The ORGANIZING APPRENTICESHIP PROJECT INFORMATION for ORGANIZING MENTORS WHAT IS THE ORGANIZING APPRENTICESHIP PROJECT (OAP)
OAP works to advance racial, social and economic justice in Minnesota through organizer and leadership training, research and policy analysis and strategic convening work. Its core training program is a paid Apprenticeship that offers intensive training about and an opportunity to practice organizing skills to 8-15 Apprentices OAP recruits and hires these organizing apprentices, and places them with experienced organizing mentors throughout Minnesota. Apprentices are paid and work full-time with these mentors for 6 months, (September – March.). Each month, OAP offers 2-3 full-day training and reflection seminars for Apprentices while they are in the field. Apprentices who successfully complete the program will also receive assistance in finding an entry-level community organizing position. OAP connects Apprentices to effective mentoring and placement organizations and group options where there exists a deep commitment to work with the training, organizing and racial justice work of OAP. A key part of the work plan will connect their organizing to emerging opportunities for multi-racial collaborations and racial justice organizing within the broader field of organizing, the MN Racial Equity Report Card work and strategic gatherings of partners and allies where their constituencies can support the racial equity principles, framing and campaigns. WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE ORGANIZING MENTOR? The organizing mentor is central to the training program for Apprentice organizers. Mentors are selected on the basis of their ability to provide quality training, personal mentoring and support, and are considered part of the training team for the Organizing Apprenticeship Project. Mentors are expected to work closely with Apprentices on an organizing project within their organization, to coach, give feedback and help Apprentices reflect on the application of organizing theories in a real organizing situation. Mentors participate in training on racial justice and mentoring skills offered through OAP. WHAT ARE THE QUALITIES OF AN EFFECTIVE OAP MENTOR? Several criteria are considered when selecting organizing mentors. We are looking for community organizers who: 1) are currently working in an active and effective community organization committed to racial, social and economic justice; 2) have at least 3-5 years of organizing experience, preferably with at least two different communities; 3) understand and can communicate organizing principles; 4) have successfully organized, successfully supervised, and helped develop leaders and organizing staff. Finally, we look at the specific project and activities to which an Apprentice might be assigned, and the likelihood that those activities will help the Apprentice in developing organizing skills.
HOW WILL APPRENTICES BE SELECTED? Since 1993, OAP has recruited potential Apprentices from a variety of sources, including colleges and graduate schools as well as neighborhood and community groups. We aggressively recruit Apprentices from communities of color and/ or new immigrant communities. Some candidates will be recent college graduates, some will receive school or internship credit for their Apprenticeship, and some will be older community members who may have developed an interest in organizing through their volunteer work with a community organization. OAP will interview applicants and identify an initial group of candidates. Many times the apprentice identifies a potential mentor and/or placement organization in their application. Other times, organizers who have been mentors with OAP are offered an opportunity to interview interested applicants. Final placement decisions will be by mutual agreement between potential mentors and Apprentices. WHO WILL PAY FOR THE APPRENTICES? In most cases, the Organizing Apprenticeship Project pays Apprentices’ a stipend of $1300. OAP also provides or contributes toward basic health insurance coverage for Apprentices. Details of the salary and benefits package are individually negotiated with each site. WHAT ARE APPRENTICES EXPECTED TO EXPERIENCE AND LEARN?
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how to recognize, research, develop a community issue; how to conduct a power analysis in a community; how to work with community members and leaders in an organizing process, and how to involve new communities & individuals in organizing;
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how to identify, support, and encourage new community leadership; how community organizations work internally; the skills of one-on-one community outreach, planning & evaluating large & small meetings; how community organizations raise & manage funds; the concerns, conditions, and issues affecting the community in which they work.
WHERE HAVE APPRENTICES WORKED? In the past, Apprentices have worked with women’s organizations, neighborhood groups, organizations representing the GLBT community, unions, congregation-based organizations, farm-workers’ organizations, organizations representing communities of color and/ or new immigrant communities, housing organizations, senior action organizing projects, rural/ environmental projects, and youth organizing projects. They have worked on such issues as immigration, affordable housing, jobs and economic development, youth programs, welfare, childcare, health care, the environment, and community farming.
HOW DO I BECOME AN ORGANIZING MENTOR?
Becoming an organizing mentor is a two step process.
1. Inclusion on the potential Mentor List. OAP is constantly updating its list of potential mentors. This list includes all organizers who we believe could be effective mentors, and it is considerably larger than the number of people and organizations who will have an apprentice placed with them in any given year. Organizers who have previously mentored an OAP apprentice are automatically placed on this list. Interested community organizers, who have not been a mentor to an OAP Apprentice, can apply to be placed on a potential mentor list by contacting OAP and participating in a short interview. OAP also may initiate this process, and regularly contacts organizers who could be mentors as we learn about them. If you are interested in mentoring an OAP apprentice and would be a new mentor, we recommend that you contact us by ______to be included on the potential mentor list and guaranteed consideration for the upcoming Apprenticeship session. A sample list of the kinds of questions we explore in a mentor assessment interview is attached.
2. Selection as an active mentor for an apprentice. Final decisions on placing any particular apprentice will reflect Apprentices’ interests, mentors’ preferences, current organizing plans and potential at the mentor site and OAP’s judgment regarding the best placement and mentor match for each Apprentice. The guiding principle of this process is finding the right learning environment and coach for each OAP apprentice. Because of this, inclusion on the mentor list does not guarantee placement of an apprentice. Before any placement is finalized, OAP will ask the apprentice and mentor to meet and assess the match and will meet with the apprentice and mentor to help create or assess an organizing work plan. In some cases, OAP may ask a particular apprentice to meet with 2-3 mentors to determine the best fit. If the mentor, apprentice and OAP agree, all parties sign a written agreement finalizing the placement. OAP reserves the right and responsibility to intervene and remove Apprentices if problems arise between the Apprentice and mentor throughout the six month placement. WHEN WILL THE APPRENTICESHIP START? The next class of OAP Apprentices will begin training in September of 2007 and will include 8 paid slots for selected Apprentices.
ORGANIZING APPRENTICESHIP PROJECT - MENTOR INTERVIEW QUESTIONS 1. Current Organizing Work: a. What is your current position and organization? (OAP mentors must be staff or leaders of the organization in which the Apprentice works.)
b. Please describe the constituencies of your organization and/ or the community with which it works.
What do you see as the elements of good community organizing?
c. What are some of the challenges you are wrestling with in your work today?
2. Community Organizing & Mentoring Experience: a. Please attach a résumé highlighting your specific experience as a community organizer. If it’s not specifically laid out in the résumé, please include an outline of what you have accomplished as a community organizer.
b. Please describe your experience as mentor, supervisor, or trainer of organizers.
c. Cross-racial organizing projects and multi-ethnic organizations are challenging learning spaces. Does your organizing involve working with individuals from communities other than your own and if so, describe your experience of and strategies for working cross racially and culturally.
3. Mentoring Plans: a. If you were selected as a mentor, what would you hope an Apprentice would learn from you during the six-month Apprenticeship period? b. What organizing activities would the Apprentice participate in if s/he were to work with you as mentor? (Describe specific projects, assignments, or activities.)
c. How would you help the Apprentice learn from his/ her organizing experience?
4. Support:
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Does your organization support you serving as a mentor for this project?
5. Please provide the names of 3 people familiar with your organizing work and your ability to mentor/ train community organizing staff.