  counselors and 4-H camp adult volunteers.
• But you can start one.
• Talk with your 4-H Extension Agent (or other
  person responsible for your county/city 4-H
  camping program) about your interest in being a
  mentor to a new 4-H camp volunteer.

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Discussion Questions

• Identify one situation in which you have mentored
  someone at 4-H camp (or a situation in which you
  have been mentored by someone else)
• How could mentoring help your 4-H camp this
  summer?
• If you had to teach someone else one thing from
  this module that you think is important, what
  would it be?

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References

• Brandwein, M. (1999). Training Terrific Staff
  A Handbook of Practical
• and Creative Tools for Camps. Lincolnshire,
  IL Michael
• Brandwein.