EVALUATIONS – The Mentoring Project

Volunteer Training

Please note that this is a draft to date. The curriculum is not finalized as of March 29, 2007:

April 24th -- Basic Orientation to Program

  • Introduction to Cool Aid and the Umbrella Society
  • Issues of confidentiality, ethics etc.
  • “Stages of change” as a framework for understanding the recovery process
  • Establishing safety as a foundation for group sharing

Facilitators: Lori Ferguson and Gordon Harper, co-directors The Mentoring Project

Sally Ross, Program Coordinator,The Mentoring Project

May 1st -- Dialogue about Mentoring

  • Rewards and challenges of being a mentor
  • What to anticipate, what to be vigilant for etc.
  • Self-care and boundaries

Speakers: Honora Johannessen, Victoria Area Parole CAMS(Community Adult Mentoring Support) program, with mentors (and possibly mentoring partners)

May 8th--UnderstandingMental Illness and Addiction Part 1

Note: This session to be held at the Mental Health & Addictions Services Quadra Clinic

  • Causes of problematic substance use
  • Self-medicating mental illnesses with drugs or alcohol
  • Impacts of addiction in our community

Speakers: Gordon Harper,Umbrella

Janet Christie, FASD Key Worker, Prostitutes Empowerment & Education Resource Society (PEERS)

Psychiatric Nurse (TBA)

May 15th-- Understanding Mental Illness and Addiction Part II

  • Understanding a range of symptoms that can occur with a mental illness
  • The local MH/A system of support – “lay of the land”
  • Dialectical Behavioural Therapy
  • Personal experiences of MI/A and effects on individuals and families

Speakers: Hirsh Kline, Counsellor, Urgent Short Term Assessment and Treatment (USTAT)

Partnership Presentation (Jenna and mother Joan)

May 22nd--Fostering Quality of Life Part 1

  • Brainstorm on basic requirements for quality of life
  • Maslow’s “hierarchy of needs”
  • Cool Aid’s local response through housing, shelter and health initiatives
  • Mentoring relationships in the helping profession

Speakers: Don McTavish,Cool Aid Manager of Shelters

John Crean, Cool Aid Manager of Housing

May 29th--The Mentor as a “Walking Resource”

  • Useful resources in the community that promote health and wellness
  • About becoming an advocate, as one valuable role in a mentoring relationship
  • Goal setting, motivating and problem-solving as foundations for success
  • How to communicate with healthcare providers

Panelists: Bruce Saunders (Mood Disorders Association and Movie Monday),Nicole Cook (Umbrella), Sarah Smith (Occupational Therapist, VIHA Mental Health & Addictions, Housing and Residential Services), NEED Crisis line (representative TBA)

June 5th --Diversity and Creativity in the Mentoring Process

  • Creative tools for working with someone in recovery
  • Ideas for different settings in which to do mentoring work
  • A personal experience in artful mentoring and recovering from schizophrenia

Speakers: Clive Beal & Illyana Jones, Pandora Arts Collective (mentoring partners)

Lindsay Beal, facilitator and arts educator, Spider’s Eye Designs & Projects

June 12th–Spirit, Health and the Recovery Journey

  • Mind-body-spirit connection
  • Developing meaning and life purpose as essential to getting well
  • Balancing “helping others” and “helping others help themselves”

Speakers: Michele Quinn, Mental Health Liaison (Victoria Native Friendship Centre)

Pat Shreenan (Queenswood)

June 19th–Fostering Quality of Life Part II

  • Class Presentations

June 26th--Next Steps

  • Volunteer mentoring in practice
  • On being matched with a mentoring partner
  • On being the first group of Mentoring Project mentors
  • Evaluation