The Mentors and Trainers Hub

[Jenrak]

Mentors and Trainers

The Mentors and Trainers hub is an open area for both the Mentors and Trainers to discuss and field questions, as well as provide help to anyone who needs to it.

Who are the Mentors?

The Mentors are a group of volunteers voted among themselves to assist newer players and field questions in regards to RPing, technology, story-mechanics, etc., etc. The main point of the Mentors is to provide an accessible source of assistance through telegrams and thread discussion for players, as well as a means for them to have their RPs checked and marked.

Who are the Trainers?

The trainers are a group of players who assist newer players, but it's a self-regulated voluntary service. Trainers, like mentors, may field questions and telegram discussions, and are able and willing to give aid to newer players.

So, what's the difference?

On the surface, there is no major difference between the two groups, but rather one of visibility. The Mentors are meant to help newer players or those unfamiliar an easy access and way to find someone who they will know will help them, and will be able to reply to them as quickly and effectively as possible. Mentors may also be responsible for have training RPs that include others and are aimed to trained, but it's not necessarily a part of their position, as others may do so as well.

Whereas Trainers are a completely voluntary service by sign-up, Mentors are a voluntary service through accepted obligation. Trainers will help you to the best of their ability and to their own time, whereas Mentors are required by their position to help you as soon as possible. Of course, considering that everyone is human, we all ask anyone with questions to be patient with anyone else.

If you have questions, always try and go for the first accessible Mentor or Trainer you see, and they will be more than happy to help you. Note: The colour or titles do not make either group more or less right than the other one, and it's not surprising to see overlap of discussion between both groups. Occassionally, this thread will also serve as a nexus of discussion for Mentors and Trainers alike on subjects they deem to be relevant or interesting.

Mentors

Lyras
Mikoyan-Guryevich
United Gordonopia
Tergnitz
Cyrupe (Panel Judge)
Santheres (Panel Judge)
Salzland
Feazanthia
Xiscapia
Wagdog
Van Luxemburg
Lamoni
Oseato
Yohannes

Trainers

Rethan (Panel Judge)
Kylarnatia (Panel Judge)
Layarteb (Panel Judge)
New Azura

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How Do I Apply for Mentors?

The Mentors have a significant backlog of applicants. We want to keep the numbers low for now so that we don't overflow the II and GE&T community with too many Mentors, since not only does that become a drain on the site's administration (since I'm sure Reploid is getting sick of adding and removing Mentors), but also too many teal names does little other than reinforces a surface-level 'for the looks' mentality that people may have problems with. As a result, much of the Mentor numbers will ebb and flow based upon whether they're stretched for more people or whether there's a particularly bad case of widespread 'poor' RPing present.

How Do I Apply for the Trainers?

The Trainers are done by an application process from the existing panel judges. Anyone wishing to apply must submit a Single-spaced post detailing a scenario no longer than 1 page, 12 pt Times New Roman font to this thread. For scenarios, applicants must telegram ONLY ONE of the current panel judges (Leistung, Yohannes, Rethan, Santheres, and Cyrupe), who will provide you, the applicant, with a scenario to RP out. You must provide the following information when posting your application:

• the Trainer who gave you the scenario
• the exact scenario you are RPing out
• the application scenario post itself
• any extra details and notes at the end that you may wish to add

Because we value flexibility, it is strongly recommended that you RP the scenario given to you. If you have a problem with the scenario and have a good reason, please notify the panel judge who provided you with the scenario to either provide you with a different one or to forward you to a different panel judge. Reasons for changing scenarios such as "I RP mainly / solely in FT / MT / PMT / PT, so I am very specialized" is a workable reason for changing, but simply "I can't do it", "I don't want to do it", "It's not the scenario I had in mind" will not. Ultimately, panel judges have the final discretion, NOT ME, as to whether they can or should change scenarios or not, so please do not telegram me if they are unwilling to change it. We want to ensure that applicants are experienced enough to deal with most of the problems or scenarios coming their way, rather than cherry picking their results.

Each panel judge will either post their evaluation, opinion and acceptance or rejection of your submitted application either in this thread or directly to me. Once a majority opinion has been formed (3/5 ayes or nays), I will either notify you of your status. If you have been accepted, you will be placed on the NSTrainer list. If you have been rejected, I will summarise all the criticisms from all panel judges for you, as well as provide my own opinion as to why you may have not been accepted.

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Happy RPing. Please keep all debate on the Mentor program itself out of this thread, it would be much appreciated.

[Cyrupe]

Looks good right now, Jenrak. Thank you for getting this part up and running.

[Ustio North]

This, I can approve of. Nice.

[Milograd]

Alright, nice to see this is up. Coolness.

[Tergnitz]

Who is ready for Mentor debate 2.0, because I am so there!

[Jenrak]

Who is ready for Mentor debate 2.0, because I am so there!

Let's not. D:

[Ustio North]

Who is ready for Mentor debate 2.0, because I am so there!

Let's not. D:

And after all that preparation ; _ ;

Hides the DWI gifs

[-St George]

Put me down as a trainer, yo.

