Description
Peer-To-Peer Mentoring Training for New Senior Corps Project Directors Statement of Work Project Period: 9/29/2009 to 9/28/2010 PROJECT OVERVIEW •1) Implement and manage a peer-to-peer mentoring program for Senior Corps directors who have been employed 18 months or less, recruiting, training, and using experienced Senior Corps project directors as mentors to their less experienced peers, with the Peer Mentoring Training Curriculum serving as the base content for each mentor training. •2) Maintain a corps of mentors and provide mentoring services to 110 - 130 new project directors who need mentoring. To be completed by 9-27-2010 •3) Assure that the peer-mentoring program meets needs in a wide variety of geographic locations. Peer-to-Peer Mentoring Program for New Project Directors Overview Continue programming to implement and manage the Peer-to-Peer Mentoring Program - a Peer Mentoring Corps - for Senior Corps directors who have been employed eighteen (18) months or less; the design will include recruiting, training, and using experienced Senior Corps project directors as mentors to their less experienced peers, with the Peer Mentoring Training Curriculum that was utilized in the first year of the program, serving as the base content for each peer training. The Peer Mentoring Corps will be comprised of Senior Corps directors with at least 3 years experience in managing their Senior Corps projects. It is estimated that 60 percent (60%) of the Mentors trained in the first two years of the program will be available for an additional year of service. New Mentors, as needed, based on actual turnover, will be selected in conjunction with sub-contractor and CSO staff according to developed criteria. Prior to being matched, all Mentors will receive training on best-practice mentoring strategies, expectations and duties, and other details regarding their service as Mentors. Each Mentor will 1) be matched with one or two new project directors per year, and will deliver face-to-face visits no later than 07/31/2010 to each assigned new director; 2) make regular email and telephone contacts with their assigned new project directors to answer questions and assess the new project director's need for further assistance; 3) be available on an on-going basis for telephone consultation with the new project director for one year; and 4) receive an honorarium and reimbursement for travel expenses. Mentors and new project directors will provide written feedback on all aspects of the mentoring process at key points in their experiences with the Peer Mentoring Program, and this feedback will be used to continuously monitor quality and update and amend, as needed the operation of the Peer Training Program. Contract Management The Project will continue to entail management of the existing and on-going Peer Mentoring Program, as well as activities targeted toward recruiting, selecting and training and maintaining a corps of Mentors; providing specific outreach and recruitment in states that did not identify mentors or mentees in the first year of programming; matching Mentors with new Senior Corps directors needing mentoring; monitoring the progress of Mentors in delivering mentoring services; assuring prompt payment to Mentors of travel expenses and honoraria; and assuring that the mentoring being delivered is of the highest quality. Overall program management and decision making is the responsibilities of the NARSVPD and NAFGPD leadership team, Sherry Black and Melodye Kleinman, they are responsible for oversight management, serve as primary contact for CNCS COTR, sub-contractor and management team members. NAFGPD Treasurer (Denise Nelsen) will serve as fiscal manager, perform bookkeeping services, process accounts payable/receiveables and provide reports to leadership team. Betty Ruth, NARSVPD Vice President will serve as a consultant, assist with marketing and evaluation. Jane Watkins, NAFGPD Past President will serve as a consultant, provide deliverables reports, assist with marketing and evaluation. The day-to-day operation of the Peer Mentoring Program and the Peer Mentoring Corps will be subcontracted to Mary Louise Schweikert (Peer Mentoring Program Manager). A subcontractor experienced in Senior Corp program operation and management, and peer mentoring program development to work independently, with CSO staff and with the leadership of NARSVPD (Melodye Kleinman) and NAFGPD (Sherry Black) will be engaged to accomplish the significant work proposed. This subcontractor will be responsible for managing, overseeing, and promoting the Peer-to-Peer Mentoring Program for New Project Directors, including providing training to new mentors as mentor turnover occurs, working with CSOs to assure that everyone is aware of the program and the benefits that new project directors can receive from peer mentoring. Contractor will partner to oversee, manage, and market the entire Project, with NAFGPD serving as the Fiscal Agent through its Treasurer (Denise Nelsen), who will work closely with the subcontractor to process all invoices, including those approved for payment by NAFGPD President Sherry Black. NARSVPD will serve as the Reporting Agent for the Project, through the NARSVPD Immediate Past President, Melodye Kleinman, who will work with the subcontractor to assure accurate and timely submission of required reports. Project progress and quality assurance will be monitored by Ms. Kleinman and Ms. Black, who will work with the subcontractor to assure the Project work plan is followed and high-quality deliverables are produced in a timely fashion. Project Activities I. Introduction of the Peer Mentoring Program to CSO Staff In the first two month of the contract, the Peer Mentoring Program Manager (Mary Louise Schweikert) will conduct an outreach to CSO staff for an update on new project directors that need to be mentored since the last corps of mentors/mentees was selected. The Peer Mentoring Program Manager will: 1.) Prepare and submit to Program Management Team for their review a quarterly overview and progress of second year activities of the Peer Mentoring Corps The overview will be distributed electronically to CSO staff, along with contact information for the Peer Mentoring Program Manager; 2) the Peer Mentoring Program Manager will follow-up this document distribution with an email offering to answer any questions and informing CSO staff that they will receive periodic communications from the Peer Mentoring Program