Buddy Shadowing

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Apprentice Mentors are required to receive a voucher from a Apprentice Buddy in order to be placed into the Second Life Mentors group. The role of Apprentice Buddy in the Mentor Apprentices group make up volunteers from the official Mentor group who are able to offer 'shadowing experiences' to Apprentices to provide a layer of experience prior to entering the official Mentor group. Once the shadowing experience is completed, the Apprentice Buddy sends a voucher to VTeam reflecting the Apprentice's completion of the shadowing experience. The Apprentice Buddy role is an entirely opt-in role offered to Buddies within the official Mentor group.

Nitty Gritty Information About Shadowing Experiences

• Shadowing Experiences may only be offered by Mentors who are also Apprentice Buddies in the Second Life Apprentices group.

• Apprentices should take the one hour Orientation session before shadowing a Apprentice Buddy.

• Criteria for completion of the shadowing experience MUST be explained to the Apprentice by the Apprentice Buddy before the shadowing experience begins.

• A shadowing experience may NOT last longer than one hour.

• Terms of Service and Community Standards must be obeyed during the shadowing experience. This should be relatively easy--watch for PG regions and be mindful of your surroundings!

• When the criteria for the shadowing experience is met by the Apprentice, the Apprentice Buddy should send a notecard to the Voucher Kiosk at SLVEC as soon as possible. The notecard, or otherwise known as the "voucher" should include the Apprentice Buddy and the Apprentice's name. This is all that is necessary to provide a voucher. Please let the Apprentice know when you have submitted a voucher.

• Once the voucher is sent, please give VTeam one week to process the Apprentice into the official Mentor group.

• Ultimately, the Apprentice Buddy is responsible for providing VTeam with a voucher for the Apprentice which will show VTeam that the Apprentice has met the shadowing experience criteria the Apprentice Buddy has set. Apprentice Buddies may be responsible for providing VTeam with their defined criteria at any given time for monitoring or dispute resolution purposes. Finally, remember the Shadow Experience's purpose: to provide a degree of hands-on experience for the Apprentice with the help of an experienced Mentor before entering the program. No Boot Camp experiences!

• In the event of a dispute or a delay in processing, please contact a VTeam member.

• Shadowing Experiences should be a nice blend of fun and function. Have a good time getting to know your Apprentice Buddy!

• Focus on teamwork rather than measuring the Apprentice's abilities. Shadowing should focus on building teamwork and welcoming the Apprentice into the program; shadowing should NOT be boot camp, a test of endurance or strength, or a personality quiz. When in doubt: ERR ON THE SIDE OF THE APPRENTICE. If you feel they need more private training, consider ways to encourage development that will help the volunteer reach his or her potential.

For Apprentice Buddies: Criteria For Shadowing Experience Completion

• Shadowing Experiences may not exceed one hour of participation.

• Terms of Service and Community Standards should be followed for the duration of the shadowing experience.

• The Tao of Mentor also must be followed during the shadowing experience.

• The Apprentice should be aware of the criteria for completion of the shadowing experience prior to the session.

• Shadowing Experiences may be done one-on-one or in small groups. 'Small groups' is intentionally not defined with a number as shadowing experiences may vary in style--however, please take care in transporting multiple Apprentices to various locations around Second Life, as the number of agents in a region can affect simulator performance and degrade the value of the shadowing experience. Remember: quality over quantity!

• Ultimately, the Apprentice Buddy is responsible for providing VTeam with a voucher for the Apprentice which will show VTeam that the Apprentice has met the shadowing experience criteria the Apprentice Buddy has set. Apprentice Buddies may be responsible for providing VTeam with their defined criteria at any given time for monitoring or dispute resolution purposes.

• A description of the Apprentice's strengths and weaknesses is not required when passing along the voucher.

• If time constraints, region performance, or external circumstances prevent the criteria from being met, consider erring on the side of the Apprentice when considering vouching for them--remember, these extraneous circumstances are a major part of the learning/volunteering experience as well.

