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Mental Trousers
17th August 2008, 11:38
The Revamped Mentor Programme

I'm very pleased to (finally) announce the launch of the revamped Kiwibiker Mentors Programme.

As most people will know the original programme (put together and maintained for the majority of the time by Quasievil) was getting unwieldly and there were major concerns that the structure was no longer suitable or able to handle the numbers. So once Quasi also voiced these concerns, it was decided to dismantle the original Mentor scheme and rebuild it to address these concerns. The discussion and rebuilding of the programme has taken a long time, however, everyone involved in formulating the new scheme agrees that it is something to be proud of.

The group involved in remodelling the programme numbers 23 people all up. In that group we have a mix of extremely experienced motorcyclists, very new and inexperienced motorcyclists, people from motorcycle training, some long time racers and more. A varied group of individuals that all brought valuable knowledge, experience and opinions to the process. This group has done a fantastic job and the effort put in by those members is greatly appreciated and is reflected in just how good the programme is.

So, onwards.

Mental Trousers
17th August 2008, 11:38
The Kiwibiker Mentors Programme

Purpose:
To have a robust system that matches young and/or inexperienced riders with experienced riders who are able and willing to pass on their skills. To address concerns regarding liability of this site and it's members/participants in the Mentor scheme. To establish the requirements for, and to appoint people wishing to be Mentors. To establish an appropriate structure to monitor the consistancy and quality of both the Mentors and experience being provided to people being mentored.

Original Concerns:
The original concerns were: liability and people with less than a years experience mentoring others.

There isn't any Liability of the Mentors and Kiwibiker provided we do not take any consideration, i.e. payment of any kind, for the service and also that we do not make any promises of training or enter into any sort of contractual arrangement. For these reasons we will never offer training and this is why the whole programme is geared towards encouraging, mentoring and advicing only.

The relative inexperience of some who were offering to be Mentors is addressed below in the requirements for Kiwibiker Mentors.

Structure:
Site Administrators -> 2x Mentor Administrators -> 5x Senior Mentors (as needed) -> Mentors (as needed) -> People being Mentored

The structure for the most part will be invisible to the majority of people as it is designed to be mostly administrative. The public face of the Mentor programme are the Mentors themselves. The only time people will have any reason to deal with the administrative parts of the structure are:
as part of the process to be a Mentor
complaints/concerns
requests for a Mentor

Roles:
Site Admins: nothing happens on Kiwibiker without both of the admins involvement which is why they're part of the structure

Mentor Admins: the administrators are responsibile for the majority of checking out new candidates, overseeing the entire programme, ensuring consistancy across regions, passing on requests for Mentors to appropriate Senior Mentor, distributing information to each region, dealing with complaints/concerns and general enquiries

Senior Mentors: They're Mentors with the added responsibility of overseeing the group of Mentors (up to 10) assigned to them. They are also responsibile for assigning Mentors to people that have requested one.

Mentors: Best outlined by the quote below that gets sent out to each person who is nominated to be a Mentor.


Mentors are just that, Mentors. They're not riding trainers, religious leaders, MotoGP gods or the best thing since sliced bread. They're just people with lots of experience at riding motorbikes. Whether it's on the road, race track, motorcross, trials etc, they've seen many and varied situations and know how to handle them. They've learnt lessons, sometimes the hard way, and they're willing to pass on their knowledge and experience to others.

The Mentors role is primarily to advise and encourage people in a 1 to 1 relationship. There will not ever be any Official KB Mentor Group Rides. This is primarily because the person being Mentored deserves the Mentors full attention and that can't happen in a 1 to many situation. There's nothing stopping the 2 of them from going on a group ride, but just remember that the Mentor is helping 1 person and that's all. Group riding can be fun and you can also learn a lot so there's no reason not to go on group rides unless the group is a bunch of speed freaks having a race to the end point or other dangerous behaviour.

Because Mentoring is about advising and encouraging there won't be any sort of official training schedule, curriculum or sessions. Doing figure 8's or a few simple cone exercises is all that should be attempted. Anything more advanced falls into the area of training and that is simply not what kiwibiker is offering.

Unless the Mentor is specifically advising on stunt riding, or racing on track, or any other specific situation, the Mentors main aim is to advice and encourage the rider into safe habits (as a minimum standard) and to enjoy themselves.

