Skip to content
English
Sign in
Go to vanderburghcommunities.com
  • There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.

🎓 House Mentor Training

House Mentor training occurs prior to a new House Mentor starting a position in a home.

 

 

Chartered Operators: You are free to train your House Mentor, or you can ask your Support Manager to set them up for training by VSL staff. Regardless of who conducts the training, all House Mentors must be trained properly according to our training standards.

 

 

Background on House Mentor Training

Importance of House Mentor Training

The House Mentor is one of the most important roles in sober living. House Mentor training occurs prior to a new House Mentor starting a position in a home. Training should occur within one month prior to an anticipated start date and typically should consist of ample time in an operating home with the Operator and another House Mentor (if possible), as well as a day in the field with the Operator (typically on Monday on rent collection and home inspection day).

It is important for a new House Mentor to see a successful home in operation, including day-to-day operations, rent collection, intakes, discharges, house meetings, etc. They must be familiar with how a successful home is operating, which means they must spend a meaningful amount of time in the home during training.

This training program will help an Operator guide a new House Mentor through a structured training process and give them the tools they need to succeed in their new role. This training can be used for transitioning an existing resident to a House Mentor, or bringing someone new on board as a House Mentor.

House Mentors should also be Naloxone and CPR trained as well.

 

 

Step 1: House Mentor Training Course in Talent LMS

We provide an interactive training course through an online platform called Talent LMS (linked below). This course is self-guided and self-paced and offers a wide variety of information to help a House Mentor succeed in their duties. There is a variety of content with various methods of delivery for the information contained.

Send the Talent LMS link

  • Send this link with instructions for completing the course: Public Link

The House Mentor will need to create a Talent LMS account by clicking "Sign up here" when they get to the website. They can do this by using an email and password or by signing in with Google, Facebook, or LinkedIn if they have those available to them.

You may need to follow-up with the House Mentor to ensure they are progressing through the course.

Follow up to ensure completion

When all sections of the course are complete, the House Mentor will receive an automatic email reminding them to email you, the Operator, with their results from the course. A separate email will be sent to the Support Team so they will be able to access their results as well.

What is "completion" of the House Mentor Training Course? Completion is when the House Mentor has completed all required course modules and has received an email confirming their successful completion of the course.

  • The trainee will be required to meet a minimum score in the various evaluations, or be required to re-train and re-take evaluations until they pass.

What are the next steps? After completing the Talent LMS course, they should undergo practical training, which is described below.

  • House Mentors may not assume duties and should not be given discounted rent until they have completed both steps in the training process.

 

Step 2: House Mentor Practical Training (TBD)

This training should take place after the House Mentor has reviewed the House Mentor Handbook in full detail. Following the House Mentor’s complete review of the House Mentor Handbook, the Operator should proceed through the remainder of these sections directly with the House Mentor.

The structure of this training is conversational. The goal is to have the House Mentor learn collaboratively through discussion, asking questions and thinking independently for solutions. The conversation should be a review of the House Mentor Handbook, with practical insights from the Operators or others involved in the training.

Virtual or In-Person Practical Training (work-in-progress)

Topics to cover practical training would include:

  1. Boundaries with guests
    1. Remaining professional in general
    2. Respected, not liked
    3. Don't be a friend with everyone
    4. Firm-but-fair
  2. Self-care for House Mentors
    1. We need you to be supported
    2. Your recovery comes first--if you are overwhelmed, speak to your operator
    3. Take time off for friends and family
    4. How to balance recovery and life
  3. How to maintain recovery in the home
    1. Make sure drug screens are totally random, never do set days.
    2. House meetings - give different examples of how they work
      1. Talk about why house meetings are so important
      2. Talk about the "why" on everything first then the "what"
    3. Holidays together / promoting a community and camaraderie
    4. Sober living requires the community of peers - going through the same stuff - that is what makes sober living different from rooming house/hotel/etc.
    5. We're all here to get our lives back on track
    6. Give freedom for what that looks like for each guest / safe space to be at night in SL / trial-and-error in a safe environment / test the waters
    7. Keep set times and dates for house meetings
  4. Working with your operator
    1. Lean on your operator if you need help
    2. Documentation of everything, take notes and records
    3. Communicate all issues

Notes to complete this article:

This list above contains notes from Kate on the details of house management. This is really good information that did not clearly make its way into the training program.