For mentors
Training, the craft of a good meeting, and the systems you have to use.
New to SCORE Maine?
There is a set path through your provisional period.
Start with the onboarding path. It lists everything you need to complete, in order, and tells you who to ask at each step.
Mentoring
How SCORE mentors, and how to run the meeting that starts a relationship.
Methodology
SLATE, the mentoring method
The five steps every SCORE mentoring session follows, what each one asks of you, and the questions used to observe it in co-mentoring.
Practice
The first client meeting
How to open, what to ask, what not to do, and how to close so there is a second meeting. Includes a minute-by-minute plan for a 60-minute first session.
Tools
AI for mentors
Where AI helps you prepare, the one rule about client confidentiality, and the prompt sets SCORE mentors have written for vetting a start-up or working outside your industry.
Orientation
The four orientation sessions
What SCORE is, what mentoring is, knowing your resources, and the optional practice session — summarised so you can revisit them without the slides.
Systems and people
The tools you have to use, and who to ask when you are stuck.
How-to
Using Engage
Accepting a client, recording a session, adding a co-mentor, updating a request status — and fixing the training page that opens blank.
Directory
Buddy Coaches
The mentors who support new volunteers through onboarding, listed by region, with a contact button for each.
Mentor documents
The internal documents carried over from the old hub. They open in Google Drive.
-
Guide Drive file
First Client Meeting FAQ
This document outlines some frequently asked questions about client mentoring, especially during the first session.
Description not yet checked by a mentor
-
Guide Drive file
First Meeting With Pre-Start Up Clients
This document contains a detailed outline of what to discuss with a client with rough timelines for the first one-hour meeting.
Description not yet checked by a mentor
-
Guide Drive file
Art + Science of Client Meetings
This slide deck covers the basics of what it means to be a good mentor.
Description not yet checked by a mentor
-
Guide Drive file
Top 10 Qualities of a Good Mentor
This document covers 10 tips for the qualities that make a great mentor.
Description not yet checked by a mentor
-
Checklist Google Sheet
Onboarding Checklist
A checklist of the onboarding process, buddy mentor guidelines, and self-assessment for new mentors.
Description not yet checked by a mentor
-
Guide Drive file
Buddy Coach Co-Mentor List
A list of buddy mentor coaches in Maine.
Description not yet checked by a mentor
-
Guide Drive file
SCORE Mentor Orientation session 1
This section covers four parts: an overview of SCORE, Our Maine District, your role as Mentor, and expectations.
Description not yet checked by a mentor
-
Guide Drive file
SCORE Mentor Orientation session 2
This section covers five parts: SLATE, understanding client's needs, preparing for mentoring sessions, SCORE client surveys, and common client requests.
Description not yet checked by a mentor
-
Guide Drive file
SCORE Mentor Orientation session 3
This section covers five parts: Maine Resource Hub, SCORE.org, Engage to locate Co-Mentors, Slack, and pre-work for session 4
Description not yet checked by a mentor
-
Guide Drive file
SCORE Mentor Orientation session 4
This section covers four parts: roleplaying scenarios, your role as a lead mentor, debrief from previous orientation meetings, and the follow-up plan.
Description not yet checked by a mentor
-
Guide Drive file
SCORE Mentoring Handbook
The SCORE Mentoring Handbook is a comprehensive resource for SCORE mentors. It provides new and existing SCORE mentors with the latest guidance on serving our clients and describes how to provide clients with the information they need to make sound business decisions.
Description not yet checked by a mentor
-
Guide Drive file
SLATE In Action
This guide helps new volunteers and their trainers assess how SLATE is employed during each of the co-mentoring training sessions. New volunteers should go through this guide with the mentors they observe and lead with, a coach or representative of the onboarding committee to foster meaningful learning dialogue to help the better understand the SLATE methodology. When you lead the session during co-mentoring you are the “mentor” in this observation.
Description not yet checked by a mentor
-
Template Drive file
Sample Email to Nonprofit Inquiries
This document and process is to ensure the client has done the research to determine there is a deeply felt community need.
Description not yet checked by a mentor
-
Guide Google Sheet
Referral List
Vetted firms to refer clients to. Check the tabs at the bottom of the sheet.
Description not yet checked by a mentor
-
Guide Google Sheet
Resource Partner Contact List
Contacts at Maine organisations SCORE works alongside.
Description not yet checked by a mentor
-
Guide Google Sheet
Top Mentor Resources
The old hub's quick-reference sheet of the resources mentors reach for most.
Description not yet checked by a mentor
-
Guide Google Sheet
SME & Co-Mentor Resources
Subject matter experts and co-mentors available to call on.
Description not yet checked by a mentor
Go straight there
Bookmark these. Each opens in a new tab.
-
Mentor tool
Engage
SCORE’s client system. Accept requests, record sessions, update your profile.
-
Mentor tool
Slack
Ask other Maine volunteers a question and find recorded ShopTalk sessions.
-
Safe to share
score.org
The public SCORE site. Templates, workshops and events your clients can use directly.
-
Mentor tool
Volunteer Support Center
National policies, procedures and recorded Engage training.
-
Safe to share
Industry-Specific Resources
Recordings and material grouped by industry, on the Southern Maine chapter site.
-
Safe to share
Strategic Business Resources
Recordings and material grouped by business topic.
-
Mentor tool
YouTube webinars
SCORE Southern Maine’s recorded webinars and workshops.
Around SCORE Maine
What is on, who leads the district, the Portland office, and where your clients can look for money.
Calendar
Upcoming events
SCORE Maine’s upcoming workshops, as score.org lists them, on a calendar you can send from.
People
SCORE Maine leadership
The District Chairs and the co-chair of each section, with a contact button for each.
Office
The Portland office
Where the district office is, how to get in, and who works there.
Funding
Funding for your clients
Loans, grants and the lenders to refer clients to, gathered in one place.