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Mentoring
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In 2006 ASLIA Vic and Vicdeaf secured funding for a mentorship project for Auslan interpreters. This was very exciting as in many ways it really is the ‘missing link’ in ASLIA Vic’s professional development program. A mentorship project seemed one way to begin to research and address the concerns about training and retention of Auslan interpreters. |
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The project was to set up a pilot mentorship program for new or graduate interpreters, who have qualified as paraprofessional interpreters. Eighteen mentors (including two Deaf mentors) were trained by a facilitator from AIM who adapted their program for Auslan interpreters. The aims of the project are to: * increase the retention rate of new interpreters in the field' * build a base of trained mentors to work with a wider group of interpreters' * introduce the concept of mentoring to ASLIA Vic membership as a positive and important adjunct for every interpreter, and * gather data to lobby for ‘coaching’ as a necessary part of interpreter training. What is happening now? Fourteen new or graduate paraprofessional interpreters have been matched up with fourteen mentors and are meeting during 2007. The pairs pursue their own program adapted to the needs of the mentee. Evaluation The mentorship program evaluation is a pivotal part of the project. Overseen by Dr. Jemina Napier from Macquarie University, the research officers Pip Cody and Tamara Pearce have developed the tools, the evaluation and will prepare a written report.The evaluation will gauge the impact of the mentorship program on the mentees and mentors and make recommendations from the data for future programs. The evaluation of the whole project will be undertaken by Marc Curtis (Vicdeaf) and Cathy Clark (NMIT Centre of Excellence for Students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing). Mentors and mentees write a journal after every meeting and focus groups with both groups have been held in August.The Future ASLIA Vic sees this project as the start to a wider provision of mentoring for all Auslan interpreters in Victoria. The positive response from the mentors and mentees shows that we are ready to take that next step. ASLIA Vic will set up a mentorship fund and a data base for mentors and mentees who can provide and receive mentoring on a user pays system and employers may be able to sponsor mentoring for their interpreter employees. More Training and mentoring ASLIA Vic sees the need for another basic mentoring training course to be run for new mentors and an advanced course for those with experience. The evaluation data could assist in securing future funds for continuing and expanding the program. Other states are also very interested in this program which could inform an Australia-wide need for mentorship. |
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