Manager regarding various topics, including their role in Mentor selection criteria development, Mentor nominations, and new project director referrals; 3.) The Peer Mentoring Program Manager will follow-up these electronic communications with a phone call to any state office that has not nominated mentors or identified project directors needing mentor services. II. Peer Mentoring Corps: Mentor Selection and New Project Director Referral Plans Also in the first quarter of the contract year, the Peer Mentoring Program Manager will work with Contractor leadership as well as CSO staff to select a second corps of Peer Mentors based on previously established criteria for Mentor selection, including soliciting nominations for Mentor positions and new project director referrals. The Mentor selection criteria will include, but are not limited to: Demonstration of a quality project, including effective volunteer recruitment and retention; Demonstration of project outcomes; Experience in project management; Demonstration of responsiveness of federal reporting to CNCS, including on-time submission of reports and records management; Experience in securing non-Corporation resources; and, For FGP and SCP, demonstrated ability to effectively manage funded Volunteer Service Years All Mentor nominees willing to serve will complete the Mentor Information Form and return it to the Peer Mentoring Program Manager. The established criteria and the Mentor Information Form will be used to screen nominees for the Peer Mentoring Corps to ensure they meet eligibility requirements, and to provide a diverse Corps in terms of skills, ethnicity, gender, age, and education. Nominations for Mentor positions will be made by CSO staff, by Contractor, or by the project directors themselves (self-nomination). Referrals for new project directors needing mentoring services will be accepted by the Peer Mentoring Program Manager from CSO staff. The Program Manager will ensure that a Peer Mentoring Corps of Mentors will be in place by 11/30/2009 to sustain a maximum of 130 new directors. All Mentor nominees recommended by non-CSO staff or self-nominated will be submitted to the CSO director of respective nominees for review and will not be selected as a Mentor or a recipient of Mentor services without written approval from CSO. Every effort will be made to assure that an adequate number of Mentors from each Senior Corp program is available in each Cluster. Mentors selected will be proportionate to the number of Senior Corp directors from each program in that Cluster. The final determination will depend on the number of new project directors referred to the Peer Mentoring Program. The Peer Mentoring Program Manager will notify each Mentor of his/her approved status by telephone and email, and will share a copy of the Mentor Job Description at that time. III. Peer Mentoring Corps: Mentor/New Project Director Matching Plan Using the Mentor Information and the Request for Mentoring for New Project Directors Forms, and in coordination with CSO staff, the Peer Mentoring Program Manager will match a Mentor to a new project director, insuring that in most cases the Mentor and new project director each direct the same program type. Whenever possible, Mentors and new project directors will be matched within the closest geographic distance or within the same state - whichever the CSO State Program Director of the new project director believes is best. In addition, characteristics such as program size, location (rural vs. urban), and sponsor type will also be considered in the matching process. Prior to notifying to the Mentor and the new project director that a match has been made, the Peer Mentoring Program Manager will notify the CSO staff making the new project director referral. Should CSO staff have concerns about the match, the Peer Mentoring Manager will negotiate a viable solution. The Peer Mentoring Program Manager will notify both the Mentor and the new project director of the match via a telephone call and email, and will share the New Project Director Information Form, as well as pertinent information from the Request for Mentoring for New Project Director Form to inform him/her of areas in which more intense training might be necessary. IV. Peer Mentoring Program: Structure Peer Mentors are responsible for 1) ensuring at least one - two face-to-face meetings (depending on the needs of the mentee) with each of their assigned new project directors are completed by 7/31/10 and 2) establishing a plan of on-going contact that will result in a well-trained project director who is knowledgeable about program operation as well as the resources available to him/her to assist in running a superior Senior Corps program. Within one week of notification that a match has been made, the Peer Mentor will make initial contact with the new project director via telephone to make introductions and talk about both the time line for and content of the Mentoring training to be delivered. Once they have established dates and times for at least the first in-person visit (to occur not more than one month after the initial telephone contact) and discussed any areas in which the new project director feels he/she might need more extensive training, the Mentor will be responsible for 1) notifying the Peer Mentoring Program Manager of the details of the scheduled visit, and 2) delivering the training as scheduled, including providing any appropriate handouts or other audio-visuals. Once the visit and arrangements have been approved by the Peer Mentoring Program Manager, the Mentor will be contacted via email. Overnight Mentor stays will be rare, but will be approved if deemed necessary. After the initial visit, the Mentor is responsible for establishing a regular schedule of telephone and email contact (at least bi-weekly for the first 3 months, and at least monthly thereafter to complete the 12 month period). The date and arrangements for the second face-to-face meeting will be at the discretion of the Mentor and the new project director (but no later than 7/31/10), and will be based upon the needs of the new project director and the schedules of both parties. The Mentor is responsible for notifying the Peer Mentoring Program Manager when the second visit has been scheduled; the arrangements again will be subject to written approval by the Peer Mentoring Program Manager. Both the Mentor and the new project director are responsible for completing and submitting to the Peer Mentoring