[Vici Minerva]

I may consider being a Trainer... but I'm relatively busy a lot :/

[Neo ORB]

Hey Jenrak, i'd like to sign up for being a trainer.

[Mesoland]

I'd like to sign up as a trainer

[Gratislavia]

If it's alright with the members of the TMaTH I'd like to throw my name in for a trainer.

[Yohannes]

Cool stuff Jen, i'd like to humbly sign up to be a trainer (specifically regarding global economies and trade if thats possible), if you would not mind in having me.

Perhaps, for a resume',

1. Yohannesische Bundesbank (storefront).
2. Yohannesische Börse AG (storefront).
3. VMK AG (storefront).
4. The Foreign Affairs Ministry of the Kingdom of Yohannes (Foreign Relations Court roleplay thread).
5. II writing Sample 1.
6. II writing Sample 2.
7. II writing Sample 3.

Cheers mate.

[Grittonia]

This looks great, it just misses one thing. Me!

I mean, it's all great to see these people but they are all, how shall I say... Normal RP'ers. You need someone that can teach and help the new people who don't want to RP as a regular nation. And who is better for that job than Pappa Nick P. himself, the Joker of II, me?

[Kylarnatia]

Seeing as I didn't get in as a mentor - I'd still like to help out by being listened here as an open trainer to anyone who needs it and if there's an overflow of help needed from the mentors so I can help out

I hope that's possible - cheers

[Layarteb]

Jenrak, I will volunteer as a trainer.

[Jenrak]

Added all applicants for Trainers. Originally I was going to use a 'please RP a specific scenario' sort of thing, but now I'm going to list those who volunteered as the qualification for being a Trainer, more like an equal-chance, egalitarian-esque acceptance style in contrast to the Mentor acceptance style. If people have any problems with it, please let me know in this thread, so we can discuss it.

[Layarteb]

Added all applicants for Trainers. Originally I was going to use a 'please RP a specific scenario' sort of thing, but now I'm going to list those who volunteered as the qualification for being a Trainer, more like an equal-chance, egalitarian-esque acceptance style in contrast to the Mentor acceptance style. If people have any problems with it, please let me know in this thread, so we can discuss it.

Actually that idea is better, no reason you can't put it back in there, I wouldn't mind per say. No sense degrading the quality right?

[Czardas]

If trainers are to be evaluated through any means, it should be negative, not positive -- "does this candidate have any qualities that preclude them from assisting?" rather than "does this candidate have any qualities that distinguish them" as with mentors, moderators and any number of other unelective positions. In other words, the only people whose time shouldn't be accepted are those who are typically unhelpful in some way ("you should bump your threads at least five times a day so they get noticed; the best way to win any war is through launching a lot of nuclear weapons at your opponent" at one pole, "fuck off and die, you wanker" at the other).

[Ostronopolis]

I'll volunteer as a trainer.

[Layarteb]

If trainers are to be evaluated through any means, it should be negative, not positive -- "does this candidate have any qualities that preclude them from assisting?" rather than "does this candidate have any qualities that distinguish them" as with mentors, moderators and any number of other unelective positions. In other words, the only people whose time shouldn't be accepted are those who are typically unhelpful in some way ("you should bump your threads at least five times a day so they get noticed; the best way to win any war is through launching a lot of nuclear weapons at your opponent" at one pole, "fuck off and die, you wanker" at the other).

Fair argument but you could have people who have otherwise remained neutral only because they feel that they do not belong in that role for want of not intruding but yet they could be helpful and by volunteering for a trainer position they want to become active in said role. So while they may be perceived as unhelpful because they have simply stayed to the side, they could be quite helpful. To be honest, I'd rather be denied by criterion than accepted blindly and I would think that just accepting people as a trainer could devalue the program and while this is nothing but good intentions, we all know what roads are paved with "good intentions."

[Mesoland]

Thanks Jenrak. Will the Trainers get different coloured names like the mods/admin/mentors do? And do the Trainers need to put anything in their sigs?

[-St George]

Thanks Jenrak. Will the Trainers get different coloured names like the mods/admin/mentors do? And do the Trainers need to put anything in their sigs?

The trainers won't get different coloured names. That's kindof the point...

[Kylarnatia]

Thanks Jenrak. Will the Trainers get different coloured names like the mods/admin/mentors do? And do the Trainers need to put anything in their sigs?

Think of the colour of names on here as the debate on the colour of peoples skin; it is irrelivant and doesn't mean anything about the person. It doesn't make anyone anything diffrent - we're all equal on this forum [I know, weird comparison, but it works :/]

Don't take my word for it - but I wouldn't say its manditory you put something out there. Your names now here, and when people need someone and come here, they'll see your name and contact you if needed. Though you're more then welcome to put it in your sig, which I might do

Anyway, thanks Jenrak. I was wondering if we had to supply anything, but that is a fair enough system - as any form of trainer can give new players a good start, and Mentors can easily build on them if they've seen whats been done and think that more can be added, not judging the trainers teaching

[Alexiandra]

I'd like to sign up as a trainer.

Also am I right in thinking that Trainer is sign-up, whereas mentor is a position that is offered to you should you be deemed good enough?