Mental Mentors

MENTORING is our number one priority, MM provides Volunteer Mentors with a support environment conducive to volunteering. Our Resident Help Group is a community of people who have passion and determination to diligently help New and Existing residents and improve Second Life one resident at a time.

Mental Mentors is a "Resident Help Network" group (admitted February 16, 2010) RHN will highlight the “best of the best” Resident-run help groups. We are pleased and honored to be a part. MM is not an open enrollment group, new members are required to be Ex SL Mentors or Helpers from other Resident Help Groups in good standing.

What is Mental Mentors about? Good Question

We are a very special group of people. We have a very special philosophy. One we are very proud of.

We are the people who have and will continue to help thousands of people. We might be the first contact that anyone has with Second Life.

Our smiley faces will be asked all kinds of questions.

To be a Mentor Volunteer means so many things:

coach,
counselor,
guide,
guru,
instructor,
teacher,
trainer,
tutor.

Here in Second Life it also means fashion consultant, travel agent, customer service, buddy, desktop support, Julie the Cruise Director and Bob the Builder.

When you are working as a Mentor Volunteer, you need to put on your patience, empathy and all your communication skills. Once you are in your group tag you are representing MM.

Please gear your actions, reactions and behavior to the Volunteer Code of Ethics. If for some reason you cannot, take the Mentor Volunteer tag off till a time when you can adhere to our philosophy.

When a person has a problem they will seek out a Mentor Volunteer. Often they are confused or upset.

Do not let any of this make you flustered. Confused people are often upset.

Mentor Volunteers have at their disposal a wealth of information, years of experience and the desire to help other people in the Second Life community.

By using the knowledge base, the wikis, the MM chat, and the wealth of over 600 other Mentors Volunteers; we will help make Second Life a better community.

Second Life is a community built with user created content. You are a part of this community. It will be your knowledge and skills that will help others continue to build and create.

Second Life evolves and you are part of the evolution. Your special skills and strengths will be called upon to answer a myriad of questions.

You now belong to an esteemed group of people who as a whole embody a huge amount of knowledge and experience. Use the asset of those in MM to add to your own knowledge. We are here for you. If you are stuck on an issue, go to MM Group chat and ask questions. We as a group are a valuable asset.

Volunteer Behavior and Attitude

Please always try and be courteous with your fellow Mentors Volunteers. The Volunteer Code of Ethics makes this a requirement! Even if you strongly disagree with something you see posted in group IM, IM the other Mentor Volunteer and talk about it out of the main chat. We are all volunteers, so it is never acceptable to be anything less than courteous. If you have an issue about someone being discourteous to you, please IM a Manager or Officer.

If a Manager or Officer IMs you with suggestions, instructions or directives please try and remember that Manager or Officer is a volunteer too.

Added 4/21/10 **** Owners and representatives of an RHN group must be respectful in their communications with Linden Lab. Your behavior and communications reflect on yourself as Mental Mentors and on our status as an RHN group. Please try and remember that when you are emailing, speaking, IMing or filing support tickets or in any communication with an official LL representative or employee.

Volunteer Behavior and Attitude con't

The Group Charter has been written, and will work in conjunction with:

SL Terms of Service http://secondlife.com/corporate/tos.php

Community Standards http://secondlife.com/corporate/cs.php

Volunteer Code of Ethics (below under Volunteer Behavior and Attitude)

(altered from its original version used for LL Official Volunteer Program)

Mental Mentors are Volunteer Greeters and Helpers at large in the community, showing the value of Second Life to new residents and existing residents alike.

We provide a bridge to value in Second Life, a link to knowledge, advice on the many experiences that Second Life provides ways for them to access answers and resources in world.

We educate new Residents how to search and find for themselves and enhance not only their first experience, but to enable them with resources that will help them have a more meaningful Second Life overall.

Our vision is to lay the best foundation for new Residents in Second Life by offering assistance, encouragement and insight into Second Life’s possibilities drawn from our own personal experiences.

We believe volunteering in any world has the potential to enhance our character while helping those who need us.

Our mission is to reach that potential through our individual triumphs as well as team cooperation.

Set The Standard

Each Volunteer has the opportunity to create an unforgettable first impression of Second Life for new Residents while also helping more seasoned Residents with quality assistance. We do it because we want to. We do it because we enjoy it. We do it with a smile. That is how we want such unforgettable moments to be remembered.