Program Manager: 1.) An evaluation/report form after each face-to-face contact, 2.) Maintaining a log record of visits, telephone calls, and email contacts, using the reporting system that will be established for this purpose; and 3.) The Mentor is responsible for timely submission of the Request for Reimbursement for travel expenses (along with receipts) after each visit, as well as a Request for Payment of the Mentor honorarium ($200 per completed visit) to the Peer Mentoring Program Manager. A check for the honorarium will be issued by the treasurer only after the required training Post Site Visit Report form and the Mentoring Plan have been received by the Peer Mentoring Manager. All reimbursement requests will be submitted prior to 9/27/2010. V. Peer Mentoring Program: Management On an on-going basis, the Peer Mentoring Manager will be responsible for: Maintaining the roster of Mentors; Conducting outreach (as described earlier) to identify new project directors in need of training, and maintaining a log of new project director status (in need of training, received one visit, post-training, etc.); Matching Mentors to new project directors as referrals are received; Communicating with mentors in each cluster to answer questions, gather feedback on and share Mentor experiences, motivate Mentors who have not yet been assigned a new project director, conduct necessary business, and provide Program updates; Being available to Mentors and new project directors during normal business hours via telephone or email should questions or challenges arise. Providing on-going quality assurance by speaking personally via telephone to at least two randomly-selected Mentors and new project directors every month regarding the quality and value of the Mentoring experience; Monitoring the status of training for each new project director; Conducting both written and telephone follow-up and evaluations with Mentors and new project directors; Managing all Peer Mentors request for reimbursement of Mentor travel expenses and payment of honoraria. VI. Peer Mentoring Corps: Mentor Training It is anticipated that Mentor positions will be vacated at some time as a result in the actual number of mentors needed or the retirement or withdrawal of Mentors from the Corps for various reasons. The project manager will conduct one-on-one and small group trainings via conference calls as the primary method of orienting and training new mentors. Training includes effective practices, distant mentoring, and working with Corporation State Offices. A workshop will be scheduled for the National Conference on Volunteerism and Service in New York City. Mentors from the Atlantic Cluster and those who are attending the conference will be invited. The Peer Mentoring Program Manager will make all arrangements for these trainings with final approval from the NARSVPD and NAFGPD leadership team. VII. On-Going Support for Mentors The Peer Mentoring Program Manager and the corps of mentors will use the Peer Mentoring Project Google Group to conduct program business; share mentoring experiences and challenges; clarify roles as necessary; and provide motivation to Mentors who may have not yet been assigned to a new project director so they are prepared to "hit the ground running" as soon as a new project director is assigned. The Peer Mentoring Program Manager will continue to be available to Mentors and new project directors at all times via telephone and email should questions or challenges arise. VII. Peer Mentoring Corps: Full Deployment Mentors will complete a total of up to one hundred and thirty mentoring assignments/matches; match assignment activities to include site visits, telephone and email contact, support, completed written evaluations, and activity logs as described previously. Contractor will issue a final report of activities and accomplishments to Senior Corps COTR within sixty (60) days of the end of contract year. VIII. Peer Mentoring Corps - Marketing Contractor will market the Peer Mentor Corps and its services to all stakeholders via written and email communications within each Cluster, such that CSO staff, experienced and new project directors, and others are well-informed of the details of the Peer Mentoring Corps as it progresses through its development and implementation in Year Two. Marketing is designed to send a message about the need for mentoring and the value of the program, to effectively recruit and retain mentors and to increase public awareness of the program. NARSVPD (Betty Ruth) and NAFGPD (Jane Watkins) will send monthly updates and stories of mentoring successes to COTR to distribute to RSVP, FGP and SCP project directors via NSSCtalk listserve. NARSVPD (Melodye Kleinman) and NAFGPD (Sherry Black) will send two reports to CSOs (Sept. and January) that highlight the program and encourage participation. This effort is designed to foster positive relationships. Contractor will continue to maintain a google group for mentors to share experiences and best practices. IX. Peer Mentoring Program - Evaluation Contractormanagement team will continue to conduct on-site evaluations of mentoring sessions and gather information and data from both mentors and mentees. The program manager will conduct post-training surveys. To answer practical questions about the effectiveness of the Peer Mentoring Program including: Contractor wants to know if Peer Mentoring improves the performance of Project Directors, reduces the rate of turnover, and strengthens the corps of Project Directors. Short-term evaluation (conducted by Melodye Kleinman, Betty Ruth, Jane Watkins, and Sherry Black) will include: 12 check-ins with mentoring pairs and monthly monitoring of recruitment and training. Long-term evaluation (conducted by Melodye Kleinman) will include a Survey to project directors mentored in the first year (including a control group of new project directors who did not participate in the mentoring program) and a Survey to 30% of CSO staff participants regarding mentored project directors and meeting performance standards. Reporting The Peer Mentoring Program Manager will compile, analyze and report to the Contractor the Mentor and new project director program evaluation results on an on-going basis as well as the final data regarding Mentoring provided. The Peer Mentoring Program Manager will develop and Contractor will issue a final report of activities and accomplishments to CNCS COTR within sixty (60) days of the end of contract year.