Incredible Years® Mentor Certification
“A certified Mentor is someone who is a certified IY leader who provides authorized IY training workshops in his or her agency as well as ongoing mentoring and supervision to group leaders who s/he has trained.”
Mentors are certified/accredited Incredible Years® group leaders and peer coaches that have extensive experience with the Incredible Years® parent, teacher and/or child programs, and have been invited to receive additional training to become mentors. Becoming a Certified Mentor permits the person to lead authorized Incredible Years® workshops and offer on-going mentoring to small groups of new group leaders within their agency or district.
*Where it is available, Peer Coach training and certification is required before nomination to the mentor training process.
View the Incredible Years® Certification ProgressionMentors work closely with the Incredible Years® Trainers, use the most current materials and training protocols, and complete workshop checklists and evaluations of the trainings they have led. After each training the Group Leader conducts they will register the training participants names and provide Incredible Years® with copies of participant evaluations.
The Role of the Certified Mentor Promoting Quality Program Delivery by Building a Supportive Infrastructure in Your Agency- Certification as group leader and peer coach in corresponding program.
- Successful completion of multiple groups (# varies by program).
- Participation in a consultation day led by a certified trainer.
- Nomination by letter from a mentor or trainer to begin the mentor process.
- Submission of a recent video (within prior 9 months) of a group, for review by a trainer. (There will be a fee for this video review.) Depending on the outcome of this video review, you may be invited to begin the Mentor-in-Training process.
STEP 1
Attend one or more workshops as an “observer” (may be a mentor-led workshop), at which you may be asked to take on small participatory roles. Observing multiple trainers or mentors is encouraged. You will follow the workshop protocols and study the trainer’s leadership style.
STEP 2
Attend a workshop and participate as a co-trainer (this may only be with a certified trainer). At this workshop you will take on more leadership and co-training. You will work with the trainer to determine which parts of the protocol you will present on the second and third day. Your trainer will give you feedback verbally or video record portions of your workshop for later feedback and review.
STEP 3
After the participatory workshop with a trainer, a decision will be made to either co-train with a trainer at a third workshop, or you will be passed to the next step of a solo training.
STEP 4
Offer a workshop solo in your agency/district. Video record small segments (no more than 1 hour) of the workshop to be sent to Incredible Years® for review and feedback. Payment for the Mentor certification application fee is due with your video submission. Submit tallied workshop evaluations and attendance lists upon completion of the workshop to Incredible Years®.
Mentor Collaborative Process Checklist for Training Workshops Tips For Preparing Mentor Solo Workshop Video For ReviewSTEP 5
Observe a certified/accredited mentor doing supervision with group leaders. If feasible, co-lead mentor led supervision.
STEP 6
Obtain evaluations from all group leaders mentored regarding the training, supervision and support they received. Submit 6 minimum, plus 1 self-evaluation of mentoring given.
Evaluation of Quality of Supervision Self Evaluation of SupervisionSTEP 7
Throughout these steps attend at least one mentor-training consultation which focuses on peer and video review of group leader sessions.
*Undertaking the mentor training process does not ensure your automatic acceptance as mentor.
Send application Materials and Certification Fee to:
Incredible Years, Inc.
Certification Committee
1411 8th Avenue West
Seattle, WA 98119 USA
Mentor Certification Application Fee
The fee associated with mentor certification mirrors group leader and peer coaching certification fees at $800 per person. In some cases, mentors may need additional video reviews, co-leading experiences or solo workshop experiences in order to become certified. In these instances, continued coordination will still be included in the original mentor certification fee; however, additional video reviews and reports will be done at $230 per hour. The certification fee for applying for a 2nd mentor certification in another IY program is also $800.
Incredible Years, Inc.
Certification Committee
1411 8th Avenue West
Seattle, WA 98119 USA
incredibleyears@incredibleyears.com
It is understood that as a candidate applying for certification as a mentor of group leaders, you will be heavily evaluated and reviewed.
Candidates will be notified at the completion of the mentor training program if they will be accepted as mentors. Accepted candidates will be invited to participate in the mentor training process and participation in training workshops with certified trainers will be arranged.
Mentor AgreementThis training grants a provisional certification as a mentor and is taught by an Incredible Years® Trainer.
The mentor training includes:
- Core training methods and components of leading a 3-day workshop;
- Video or in-person feedback of portions of leading a workshop;
- Information on how to set up peer supervision and feedback processes;
- Continued feedback on leadership of ongoing groups;
- Evaluation methods; and new updates.
- Attend mentor updates, a minimum of once every 5 years.
This evaluation is for the Trainer conducting mentoring.
It is expected that Certified Mentors will have ongoing groups in order to provide a bank of material to refer to when training and to provide co-leader group experiences for new Group Leaders in training.
Prior to offering a workshop a mentor will do the following:
- Notify Incredible Years® that a workshop is being scheduled.
- Use authorized and current handouts, books and leader’s guide as supplied by Incredible Years® as training material for the basic workshop.
- Offer authorized training workshop for specific program. (These trainings may be in one block or spread out over a period of several weeks or months).
Within 2 weeks of completing a workshop, a mentor will send to the Incredible Years®:
- The training checklist (for parent, teacher or child workshops).
- Daily evaluations of workshops.
- Enter workshop participants’ names and addresses into the online database (use registration form). Contact us if questions regarding how to do this.
Mentor will also:
- Support and mentor new group leaders working towards certification as a group leader.
- Provide on-site supervision of group sessions of group leaders or video reviews and complete a supervisory report.
- Submit evaluations from those mentored on a regular basis.
- Submit self-evaluations of mentoring given to these group leaders.
- Attend mentor updates on a regular basis, including attending consultation days.
IY Mentor Meetings
Certified mentors are expected to participate in mentor meetings and consultations with IY trainers every 1-2 years. During these mentor meetings new materials and new research will be presented. In addition, mentors meet to share videotapes of their workshops, groups, and supervision. They share new approaches they have used to training parents and/or new group leaders. New training protocols, handouts and programs are explained at these meetings.
Accreditation Video Review by Selected IY Mentors
As the IY group leader, coach, and mentor community continue to grow, we are working to increase the capacity for high quality and efficient review of videos that new group leaders submit for the accreditation process. In the past, the majority of reviews have been conducted by trainers in Seattle, and, more recently, some very experienced mentors have begun to do accreditation video reviews.
We have a process for ensuring that video reviews are consistent and reliable across all mentors and trainers who are selected to review videos for accreditation. Learn about this process: Process For Accreditation Video Review By Mentors
Most mentors will not receive a fee for their training and mentoring as this will be part of their job description within their agency. Ideally their salary will reflect this expanded supervisory role. However, mentors who are not attached to an agency may charge a fee for offering workshops in their assigned district which will cover individual site costs for renting rooms, cost of food, equipment etc. and reasonable compensation for the mentor’s time in presenting the training. Recommendations for average mentor rate can be obtained from the Incredible Years® office.
Mentor will pay Incredible Years® a fee of $25 per workshop registrant. For this fee Incredible Years® agrees to:
Provide master copies of updated materials, a training DVD (where applicable) and PowerPoint slides (if needed – overview videos also available on YouTube).
Provide intellectual rights for mentor to copy materials for workshops.
Provide certificates of attendance for participants.
Web posting of workshop and approval to advertise as “authorized” workshop.
Registration of workshop participants – upon completion – with Incredible Years® as having completed an “authorized” workshop.