An Overview
The Municipal Court Administration Association of SC 101 Mentoring Program will be in six-month intervals, with each mentor serving two-year terms. During the six months, the mentor would only be working with one mentee. This program would allow a mentor to assist four individuals within a two-year term.
Mentor Requirements
To be a mentor, the individual will need to have been a clerk of court/court administrator for no less than 10 years and an active member of MCAA. This is a voluntary position.
Mentee Requirements
To be a mentee, the individual will have two years or less experience as a clerk of court/court administrator, an active member of MCAA, attended at least one MCAA Annual Meeting or Annual Conferences and actively enrolled in “MCAA 101.”
Program Services
During the six months, the mentee has one all-day session with the mentor — either at the mentee’s court or the mentor’s, agreed upon by both of them. The two will also have a one-hour session each week, possibly using a virtual meeting software like Microsoft Teams or Webex, or possibly meeting in-person if they are located close to each other. Mentors can agree to schedule additional support at their discretion.
It will also be up to the mentors if they will charge for mileage if agreed to go to the mentee’s court. It will also be up to the mentors if they will need accommodations for the night before if it is between a one-and-a-half to two-hour drive to be provided by the mentees’ municipalities.
If mentees choose to meet in-person at their mentors’ court agencies, the mentee’s municipalities will need to reimburse the mentees for any mileage or accommodations. The mentors, nor their court agencies, will be providing financial assistance to the mentees during the six-month term of the program or any time after it.
Application Process
MCAA 101 Mentoring Program Information Access
MCAA will host the program’s information and provide access to the application. However, it will not be managing the program. This program will be implemented by Pam Larson and Kirsten Pressley and those potential mentors choosing to participate.
Mentor Application Process
The potential mentor will complete the Mentor Application and Mentor Agreement. These documents will be submitted for review. Once approved, the mentor will be listed online for review by potential mentees.
Mentee Application Process
Potential mentees will complete the Mentee Application and Mentee Agreement. They will be asked to list their first, second and third choices regarding potential mentors to be assigned. This will allow mentees to be assigned to the existing mentors to begin as soon as possible.
Roles and Responsibilities
Mentor Responsibilities
- Once approved, mentors will provide biographies explaining their applicable work experience to be listed on the MCAA portion for Mentoring Program information.
- Once mentors have been assigned, they will make the initial contact with their mentees to let them know they will be working directly with them.
- Mentors will go over the elements of the agreements ensure both sides agree to what is included and that the program is a team effort, rather than the mentors doing all of the work.
- Mentors will initiate the scheduling of the all-day in-person visit, making every effort to ensure accessibility for their mentees. It will be up the mentors to determine if they will go to their mentees, or if their mentees will come to them. For some mentees, it may be best to have mentors that are closer in proximity.
- Mentors will make every effort to set up weekly one-hour meetings at a time that is accessible to their mentees.
- Mentors will make every effort to respect and honor the weekly meeting to ensure their mentees are getting the assistance and guidance they need during the six-month program.
- Mentors have the right and choice to determine if further assistance beyond the all-day meeting and one-hour meeting will be provided. This could be emails or phone calls to handle quick questions.
- Each mentor will be assigned only one mentee for the six-month period.
- Mentors will make every effort to provide rescheduling notice in a timely fashion and provide a new date and time.
Mentee Responsibilities
- Upon receiving contact with their mentors, mentees will meet with their mentors initially to go over the elements of the agreements to ensure both sides agree to what is included and that the program is a team effort, not mentors doing all of the work.
- Mentees will make every effort to work with their mentors’ scheduled regarding scheduling the all-day meeting. If it is decided the mentees will go to their mentors, the mentees and their municipality will assume all financial responsibility for the visit. If mentors agrees to go to their mentees, the mentors will determine if the mentees’ municipality will be responsible for reimbursing for mileage or overnight stay.
- Mentees will make every effort to work with their mentors’ schedule regarding setting up weekly one-hour meetings at time that is accessible.
- Mentees will make every effort to respect and honor the weekly meeting to ensure their mentors’ availability remains consistent.
- If mentees have to reschedule the one-hour weekly session, they will make every effort to do so in a timely fashion.
First Contact With Mentee
Mentors will contact their assigned mentees and ask the mentees what three or four goals the mentees want to accomplish in the six-month period. The mentors and mentees will determine the date and time of the first one-hour meeting, or may choose to do the onsite meeting first.
Mentors will use the goals provided by their mentees to complete the Mentor Program Agreement that will be reviewed and signed by both participants during the first meeting — whether this is a one-hour or full-day meeting.
No-Fault Termination
All of those participating in the MCAA 101 Mentoring Program are committed to open, frequent and honest communication in their interactions. Each participant will discuss and attempt to resolve any conflicts as they arise. If, however, one needs to terminate the interaction for any reason, it will be agreed upon and everyone will abide by the decision.
If mentors are terminating their interaction, they will need to contact Pam Larson and Kirstin Pressley in an effort to get their mentees assigned to other mentors for the remainder of the six months prior to contacting their mentees.
If mentees are terminating the interaction, they will need to contact Pam Larson and Kirstin Pressley in an effort to get their mentors assigned to other mentees, which will start the six months from the beginning. NOTE: This may push the mentor past the two-year commitment in order to complete the newly assigned mentee’s six months.
Acknowledgements
Everything discussed in the agreement will be confidential unless otherwise specified at the time of discussion. This mentoring agreement sets forth the objectives that the Mentor and Mentee commit to working on together. Both agree to follow the guidelines of this agreement for the 6-month period and to make a good faith effort to resolve any issues that may arise between them.
As a condition of their voluntary participation in the mentoring program, both Mentor and Mentee agree to waive any and all claims based on or arising from the mentoring program that they may have against each other, the municipalities they represent, the Municipal Association of South Carolina, the South Carolina Municipal Court Administration Association, and their respective councils, boards, staff, and members (the “Released Parties”), including without limitation as to any claim for reliance on information provided by or on behalf of any Released Party in connection with the mentoring program. Mentor and Mentee hereby release each of the Released Parties from and against any and all liability for any claim, injury, or other damages that may arise out of the mentoring program of any use or implementation of any ideas, instructions, procedures, products, services, or methods that Mentor and Mentee may discuss.