Our personal conduct and style sets the standard:

We will maintain politeness when faced with argument.
We will be as considerate and helpful as we can be in difficult situations.
We will give respect to those we help, despite knowing it may not always be returned.
We will seek and emphasize the positive in a situation.
We will work as a team and help each other solve problems.
We will be reliable, committed, and trustworthy.
We will participate and share our ideas to improve Second Life.
We will keep a sense of humor and volunteer when we know we are in good spirits!
We will keep this labor of love fun!

Tao of Volunteers v2.0

Volunteer Awareness

Stay Informed

Each Volunteer is responsible for reading notices and guidelines.

Also reading and bookmarking these resources

the wiki http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Main_Page

Second Life Blogs https://blogs.secondlife.com/index.jspa

Community Features https://blogs.secondlife.com/community/features

Volunteer blog https://blogs.secondlife.com/community/community/volunteers/blog

Knowledge base http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Knowledge_Base

Second Life Answers https://blogs.secondlife.com/community/answers

Quick start guide https://secure-web9.secondlife.com/my/support/quickstart/

Issue tracker http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Issue_tracker

Grid status http://status.secondlifegrid.net/

System reqs https://secure-web16.secondlife.com/my/support/system-requirements/

Downloads https://secure-web10.secondlife.com/my/support/downloads/

Volunteer Goals

Promote and Grow

As Second Life continues to grow as a global platform we have the ability and responsibility to increase our Mentor Volunteer team’s strength and numbers. We should actively speak about what we do and why we do it. While volunteering we should always be open to learning new solutions as well as teaching what we know. We hope to create an open, collaborative win-win situation, one Resident at a time.

Locations/Landmarks Where MM Work

Destination Orientation Community Gateway http://slurl.com/secondlife/Serendipity%20Mall/127/163/25

D.C. District Community Gateway http://slurl.com/secondlife/DC%20District%20Style/104/235/32

The Yard At Honie Isle http://slurl.com/secondlife/Honie%20Isle/171/148/22

Help Island Public http://slurl.com/secondlife/Help%20Island%20Public/125/124/27

Hefell Infohub http://slurl.com/secondlife/Helfell/129/105/47

Ahern Welcome Area http://slurl.com/secondlife/Morris/26/230/2

ITLand Community Gateway http://slurl.com/secondlife/ITLAND/124/128/29

Elderglen Info Hub http://slurl.com/secondlife/Elderglen/125/114/23

Tahoe Infohub http://slurl.com/secondlife/Tahoe%20Springs/120/139/24

Shareta Osumai Infohub http://slurl.com/secondlife/Shareta%20Osumai/128/128/2

Meadowbrook Infohub http://slurl.com/secondlife/Meadowbrook/128/128/2

Hanja Welcome Area http://slurl.com/secondlife/Hanja/226/228/2

Bay City Municipal Airport, Hau Koda http://slurl.com/secondlife/Hau%20Koda/63/56/26

