The USA has a great mentoring program and I know having seen some of the stats has reached so many editors across the country (and world). As we continue to help support the community especially some of our newer editors grow the question often comes up about informal vs formal mentoring. We know we have limited senior editors available to do the official/formal mentoring process so this means that we are often supporting these newer mentors via the informal process.

I strongly believe the quicker we can identify new editors and connect them to the community is an important part of developing and retaining new editors. Once connected to the community I believe the informal mentoring process does begin, as we find ourselves often answering editors questions and supporting each other via Chat, GHO, Slack, or the forums. There is the challenge of how to connect them and how to support new editors who maybe timid at first. One example of how to handle to handle new editors is the New York Boot Camp. This is a great way to create a supportive environment for these new editors to be able to ask questions since they are among other new editors who also may have similar questions. It helps take the intimidation away for these editors who will have no clue about upgrading a road type to help prevent pruning, when they have a question about a turn restriction. They are also connected with state editors who they will be working with as they advance. As they get more comfortable they can join some of the other state GHO. But I think this is only part of the process for helping support the new editors.

Recently I have had the privilege to see some of the behind the scenes workings of the Map Raid Program classes. As many of you know Classes have started to be a part of the Mega Map Raid process with classes being taught before and during map raids to cover key topics on editing and specific map raid goals. This is a great way to support the wide range of editors who participate during these raids and provide a mentoring process to all who want to engage in these classes. The process involves developing a curriculum in advance, setting up a schedule for the Map Raid classes, announcing these classes and then obviously having the classes. A wide range of editors have helped support and teach these classes. But can this model be used elsewhere, like as part of the mentoring process for our developing editors. I think the answer is YES.

What I think we would need for this to become a reality for the US WME Community
-A group of editors to run and support this process -> We already have this with our mentoring group
-A forum to offer these classes -> Maybe use the USA Slack Channel or Mentoring ?
-A curriculum to standardize the class offerings -> Needs to be developed but the frame work is there from the mentoring goals

Now while I say that the core components are already there. There is a lot of work that would need to be further expanded upon before we could do something like this.

Benefits I see from this could be
-Connect our editors earlier to the US Editing Community Earlier
-Provide regular support to editors on map editing across the country
-develop future mentors
-meet editors from outside our editing area to help share and exchange ideas
-and who knows we might even have some fun with it...

I also am inquiring about what people thoughts are on how to get brand new editors connected best at first. Should we have them connected to the USA program at large via Slack or other methods, keep them in individual states or is there another option? I think it is important to have them meet the local editors but also dont know if all states are in a position to support adding all new editors who express some level of interest in getting connected.

I appreciate any thoughts you might have.

Thank you