Norfolk County Netball Association

Mentors should....

Relate sensitively to learners and work through agreed processes to build trust and confidence.

Model expertise in practice or through conversations.

Provide information and feedback that enables learning from mistakes and success.

Actively listen, question, and communicate effectively.

Relate guidance to evidence from their observations.

Provide access to a range of opportunities to address the different goals of the learner.

Build a learners control over their own learning.

Be open-minded with the view that their approach to umpiring is not the only one, nor indeed the 'best'.

Observe analyse and reflect upon their practice and that of the learner and be explicit in identifying the needs.

Be committed to their role as mentor.

Relate practice to assessment by ensuring they are up-to-date and aware of relevant umpiring

assessments and competences and be able to relate these to the needs of the learner.

Part of the success of any mentor's work depends on having received appropriate training, development, and support. The use of focused observation, reviewing and evaluating performance, giving feedback, and formulating appropriate targets for development all require considerable skill, and therefore necessitate training.

Before deciding if you want to be a mentor, ask yourself:

Can you see things from the umpire's point of view?
Are you able to facilitate and empower umpires without forcing your style or point of view on them?
Can you avoid giving excessive direction and allow the umpire to develop at his or her pace?
Are you able to see the benefits of other approaches to problems and realise that your way is not the only one?

Netball East Coaching Policy

Mentoring in the East Region is offered to umpires working towards an assessment either the EN

Into Officiating Award or the EN C Award. Coaching is offered to umpires working towards assessment in the EN B and A Awards.

A Award umpires can coach B to A umpires, B Award umpires can coach C to B umpires and C Award umpires can mentor Into Officiating and those umpires working towards their C Award assessment, subject to successful completion of the East Region Mentoring and Coaching training outlined below.

All new mentors and coaches must complete a two-hour plenary session and an umpire observation and feedback session at the required level. This will be conducted by a qualified England Netball Tutor. Further observations will be recommended in those cases where it is not felt the required standard has not yet been met.

All existing mentors and coaches will be required to attend a two-hour reaccreditation session every four years to standardise practice and ensure they remain informed of current rule interpretations and protocols. The reaccreditation will be taken by an EN Tutor

All mentors must use the Netball East mentoring proformas that will be issued by the County Lead Mentor as well as the NE assessor’s competencies and the INF protocols. Copies of all paperwork to be made available to County Lead Mentor up to and including the B award umpires.

Only umpires who commit to the Regional League will receive coaching from B to A.

Mentoring Process

This can work two ways: -

1. The Lead Mentor is contacted by a learner asking for a mentor, the Lead Mentor checks with the COL (County Officiating Lead) to ensure the learner has completed the correct pathway to be able to access a mentor (i.e. completed a recent course). The Lead Mentor would then email the mentors to ask availability. A mentor would be allocated. The League umpiring secretary to be informed to add the umpire to the umpire list if not already registered or advise what division to be allocated to in the first instance. It is then the mentor’s decision as to when the mentee is ready to progress up the divisions, informing the league umpiring secretary.

2. A learner/mentor could have already made contact and agreed that partnership, which is

acceptable, but the Lead Mentor needs to be informed so the database is kept up to date and

ensure the learner has completed the correct pathway prior to being mentored.

Paperwork

The feedback paperwork needs to be completed after each session with the mentee and shared

with them as soon after each session, so they have a record of what was agreed, and can refer to for their progression. It is not appropriate to complete the paperwork at the end of their sessions ready for assessment.

The Lead Mentor to receive a copy of the paperwork after every session or at least after six sessions, to check the progression and ensure that consistent/correct messages are being given. The Lead Mentor then has the appropriate paperwork for sign off for expenses claimed. Mentors can claim for 6 sessions per season for each mentee, by completing the appropriate paperwork and submitting to the Lead Mentor for approval, who will then pass onto the County Treasurer for payment.

Please be aware that all fees received are subject to tax and it is the responsibility of the mentor/coach to declare these for tax purposes.

Assessments

When a mentee is ready for assessment, this needs to be recorded on the feedback sheet and sent to the Lead Mentor with a recommendation. If no paperwork for the learner has been received, they are not deemed “on the pathway and in the system” therefore not eligible for assessment.

Once the recommendation has been received and all paperwork is in order, the Lead Mentor will

then contact the COL to progress for IOA and C award Assessment. The COL will send an application form for the learner to submit. For B award and above the learner would be advised to apply via England Netball.

Please ensure that all learners are completing a learning log for every game they do and signed off by an appropriate person at the game (mentor/coach of one of the teams/Lead Mentor/COL) for all awards as these will be required to be submitted with the Assessment application.