Training and Onboarding

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Training & Onboarding

SCORE Training is Significant & Effective

SCORE provides an onboarding and training program to get you started and keep you going throughout your volunteer journey. SCORE requires that Mentors complete certification training.

What to Expect When You Apply to Join SCORE

When you submit your application, a local SCORE representative will contact you to learn more about you and help you learn more about SCORE. Our goal is to make sure that the opportunity is a good fit for you and for SCORE.

A representative from the SCORE chapter geographically closest to you will be in touch by email to set up a conversation. They will:

Answer your questions.
Give you more information about the SCORE volunteer experience.
Help you to make a decision about which role might be best for you.
Help you decide whether or not to continue to the interview process.
Then determine whether or not to continue to the training and onboarding process.

At SCORE, we are

Value-oriented - We use SCORE’s values-based interview guidelines and have two people interview all candidates.
Inclusive and value diverse perspectives - We value diversity in age, gender, race, ethnicity, employment status, ability, work style, and thinking.
Flexible and nimble - We want volunteers who are eager to serve and support the mission. We move quickly and need people that can be flexible and agile in learning and onboarding.
Welcoming - We match all new volunteers with a coach who will guide you through your onboarding process. They will show you the ropes and answer your questions throughout your journey.

Becoming a SCORE Volunteer

SCORE mentors share information about the process of becoming a SCORE volunteer.

Though we aim to recruit enough volunteers to meet the needs of the businesses we serve, we cannot onboard everyone that applies. It’s important to us and our small business clients that we find people who are aligned with our mission, vision and values and who are committed to contributing enough time to successfully fulfill the requirements of each role. As such, we understand that this volunteer opportunity may not be a good fit for everyone. Please take the time to learn more about our volunteer opportunities and the mentor role before you apply.

The Onboarding Journey

Once you’ve been accepted into SCORE, we’ll walk you through our onboarding process which includes self-paced and instructor-led training. The onboarding process can be completed within 30 days or up to 90 days depending on the time you make available initially. During that time, you’ll go through a range of experiences to help you learn about the organization and get comfortable in your volunteer role.

Upon joining, you’ll be assigned a SCORE email address and be given access to our training platform. Two to three hours of online video training is required within the first two weeks depending on your chosen role.

All of our training modules apart from the in-depth Mentor Certification course take 7-8 minutes to complete. The Mentor Certification course consists of 5 modules. The whole course takes about an hour to complete.

Volunteer Orientation

This first onboarding module introduces you to SCORE and your role as a volunteer. You will also gain an understanding of the chapter structure, the needs of our clients and where to find key resources.

Module 1: Volunteer Orientation

Module 2: Mission, Vision and Values

This module provides a brief introduction to SCORE's mission, vision, and values. The module explains each of the values and how these values influence our actions. Lastly, this module shares SCORE's long-term goal and what we will need to reach this goal.

Module 3: SCORE Today

This module provides an introduction of the structure of SCORE around the country and at the national office. The module also explains the various funding sources at a chapter level as well as at a national level.

Module 4: Code of Ethics

The Code of Ethics helps our volunteers ensure the highest quality and standard in providing services to our clients. This module also provides an understanding of SCORE’s and SBA’s Whistleblower Policies and Procedures.

Module 5: Mentor Certification

Being a Certified SCORE Mentor means you have tapped into best practices based on feedback from other SCORE mentors and clients. Completion of this course benefits all volunteers and mentors as it walks you through SCORE's client-focused methodology. This methodology has been proven to help mentors connect better with their clients.

Module 6: Introduction to Engage

Learn about Engage, SCORE’s Customer Relationship Management platform designed to help you understand our small business clients and track the information needed to ensure a successful mentoring relationship. This platform also serves as our volunteer database, helping you access our nationwide network of volunteer business experts.

Module 7: Measuring Success

In this course, you will learn about the tools SCORE uses to continually measure our effectiveness. Specifically, you will learn about the Client Engagement Survey, Volunteer Engagement Survey, Net Promoter Score Survey (NPS), and Follow On and One & Done Rates.

Module 8: SCORE’s Culture of Inclusion

We have many more clients to serve to fulfill our mission, and client demographics are changing. In this module, you will gain an understanding of how SCORE’s mission, vision, values relate to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Additionally, this module provides tools on how to build an inclusive environment in your chapter and in your relationships with SCORE volunteers and clients.

In addition to this training, you'll receive training that is specific to your volunteer role.

Mentors

You will complete all SCORE training modules (three hours total) and will be required to participate in co-mentoring sessions where you’ll observe more experienced mentors work with clients. You’ll also participate in a local chapter orientation and business workshop observation.

Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)

You will complete a very similar training as our Mentors (roughly three hours) and will also attend their local chapter’s orientation, but they do not have to complete the workshop observation requirement.

Workshop Presenters

You will complete all the training modules except the Mentor certification (two hours total) and will also observe a workshop.

SCORE Volunteers

You will complete all the non-mentor training modules (two hours total) plus role-specific training (the requirement varies by role). You will also participate in chapter orientation.

Once you've completed your onboarding, you'll be ready to help clients or service in your leadership or support role.

One of our core values is that lifelong learning matters. After your initial training, you'll be given additional opportunities for training and development.

You’ll get access to ongoing learning opportunities and online resources that will augment your experience in business basics and specialties so you can confidently assist business clients and/or your local chapter. Examples include monthly webinars led by staff and outside experts for marketing leaders, social media leaders, treasurers and webmasters; an online knowledgebase with how-to guides, videos and best practices; weekly or monthly newsletters with tips for your role; and more.
You don’t have to be a master of everything, and you are not alone. Your fellow SCORE volunteers are part of the team in helping you to have a great SCORE experience and to serve our clients. You’ll learn how to tap into the vast pool of volunteer expertise and experience to help you be successful in your role.

SCORE provides online and personal training to help you integrate into the organization.
SCORE has hundreds of tools, templates, guides and webinars on our public-facing website to help you support our small business clients

Next Steps

If you’ve reviewed all the information about volunteering with SCORE and this sounds like a good fit for you, the next step is to fill out an application. APPLY NOW. We welcome the opportunity to meet with you and help you decide if SCORE is a good fit.

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