• If the criteria for successful completion of the shadowing experience are not met without clear justification, please respectfully decline providing a voucher for the Apprentice and contact a VTeam Linden at your earliest convenience with reasoning. If criteria is not met due to time constraints (shadowing experiences may last no longer than one hour) please err on the side of the Apprentice. If able, let the Apprentice know that he or she can shadow another Apprentice Buddy and still receive a voucher.

• Finally, another reminder about the Shadow Experience's purpose: to provide a degree of hands-on experience for the Apprentice with the help of an experienced Mentor before entering the program. No Boot Camp experiences! Have FUN, and get to know your Apprentice!

Shadow Experience Criteria Models

Below are some models/suggestions for shadowing experiences and criteria that may be met before providing a voucher to the Apprentice. You are welcome to make your own so long as your criteria for completing the experience is defined in some measurable way.

Reminder: Shadowing experiences may last no longer than one hour. You may wish to supplement your shadowing experience with materials or conversation that points to relevant resources or tips on social etiquette that you feel all Mentors should be aware of.

"THE GRAND TOUR"

Time Frame: 60 minutes

Criteria: The Apprentice must tag along with the Apprentice Buddy to visit five Infohubs in Second Life. (Calleta, Hyles, Braunworth, Miramare, Isabel.) The Apprentice Buddy will give examples through these visits on how to address questions that arise. By the end of the shadowing experience, the Apprentice should offer help to at least one resident with a question or direct their query to the appropriate support resource. The Apprentice Buddy will offer support in answering or directing the resident's query, similar to how Mentors utilize the Q&A group as a resource.

"CROWDSURFING 101"

Time Frame: 30-60 minutes

Criteria: The Apprentice must tag along with a Buddy and visit three Welcome Areas/public help areas (Ahern, Help Island Public, Waterhead). The Apprentice Buddy will explain common trials and tribulations of these locations and offer tips on which resources or methods to use when faced with these circumstances. With help from the Buddy, the Apprentice must find at least one resident who needs or could benefit from an inventory drop--be it a freebie primhair, a new gesture, or a notecard with advice.

"SANDBOX SHADOWS"

Time Frame: 30-60 minutes

Criteria: The Apprentice Buddy will provide an example of a standard inventory or object creation feature, such as placing objects into a box or rezzing a vehicle from inventory. Then, the Apprentice Buddy must guide the Apprentice in finding a new resident who they can pass this information on to. By showing the new resident how to find the vehicle / sandbox regions and how to utilize the selected inventory feature, the criteria for shadowing will be met.

"THE CONVERSATIONALIST"

Time Frame: 30 minutes

• Best in small groups.

Criteria: The Apprentice Buddy will provide a series of popular questions and create a mock scenario of what it could be like to address a new resident who is dying to figure out just what Second Life is. As the questions are answered, the Apprentice Buddy will provide the Apprentice with tips in developing their answers more fully when necessary. If a question cannot be answered, the Buddy will provide advice or point to a resource list where they can find the answer to the question posed. Criteria is met when the time period expires.

How To Submit Your Voucher

• When the criteria for the shadowing experience is met by the Apprentice, the Apprentice Buddy should send a notecard to the Voucher Kiosk at SLVEC as soon as possible. The notecard, or otherwise known as the "voucher" should include the Apprentice Buddy and the Apprentice's name. This is all that is necessary to provide a voucher. Please let the Apprentice know when you have submitted a voucher. If there are any questions about entry from the Apprentice, have the Apprentice contact a VTeam member.

How To Sign Up

• This role is only available to official Mentors who are already in the Buddy role. Please view the corresponding article about entering the Buddy role for details.

• Upon sign up for the role, Apprentice Buddies must provide a criteria for completion of their shadowing experience to be considered eligible for the role. This will be similar to Orientation Host sign ups which require acknowledgment of the orientation materials having the standard check list incorporated into the curriculum. Criteria may be developed by the applicant or one of the provided models may be used.

Sign up link!