So, basically, the role of a Mentor is:
to advise and encourage
to pass on their vast amounts of knowledge and experience
to keep an eye on the people being Mentored

What a Mentor isn't:
a riding trainer
an idiot or unsafe rider
part of an insidious plot to take over the world

As for how Mentors achieve these goals, that's up to each individual Mentor. There is no prescribed syllabus, or laid out processes, or guidelines as to what and how people should be shown and told. The Mentors are chosen by their experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, not because of how well they stick to a script and tow the line. All that is asked is Mentors don't imply or promise that there is any training.


Requirements to become a Mentor:
The requirements for people wanting to be a Kiwibiker Mentor are tough. The reason for this is that everyone involved in remodelling the programme were adamant that lots of experience in a wide range of conditions and situations is needed. This sort of experience really only comes from years of riding (although there are some exceptional circumstances, such as those who are heavily involved in rider training organisations early in their riding career, or those who knock up an astronomical number of riding k's in a relatively short period i.e. 100,000k's in less than 18 months)

Senior Mentor Requirements

Must meet the requirements for being a Mentor.
Able to perform the Administrative duties for a Senior Mentor.
Ability to act as a Team Leader as they will be in charge of groups of Mentors.
Appointment of Senior Mentors is at the sole discretion of the Administrators and does not require any consultation. A person may be rejected by the Administrators for any or no reason.


Mentor Requiements

Requirements are in 2 parts: Not Negiotiable and Desirable.
Appointment of Mentors requires backing of a Senior Mentor (they recommend a person to be a Mentor) and agreement of Administrators. A person may be rejected by the Administrators for any or no reason.
Requirements start at 10 years experience and come down. The more Desirable qualities a person has, the lower the time requirement gets. Dropping to minimum 7 years required is relatively easy. Dropping to minimum 5 years experience is very hard. Nobody goes below 5 years experience unless they are qualified Riding Instructors, multiple New Zealand title holders or other exceptional circumstances (Administrators discretion).



Not Negotiable

Good Attitude to riding and mentoring
Relevant Experience
Good Communication and People Skills
Two referees (preferably at least 1 of which is well known on KB)



Desirable - contributes to lowering the riding experience requirement of 10 years (more of these = lower number of years required)

Competency in many areas
Teaching ability
Length of time as a member on KB (ie well known)
Post count on KB (ie contributes to actually motorcycling parts of the site)
Different types of riding done
Good reputation
Trustworthy
Responsible
Pretty much anything that is good in a Mentor



Process
Contact the Mentors Group with the name of the person being nominated (people are welcome to put themselves forward). Two (2) references MUST be included. The referees would ideally be on kiwibiker but don't need to be (include a contact email or something for them). They really only need to be able to truthfully vouch for the nominated person, ie he/she has been riding the required amount of time, isn't an idiot, has some teaching ability etc
Administrators check them out and chat to their referees
Notice is posted in forums for 2-3 weeks during which time anyone can voice their objections (either publicly or via pm)
Administrators appoint or reject


Mentor Requirements For Specialist Areas - Racing, Motocross, Stunting, Trials etc

Must meet the requirements for being a Mentor. Process is that for the Mentors.
Must have at least 1 years experience in the Specialist Area they wish to mentor in, ie racing, motocross, trials, etc.


How to become a Mentor:
The process is detailed above. To contact the Mentors group a couple of links will be put up when the vbulletin mod for the Mentors is completed and tested. For now, just make sure
the person you want to nominate to be a Mentor actually wants to be a Mentor
get 2 decent referees

Regions
If you go to UserCP -> Edit Your Details -> Additional Information -> Region in NZ you are able to set the area you're in.

Here's the list of regions that the country has been split:
[list] Upper North Island = Northland, Auckland
Central North Island = Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Hawkes Bay
Lower North Island = Taranaki, Wanganui, Manawatu, Wairarapa, Wellington
Upper South Island = Nelson Bays, Marlborough, West Coast, Canterbury
Lower South Island = Timaru, Otago, Southland


