The Process
The program process includes the following:
- Donors make a commitments to support a veteran or veterans through their training and placement process to achieve the certifications, license, or other required training.
- A veteran or veterans are identified that are seeking training in a particular outdoor career.
- A potential employer is identified who makes a preliminary commitment to hire the veteran post-training or post-certification.
- AdventureVets program staff coordinate and manage the process of moving the veteran through the training or certification process. This includes complete wrap around including transportation, room and board, extra-curricular leadership and skill development, etc.
- The Plan (see below) is developed in consultation with potential employers, the veteran, and the AdventureVets staff to ensure a clear and deliberate way forward.
- The veteran completes their training program and is placed with the previously identified employer, or if needed due to the time lapse, another interested employer.
- Monthly, donors and program participants and alumni are provided with a connections contact list so that for those who choose, a mentoring relationship can be established
Individual Learning & Placement Plan (The Plan)
Every veteran who formally enters the AdventureVets program will work with a counselor to develop an Individual Learning and Placement Plan (The Plan). The Plan is a highly structure method of developing a program of success that is specific to that veteran. It is highly unlikely that any two Plans will be same between veterans.
The Plan will include accomplishment thresholds that will assist both the AdventureVets staff as well as the veteran maintain a vigilant watch over the forward progress. It is vital that any stalls or less than successful elements be addressed and remediated so that the veteran moves closer towards their employment/career goal.
Success Team
In addition to The Plan, each veteran will have a Success Team to connect with and maintain accountability. The Success Team may include mentors, employers, instructors, Adventure Vets staffers, and others from professional as well as social areas to contribute to the veteran’s program success. The Success Team will be formed when the veteran is formally accepted and will track and interact with the student until well into their employment acceptance. The team measures success as having chieved by way of a lasting, meaningful career assignment.
Mentor Partnership: The Power of Continuity
The leadership team of Adventure vets believes that there is power in continuity, that the team concept from which the veteran emerged can and should be maintained throughout the veteran’s career. Technology can be leveraged where in-person meetings are not possible. Often, this can be accomplished with conference calls, video conference meetings, telephone, email and chat support, etc. All efforts will be made to keep them connected to those who have made a commitment to their success.
Making the connection between the participates, the participants and the donors, and the participants and employers, in a team environment has a powerful ongoing support impact that is difficult to quantify. The program, in addition to training veterans to serve in outdoor career, also develops a social and professional support structure that can and will diminish some of the negative impacts of post-service civilian life.