Moose Beach Infohub http://slurl.com/secondlife/Moose%20Beach/59/55/23

Solace Beach Welcome Area http://slurl.com/secondlife/Solace%20Cove/47/188/40

Infohub Locations

Academy http://slurl.com/secondlife/Braunworth/179/236/179

Aluna http://slurl.com/secondlife/Alua/126/47/80

Anzere http://slurl.com/secondlife/Anzere/83/55/702

Arbor Project http://slurl.com/secondlife/Tipsico/224/144/2

Bear Dream Lodge http://slurl.com/secondlife/Bear/32/132/112

Braunworth http://slurl.com/secondlife/Braunworth/92/160/2

Braunworth Sandbox http://slurl.com/secondlife/Braunworth/142/137/178

Calleta's Hobo Railroad http://slurl.com/secondlife/Calleta/98/214/27

emOt(i)Con http://slurl.com/secondlife/Mauve/224/185/43

Hobo Railroad http://slurl.com/secondlife/Calleta/45/123/21

Hyles Swamp http://slurl.com/secondlife/Hyles/42/32/23

Daytona Beach Club http://slurl.com/secondlife/Rasczak/121/246/2011

Isabel http://slurl.com/secondlife/Isabel/44/107/58

Manhulu http://slurl.com/secondlife/Mahulu/58/193/85

Manhulu http://slurl.com/secondlife/Mahulu/67/213/83

Memory Bazaar http://slurl.com/secondlife/Ross/35/221/57

Murray http://slurl.com/secondlife/Murray/123/31/30

Nova Albion http://slurl.com/secondlife/Grignano/3/244/25

Nova Albion http://slurl.com/secondlife/Miramare/8/24/25

Periwinkle http://slurl.com/secondlife/Periwinkle/45/116/36

Scenic http://slurl.com/secondlife/Ambat/101/212/59

Warmouth http://slurl.com/secondlife/Warmouth/32/137/95

Joining Mental Mentors

Mental Mentors is not an open enrollment group.

The requirements for membership in Mental Mentors is as follows:

Current members of SL Mentors who wish to become a Mental Mentor Volunteer, will be accepted by requesting membership via a notecard sent to the current Mentor Trainer, Lisa Fossett, or the Owners of the group.

SL Mentors group was disband as of December 10, 2009. Ex SL Mentors may obtain membership within three months of the disbandment of SLM and be admitted by requesting membership via a notecard sent to the current Mentor Trainer, Lisa Fossett, or the Owners of the group. (Former membership in SL Mentors will be verified)

Non SL Mentors and any Ex SL Mentors applying after March 10, 2010 will need to complete the following prior to invite to Mental Mentors Volunteer Group.

Formal Application. Application should be made via notecard resume. Must include previous experience as a Resident Helper and at least 2 supportive recommendation notecards from either a current Mental Mentor or a leader in another RHN group.

Interview with applicant.
Attendance of orientation/training classes conducted by MM Trainers.
Buddy sessions with a MM Trainer.
Post Training Interview

Upon successful completion of the application/training process, the Mentor in Training will be transfered to the Mental Mentor group.

Consequences of Not Following Volunteer Code of Ethics

Mentor Volunteers should be aware there are consequences when not following the Volunteer Code of Ethics. Just as the Community Standards and TOS are the policies and rules of Second Life, the Volunteer Code of Ethics is the policy and rules of MM and our Mentor Volunteers.

Volunteers who do not follow the Volunteer Code of Ethics will be removed from Mental Mentors. Please be aware the decisions of the Owners of MM are final.

As responsible Volunteer Mentors it is only fair that we treat each other as well as our fellow SL residents with the respect we all deserve regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, creed, gender, or sexual orientation.

Matters involving political, religious or nation of origin bashing; constitute non Code of Ethics behavior. These actions are also in violation of the Community standards of Second Life.

Any person, who openly slanders, harasses or victimizes any group member, through either a group notice, or group chat, will receive one formal written warning from management.

If the behavior persists, the offending party will be ejected from the group, with no form of redress.

Group Notices. Can only be sent out by Group Owners, Managers , Officers.

Group Notices are intended to be an information source, they are not orders, they are suggestions. As with any sugggestion, it is up to the individual to determine if they wish to adopt the suggestion.

Officers that send out inappropriate notecards will be asked to provide an explanation.

Examples:

Fund raisers for individual persons, not charities.
Promoting MM member businesses.
Promoting non Mentor businesses.
Promoting Support for Real Life legal cases in any country.

Exceptions:

Discounts for MM members.
Charity Events relating to the furtherment of medical research

There will be exceptions to this, said exceptions will be determined by the Group owners or the Manager on duty.

The above is subject to review.

All Mental Mentors shall have voting rights for any Group proposals.

The Owners of the Group will not become involved in any disputes between members. Such disputes out of respect and courtesy to others in group should be handled by individual members in private IM, not in the group chat.

Group Chat is the place for asking for help from fellow group members, or a place to let off steam, providing courteous boundaries are observed

CHAT SPAM is fine, providing it does not get out of hand. If it gets out of hand, the offending members will receive one formal verbal or written warning from management.

Harrassment is defined as but not limited to the following: age, national origin, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status. Any behavior that is found offensive will be discussed with the offending party and resolved at the discretion of the management of MM.

Decisions made under previous Charters are binding and not subject for review under changed or modified new charters.

Group Owners reserve the right to add any new items to the Charter as required The Owners of this group may change, amend, or make decisions not covered in this charter without written change or notification as they see fit. Mental Mentors is a private group.