The Benefits of Mentoring [STUDENT/INTERPRETER]
Mentoring benefits the mentee in a number of ways. They learn new skills, get feedback as the interpretation is happening, and build their confidence. However, the mentor is not all give and no take. They too can garner experience in teaching, teamwork, and updates in the world of interpreting. Students often have up-to-date information from their ITP instructors to share with us that seasoned interpreters may have missed. Aside from these perks, in the state of Missouri, certified interpreters who provide mentoring to another interpreter who holds a lower level of certification than their own can earn up to 1.0 (or ten hours) of CEUs per cycle (November 3rd – November 2nd) through the Missouri Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MCDHH).**
Mentors also gain new perspectives from their mentees and the satisfaction of passing on knowledge and improving the world of interpreting. It can also open up new relationships which can last a lifetime. Perhaps after working for a while as a mentor, you may also be inspired to seek your own mentor to improve an aspect of your own work.
**Please note that as of June 2023, MCDHH is not an approved RID sponsor and therefore cannot provide RID CEUs, only MCDHH CEUs.