Northland - Dargaville
Northland - Kaikohe
Northland - Kaitaia
Northland - Kawakawa
Northland - Kerikeri
Northland - Maungaturoto
Northland - Paihia
Northland - Whangarei
Auckland - Auckland City
Auckland - Franklin
Auckland - Great Barrier Island
Auckland - Helensville
Auckland - Hibiscus Coast
Auckland - Manukau City
Auckland - North Shore
Auckland - Papakura City
Auckland - Waiheke Island
Auckland - Waitakere City
Auckland - Warkworth
Waikato - Cambridge
Waikato - Coromandel
Waikato - Hamilton
Waikato - Huntly
Waikato - Matamata
Waikato - Morrinsville
Waikato - Otorohanga
Waikato - Paeroa
Waikato - Taumarunui
Waikato - Te Awamutu
Waikato - Te Kuiti
Waikato - Thames
Waikato - Tokoroa/Putaruru
Waikato - Waihi
Waikato - Whangamata
Bay of Plenty - Katikati
Bay of Plenty - Opotiki
Bay of Plenty - Rotorua
Bay of Plenty - Taupo
Bay of Plenty - Tauranga
Bay of Plenty - Te Puke
Bay of Plenty - Turangi
Bay of Plenty - Whakatane
Gisborne - Gisborne
Gisborne - Ruatoria
Hawkes Bay - Dannevirke
Hawkes Bay - Hastings
Hawkes Bay - Napier
Hawkes Bay - Wairoa
Taranaki - Hawera
Taranaki - Mokau
Taranaki - New Plymouth
Taranaki - Opunake
Taranaki - Stratford
Wanganui - Ohakune
Wanganui - Taihape
Wanganui - Waiouru
Wanganui - Wanganui
Manawatu - Bulls
Manawatu - Levin
Manawatu - Manawatu
Manawatu - Marton
Manawatu - Palmerston North
Wairarapa - Carterton
Wairarapa - Featherston
Wairarapa - Greytown
Wairarapa - Martinborough
Wairarapa - Masterton
Wairarapa - Pahiatua
Wairarapa - Woodville
Wellington - Kapiti
Wellington - Lower Hutt City
Wellington - Porirua
Wellington - Upper Hutt City
Wellington - Wellington City
Nelson Bays - Golden Bay
Nelson Bays - Motueka
Nelson Bays - Murchison
Nelson Bays - Nelson
Nelson Bays - Picton
Marlborough - Blenheim
Marlborough - Marlborough Sounds
West Coast - Greymouth
West Coast - Hokitika
West Coast - Westport
Canterbury - Akaroa
Canterbury - Amberley
Canterbury - Ashburton
Canterbury - Cheviot
Canterbury - Christchurch City
Canterbury - Darfield
Canterbury - Fairlie
Canterbury - Geraldine
Canterbury - Hanmer Springs
Canterbury - Kaikoura
Canterbury - Mt Cook
Canterbury - Rangiora
Timaru - Oamaru - Kurow
Timaru - Oamaru - Oamaru
Timaru - Oamaru - Timaru
Timaru - Oamaru - Twizel
Timaru - Oamaru - Waimate
Otago - Alexandra
Otago - Balclutha
Otago - Cromwell
Otago - Dunedin
Otago - Lawrence
Otago - Milton
Otago - Palmerston
Otago - Queenstown
Otago - Ranfurly
Otago - Roxburgh
Otago - Wanaka
Southland - Bluff
Southland - Edendale
Southland - Gore
Southland - Invercargill
Southland - Lumsden
Southland - Otautau
Southland - Riverton
Southland - Stewart Island
Southland - Te Anau
Southland - Tokanui
Southland - Winton

Mental Trousers
17th August 2008, 11:39
For those that didn't read the whole thing:

How to become a Kiwibiker Mentor - to follow in a few days. For now just read the requirements above and sort out a couple of referees.

Jantar
18th August 2008, 13:21
Ok mental pants can i have the shortened version of all that as i would like to nominate someone for mentors postion.

How to become a Mentor:

Process
Contact the Mentors Group with the name of the person being nominated (people are welcome to put themselves forward). Two (2) references MUST be included. The referees would ideally be on kiwibiker but don't need to be (include a contact email or something for them). They really only need to be able to truthfully vouch for the nominated person, ie he/she has been riding the required amount of time, isn't an idiot, has some teaching ability etc
Administrators check them out and chat to their referees
Notice is posted in forums for 2-3 weeks during which time anyone can voice their objections (either publicly or via pm)
Administrators appoint or reject

To contact the Mentors group a couple of links will be put up when the vbulletin mod for the Mentors is completed and tested. For now, just make sure[list] the person you want to nominate to be a Mentor actually wants to be a Mentor get 2 decent referees

Send the nomination to either The Stranger, who is the Senior Mentor for the Northern North Island, or to any of the Mentor Administrators (Mental-Trousers, Virago or myself)

Nasty
19th August 2008, 10:00
Is being held in this thread http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=80068

Nasty
26th August 2008, 16:30
Reported posts will not be received as objections to people being nominated. Objects must be sent to the Senior Mentors or Mentor Administrators as shown in the process.