Mentoring is an important part of FIRST Programs and largely contributes to the success of youth in competition and beyond. Every adult on a FIRSTTeam is a mentor who works to provideguidance, structure, encouragement, and a fun experience.
Means can be more than just engineers or teachers! Skills such as marketing, project management, hospitality and more are essential to create well-rounded teams.
Mentor requirements:
Possessing qualities conducive to mentorship:
Dedication
Patience
Willingness to teach, coach, motivate, & facilitate
Willingness to learn outside the team
Dedication to advise the team in their area of expertise for as little as one team meeting or all team meetings
Ability to pass a criminal background check
Optional: Robot-building skills
Coding ability
Ability to use power tools
Confidence in building a robot from a provided kit
Time Commitment:
Time committed as a mentor/coach varies by program and team. But you should expect to be available frequently and on an on-going basis during the season. Teams typically meet multiple times year-round. Each team is different, and we FIRST Washington can help match you with a team that meets your time commitment needs.
If you are looking for a less frequent time commitment, ask about event volunteering!
Student Safety:
All FIRST Washington volunteers interacting with students are required tosubmit a Youth Protection Screening (also known as a background check). This screening is free of charge and must be completed before volunteers can participate in any FIRST Washington events.
Student safety is FIRST Washington’s number one priority, and all successful mentors and coaches are expected to hold student safety at the core of all that they do.
