Mentoring Assistance Program (pdf file)

Description- A small number of watershed organizations in each river basin will be provided with a unique experience – intensive individual watershed mentoring. Mentoring assistance is designed for groups who need intensive, long-term assistance rather than targeted short-term help; and will focus on helping groups who are interested in starting or improving volunteer monitoring programs for watershed assessments, assessing restoration projects, or developing protection plans.

Your C-SAW representative will regularly meet with your group to discuss the group's needs and projects and help guide you through the steps necessary to achieve your goals. When specialized expertise is needed from another member of the C-SAW team, your C-SAW representative will coordinate this assistance.

Mentoring is meant to develop a relationship between a watershed group and a small group within the C-SAW team to meet intensive and continuing needs. Groups should view the C-SAW representative as a long-term partner and technical resource dedicated to guiding your group to achieve its watershed protection goals. Mentoring will be specific to the needs of the individual group. Mentoring assistance includes all of the areas listed under Watershed Specific Technical Assistance and Data Quality Assistance and can include:

• Consultation on determining water resource issues of concern
• Assistance with development of monitoring study design and choosing appropriate equipment
• Assistance with planning/strategies for volunteer recruitment and retention
• Assistance with database design and data management
• Assistance with data interpretation and utilization
• Assistance in scientific aspects of assessments or monitoring
• Training (chemical, biological, and visual)
• Assistance with quality assurance/quality control