Mentor and Parent Volunteer Roles
Machine Mavericks is 100% Volunteer Run
We need your help! There are so many ways to volunteer time.
Those mentors working with students must have a background check on file.
--> Mavericks Mentor Checklist Page
Ways to Mentor with the Mavericks
Here are the MANY different levels and kinds of volunteers we need.
Behind the Scenes Volunteering
Annual Registering of Team Members
Get all students and families to fill out annual paperwork, fill out FIRST registration, receive fees, answer questions. Keep records, including student requirement to have and wear safety gear. Update Emergency Folder in workshop and folder for travel purposes. (Prefer a parent, not community mentor, in this role.)
On-Boarding and Maintenance of Mentors
Have all mentors read, watch, and sign mandatory mentor requirements as well as receive CPIC background checks. Keep records. (Prefer a parent, not community mentor, in this role.) If desired, help with recruitment of mentors through various channels.
Travel Coordination
Reserve hotel rooms for competitions, create and disseminate tournament info, arrange for students with no parent attending (rides and shared hotel rooms), compile permission forms, prepare team roster and safety info for coaches to have when they arrive at competition. Arrange meal structure for competitions. Ensure payment from students for hotels, food, etc. (Prefer a parent, not community mentor, in this role.)
Meal Coordination
Maintain the meal coordination sign up spreadsheet during build season and request parents to donate meals. Monitor supplies and utensils for meals at the workshop and encourage environmentally friendly usage of supplies.
Social Engagements and Kick Off Event Management
Arrange for back to school, end of season, and kick off events where the team members, parents, and mentors can bond over a group event. Kick off includes the annual reveal event at Queen's, a day of brainstorming led by tech mentors, and a social potluck at end of the day.
Workshop Standards and Shared Work Oversight
Create rotating schedules for pairs of students to clean (bathrooms, food area, computer area) and keep supplies stocked. Create lists for students to check off.
Swag and Uniform Ordering
What it sounds like. A mentor may need to work with the team if they want to vote in new swag or t-shirt design.
Marketing Procurement
Be the lead for students who need to print or produce marketing flyers, cards, banners, etc. Make payments and ask for reimbursements. Work with students to make sure the mandatory things get printed: banner, team baseball cards, etc.
Grant Writing
Seek out and apply for grants that target the mission of the team. Invite students into the process where applicable and able.
Get all students and families to fill out annual paperwork, fill out FIRST registration, receive fees, answer questions. Keep records, including student requirement to have and wear safety gear. Update Emergency Folder in workshop and folder for travel purposes. (Prefer a parent, not community mentor, in this role.)
On-Boarding and Maintenance of Mentors
Have all mentors read, watch, and sign mandatory mentor requirements as well as receive CPIC background checks. Keep records. (Prefer a parent, not community mentor, in this role.) If desired, help with recruitment of mentors through various channels.
Travel Coordination
Reserve hotel rooms for competitions, create and disseminate tournament info, arrange for students with no parent attending (rides and shared hotel rooms), compile permission forms, prepare team roster and safety info for coaches to have when they arrive at competition. Arrange meal structure for competitions. Ensure payment from students for hotels, food, etc. (Prefer a parent, not community mentor, in this role.)
Meal Coordination
Maintain the meal coordination sign up spreadsheet during build season and request parents to donate meals. Monitor supplies and utensils for meals at the workshop and encourage environmentally friendly usage of supplies.
Social Engagements and Kick Off Event Management
Arrange for back to school, end of season, and kick off events where the team members, parents, and mentors can bond over a group event. Kick off includes the annual reveal event at Queen's, a day of brainstorming led by tech mentors, and a social potluck at end of the day.
Workshop Standards and Shared Work Oversight
Create rotating schedules for pairs of students to clean (bathrooms, food area, computer area) and keep supplies stocked. Create lists for students to check off.
Swag and Uniform Ordering
What it sounds like. A mentor may need to work with the team if they want to vote in new swag or t-shirt design.
Marketing Procurement
Be the lead for students who need to print or produce marketing flyers, cards, banners, etc. Make payments and ask for reimbursements. Work with students to make sure the mandatory things get printed: banner, team baseball cards, etc.
Grant Writing
Seek out and apply for grants that target the mission of the team. Invite students into the process where applicable and able.
Engaged Mentoring
Second Mentor Present
This can be a "hang out and help" mentor. We always need a second mentor at the shop for safety reasons; however, parents and mentors who are there as secondary mentors have the option to just sit and work on their own work if they'd like, or just walk around and ask students to explain what's going on. This is the easiest way to mentor with the team.
Website Oversight Mentor
Help guide students for content of the team website, updates, and limitations.
Media Oversight Mentor
Help students to remember to post onto media, think about target messaging, coordinate with the team sponsor management team, invite students to write media releases, take photos and videos.
Twitch Oversight Mentor
Help students to manage Twitch broadcasts to build fan base.
