Convu's 2021 Peer Coach Mentor Training & Scholarship Program
How Can Peer Coaching Help Nonprofits?
Many nonprofits--whether they are about culture, education, religion, community organizing, economic development, voter empowerment, racial justice, healthcare or something else--face a common challenge:
-
They have a big vision
-
They face challenges that can feel overwhelming
-
They are resource constrained (often short on $$)
-
And they don't want to burn out their people
Peer coaching is a direct answer to this challenge because it promotes
-
resiliency (preventing burnout),
-
adaptability and creativity (which help accomplish the mission)
-
openness and trust.
Peer coaching is about
-
people being listened to by someone who understands
-
getting a chance to think things through
-
getting a breather from the daily grind, and
-
seeing new possibilities and perspectives.
And, because it is based on peers helping peers, it is highly scalable and cost-effective.
Convu is dedicated to making compassionate listening and its benefits available wherever and whenever it is needed. Learn more about the Convu story.
Why Train a Convu Peer Coach Mentor?
Peer coaching is like riding a bike. You feel wobbly at first, but then get the hang of it. Once a critical mass of people in an organization know how to coach each other, good things start to happen. People feel
-
more encouraged and empowered to grow
-
more trusting and committed to each other
-
more courageous and resilient in the face of challenges
-
and, last but not least, some participants will be willing and able to "pay it forward" and teach a new group how to coach each other.... thus creating a sustainable peer coaching program that can replicate itself from year to year and across the organization.
To kick-off this process you need someone who understands how to implement a Peer Coaching Initiative. A Peer Coach Mentor is someone from your organization who has acquired this knowledge!
What is the Convu Mentor Training & Scholarship Program?
In the first half of 2021, Convu will make its Peer Coach Mentor Training available to twelve organizations, six of whom will receive scholarships from our generous donors. That means that six selected organizations will have their Peer Coach Mentors trained at no cost to themselves! Note: at this point the six have been selected. However, additional there are still a few slots for paid participants.
Here are the main features of Convu's Mentor Training program:
-
12 week remote-learning program suitable for full time employees (kicks off the week of Jan 22, 2021
-
Weekly peer coaching practice with structured feedback
-
A deep-dive into the principles of peer coaching--how and why it works
-
Access to Convu's Peer Coaching tools and teaching materials
-
In depth guidance on how to implement a Peer Coaching Initiative
-
Access to a learning community of others who are also implementing peer coaching initiatives...
-
The fee for non-sponsored participants will be $1200
Who should apply, and how will they be selected?
We ask that candidate organization / mentors apply by (the extended deadline) January 18, 2021. Click here (or on the button below) to apply.
Organizations should select a member, representative or "friend" that they think could be an effective Peer Coach Mentor for them.
Candidate organizations will be evaluated according to their
-
Impact: the current and potential impact they expect to have in the world
-
Culture fit: the degree to which their culture is growth and learning oriented
-
Readiness: are members able and willing to participate in a peer coaching initiative?
-
Relevance: will the benefits of peer coaching--e.g. greater connection, curiosity, adaptability and resilience--help the organization achieve its mission?
-
Sustainability: potential to institute a self-sustaining peer coaching program
Candidate mentors will be evaluated according to their:
-
Training and/or experience with listening, coaching and related skills (e.g. clinical psychology, social work, etc.)
-
Relationship of trust and credibility with members of the organization
-
Facilitation and program organization skills
-
Comfort with (or ability to learn) online tools like Zoom, Survey Monkey, Slack, etc.
-
Learning Partnership: being willing and able to provide feedback to Convu about how to improve and adapt its services and measure the impact of peer coaching initiatives
Why is Convu offering a Scholarship Program?
Convu is at an inflection point. We have built a peer coaching platform that is being implemented in a 1300-person Financial Services company. We are in our second year of serving Masters students at the Harvard Chan School of Public Health. This platform includes solutions for matching and orienting participants, giving them timely feedback and support, and fostering community. It is ready to be expanded and challenged to adapt in new environments.
Our goal for 2021 is to support 12 organizations in starting and sustaining a peer coaching practice that nourishes their culture and capabilities. Participating organizations will help create and demonstrate the practical value of compassionate listening, and build a peer coaching movement.
Would you like to support the Mentor Program?
Convu is relying on the generosity of donors to raise funds for this program. If you like the Why, What and How of this initiative, please consider making a contribution!