Mentorship Programs

The Illinois Master Mentor Program (IMMP) (ASL version in hyperlink) is intended to be a bi-annual train the trainer, self-sustaining mentor development program. This program will provide FREE training and FREE CEU’s for interpreters with 5+ years of interpreting experience, an intermediate, advanced or master Illinois Interpreting License and a commitment to further their mentoring skills.

Fifteen Interpreters will be accepted to the program and be provided with 16-weeks of training, developed by master instructors from the TIEM Center, Center for Teaching Interpreter Educators & Mentors and 8.0 free CEU’s. Upon successful completion of the program Interpreter Mentors will be required to mentor student or novice interpreters in the state of Illinois for a period of one year and facilitate training and support for the next cohort of interpreters accept into the program.

Duration
The proposed program is designed with 4 inter-dependent modules. Each module highlights specific factors that are essential foundations for effective mentoring, and each is led by an expert primary facilitator, with the support of the other facilitators. This holistic approach allows participants to specifically benefit from the expertise of the individual module facilitators while also having continuity of the program team throughout the course. Each module is design to continue for 4 weeks; completion of the program is 16 weeks in total.

Methodology
The program is offered online through a variety of methods, materials and practices. Participants should expect to dedicate between 6-10 hours per week to their activities for the program. Activities and learning experiences may include:
• Reflective input about assigned readings, videos, and practice activities on a weekly
basis.
• Weekly online, asynchronous interactions with peers and facilitators (usually 2 timely
and relevant original postings and 4 responses to others are required each week)
• 4-6 individual and/or group meetings with one or more of the facilitators during the
Program

Schedule
• Weeks 1-4 Module 1: The Role-Space Model: Fundamental Principles and Applications to Mentoring
• Weeks 5-8 Module 2: Mentoring through a Systematic Analysis of Power, Privilege, and Oppression
• Weeks 9-12 Module 3: Assessment of Interpreting for Mentors
• Weeks 13-16 Module 4: Peer mentoring application and practice

Online modules begin January 3, 2022.

Upon successful completion of all required activities, and based on review by the facilitators, the participant will receive a certificate of completion of the Foundations of Mentoring for Interpreters Program.

RID Professional Studies CEUs: When successfully completing each module, participants can earn 2.0. CEUs, including the PPO CEUs (now required by RID) for Module 2.

The purpose of the Mary Mulcrone Peer-to-Peer Mentorship Program is to be a self-supporting adjunct to Chicago Hearing Society’s interpreter referral service by providing professional development for experienced freelance interpreters, Deaf interpreters and newly working interpreters. The techniques used will provide opportunities to gain knowledge, develop specific skills and acquire expertise within particular settings in the field of interpreting. The mentorship program will match interpreters seeking to broaden their skills with a peer mentor who can guide that skill development. This will be accomplished over a period of six to twelve weeks through observation, interpreting, professional research or training off-site, feedback and discussion with the peer mentor and with consumers.

For more information about the mentorship program, please email MWimbush@anixter.org. We are very pleased to name this program in honor of Mary Mulcrone. She was the first certified interpreter in Illinois and the mentor of untold numbers of interpreters. Illinois’ first interpreter referral service began in her kitchen. Later, it was transferred to the Catholic Office of the Deaf where her son, Father Joseph Mulcrone, and his secretary Shirley Stefanski took over the service until CHS received a grant for a part-time coordinator. The interpreter referral service moved to CHS in 1979 where it has grown to become one of the largest in the country. Our mentorship program is modeled on the example set by Mary and the most recent strategies for successful mentoring.

We gratefully acknowledge the contributions received in support of the mentorship program. These contributions will help to cover the costs of training mentors, orientation for new mentees and reduced fees for mentees. Many donors made contributions in honor of their mentors, colleagues or friends.