Sponsor Management Mentor
Record sponsor information in a spreadsheet and contact history to ensure thank yous and updates go out. Help students create content for the thank you and update emails. Work with CFO to make sure that monies pledged were received. A second parent can work on mentoring students on bringing in sponsorships.
Sewing Mentor
Each year the team robot needs bumpers sewn. It's project and skill that students need assistance bringing to fruition.
This can be a "hang out and help" mentor. We always need a second mentor at the shop for safety reasons; however, parents and mentors who are there as secondary mentors have the option to just sit and work on their own work if they'd like, or just walk around and ask students to explain what's going on. This is the easiest way to mentor with the team.
Website Oversight Mentor
Help guide students for content of the team website, updates, and limitations.
Media Oversight Mentor
Help students to remember to post onto media, think about target messaging, coordinate with the team sponsor management team, invite students to write media releases, take photos and videos.
Twitch Oversight Mentor
Help students to manage Twitch broadcasts to build fan base.
Sponsor Management Mentor
Record sponsor information in a spreadsheet and contact history to ensure thank yous and updates go out. Help students create content for the thank you and update emails. Work with CFO to make sure that monies pledged were received. A second parent can work on mentoring students on bringing in sponsorships.
Sewing Mentor
Each year the team robot needs bumpers sewn. It's project and skill that students need assistance bringing to fruition.
Expertise Mentoring
Programming Mentors
Teach and advise computer language programming.
CAD Mentors
Teach and advise CAD programming and 3-D printing.
Technical/Mechanical Mentors
Teach robotics instrumentation and mechanical design, build and programming.
Machining Mentors
Teach how to use industrial machines including safety protocols.
Computer Graphics Design Mentor
Assist students with using design resources as well as logic and goals behind branding.
Safety Management Mentor
Print team safety manuals as needed, plan for and deliver annual safety presentations, coordinate any online safety apps or accounts, keep records that all students have received the safety information, record mandatory safety quizzes. Maintain workshop safety standards while engaging students in the safety process. A second parent could work with students to have continuous safety improvement activities.
Business Mentors
Mentor and teach overarching business planning, assist with annual revision of business plan and both build and financial goals, set up historical records for the long term goal of the team applying for awards in showing progress. Assist with outreach to school and community organizations. Reach out to high school business classes for recruitment.
Scouting Mentors
Works with students to coordinate the team's scouting (statistics) platform for competitions to keep track of other teams information at the competition and help the students to weigh information when it comes time to play matches or form alliances. This kind of role is for the person who LOVES baseball stats! Preferred that this mentor can travel and be present at competitions.
Fundraising Mentors
Assist students in creating annual fundraising goals and plans, as well as execution to meet those. Be the resource person for getting the students the supplies needed, engaging with the community when/where an adult is needed, and engaging team members to all pitch in.
FIRST and Mavericks Values Mentor
Be the lead for the team in instilling and promoting FIRST and Mavericks values through signage, activities, monitoring of the FIRST organization, etc.
Financial Officer
Accepts banking responsibility and accurate accounting of fees, donations, fundraising monies and sponsorships coming in, as well as competition fees, product purchases and reimbursements going out; produces simple end of the year financial statements. Assists fundraising with accurate accounting toward annual goals.
Teach and advise computer language programming.
CAD Mentors
Teach and advise CAD programming and 3-D printing.
Technical/Mechanical Mentors
Teach robotics instrumentation and mechanical design, build and programming.
Machining Mentors
Teach how to use industrial machines including safety protocols.
Computer Graphics Design Mentor
Assist students with using design resources as well as logic and goals behind branding.
Safety Management Mentor
Print team safety manuals as needed, plan for and deliver annual safety presentations, coordinate any online safety apps or accounts, keep records that all students have received the safety information, record mandatory safety quizzes. Maintain workshop safety standards while engaging students in the safety process. A second parent could work with students to have continuous safety improvement activities.
Business Mentors
Mentor and teach overarching business planning, assist with annual revision of business plan and both build and financial goals, set up historical records for the long term goal of the team applying for awards in showing progress. Assist with outreach to school and community organizations. Reach out to high school business classes for recruitment.
Scouting Mentors
Works with students to coordinate the team's scouting (statistics) platform for competitions to keep track of other teams information at the competition and help the students to weigh information when it comes time to play matches or form alliances. This kind of role is for the person who LOVES baseball stats! Preferred that this mentor can travel and be present at competitions.
Fundraising Mentors
Assist students in creating annual fundraising goals and plans, as well as execution to meet those. Be the resource person for getting the students the supplies needed, engaging with the community when/where an adult is needed, and engaging team members to all pitch in.
FIRST and Mavericks Values Mentor
Be the lead for the team in instilling and promoting FIRST and Mavericks values through signage, activities, monitoring of the FIRST organization, etc.
Financial Officer
Accepts banking responsibility and accurate accounting of fees, donations, fundraising monies and sponsorships coming in, as well as competition fees, product purchases and reimbursements going out; produces simple end of the year financial statements. Assists fundraising with accurate accounting toward annual goals.