Apollo Mentor Handbook: Difference between revisions

Volunteering to be a part of the mentorship program is a big step. Not only does it put you on the front lines when it comes to our new members, but it also allows you to help shape the future leaders of the Fleet. As such, this is a big step towards your own leadership potential, and it is a big responsibility that should not be taken lightly.

Keep in mind that each officer is different; some will come to the ship and need very little direction, while others may need some intensive one on one help. Whatever the case is with the ensign you are mentoring, remember that you are not alone! The First Officer and Captain are available to help and answer questions that either of you might have along the way.

Mentors are coordinated through, and allocated by, the Command Staff of the USS Apollo. As states previously, the ship has a set group of officers who volunteer to help new members of the crew. If you think that this is a job that you might like to do, review the following requirements and send a message to Fleet Captain Andrus Jaxx to apply.

*The urge to help new players learn the ropes so that they might one day become a solid member of the crew</span></div>

When a new Ensign arrives on the ship, they will receive a few specific emails. The first is a welcome from the Commanding Officer, and the second is the welcome from the First Officer. Once the welcomes are out of the way, the Commanding Officer will assign a mentor and hand off the Ensign to their specific mentor to ensure that both the mentor as well as the new member know what is going on. An example of such an email from the CO or XO is listed below. Remember, don't send this email out! It has already been sent to the Ensign by the Commanding/Executive Officer!

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Once the email from the Commanding Officer has been sent out, it is your turn to introduce yourself to your new mentee. There is no right or wrong way to do this, as long as you keep in mind that new Ensigns can be easily overwhelmed and confused. As such, you should strive to provide a base for them to build their knowledge both IC and OOC.

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The first few days of a new member's tour of duty are some of the most confusing. Everyone aboard the ship is already simming normally, and they might shy away from jumping in. At this point it is vital for the mentor's to take the lead as there are multiple issues that can come up that could derail a new member from getting integrated into the crew.

Perhaps more than any other point in time, this is the most critical for retention of new members. Often, this is when members get lost and fall between the cracks. Without the help and vigilance of a mentor and command staff, it is possible that no one would notice the new Ensign not simming. It is for this reason that your job is so important within the workings of the Apollo.

Feedback is another vital part of the mentoring process. Mentors will provide feedback to new members about both the things that they are doing right as well as the things that they might need to improve on. Use examples or bits from other people's sims to show how things should be done correctly, but be sure not to overload the new member with lots of things that need to be fixed. Concentrate on one or two big things, then work your way to the smaller issues that might be occurring.

Promotions are very important to knew officers and mentors should help their mentees by setting some goals with them.  Be sure to link your mentee the [[Apollo Promotion Guide]] so that they are aware of what they need to work on to make it to the next level.  While they will only need your feedback for a short time, there is a sense of pride when you are able to watch an officer you have been mentoring, grow to higher ranks.

Beyond the three required feedback emails, all mentors are required to send at least two emails per month for the first three months to the new Ensign to make sure they understand the style and to ensure that they are having no problems with anything IC or OOC. This is when mentors will catch little issues, such as difficulty writing into situations, difficulty keeping up, and OOC questions that new Ensigns may still be afraid to ask. By maintaining this contact with these ensure that all new members are fully integrated into the crew and have a firm handle on simming with our group, putting them well on their way to 'senior officerhood'.

Some new ensigns have no problems getting into the plot and simming regularly. If this is the case with your mentee, then you only need to send these 'checking in' emails to make sure that everything is still okay. If you have an Ensign who is still having trouble, use these emails to offer feedback and help, and don't limit yourself to two emails a month! Mentors are expected to keep sending feedback emails until the issues and kinks are all worked out.

Occasionally, there are problems with new Ensigns that mentors simply cannot solve on their own. No person aboard, new Ensign or not, should ever be abusive to any other member aboard. This includes, but is not limited to OOC emails, IC actions and speech (unless cleared by all members involved), threats of any kind, or verbal (via email or IM) abuse. If mentors should encounter a problem with an Ensign, it is vital to let the Commanding Officer and the First Officer know right away. Be sure to save any conversation snippets, such as IM logs or emails, and forward them to the command staff so that things can be taken care of appropriately. Don't ever retaliate or try to 'teach them a lesson'. Stay calm and professional, then get help.

On the flip side, some mentees have issues or problems with their mentors. While mentors are screened prior to their allowance into the mentoring program, sometimes personalities just don't mesh. All new Ensigns are encouraged to contact the command staff if such an event arises, as are the mentors who might feel that the match is not something that is really sustainable. Remember, we would rather retain the new Ensign and find them a different mentor than allowing a harmful and counterproductive relationship to go on.