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Orientation And Mentorship Programs

Orientation Program

To become a member of the Milwaukee Makerspace, a prospective member must tour both buildings, get initially signed up, then attend a mandatory orientation.

Milwaukee Makerspace Orientation is a mandatory part of the sign up process to help integrate new members into the community. Prospective members sign up for an Orientation when they fill out their paperwork. Prospective members become full members and receive keys to the building after attending Orientation and paying their dues.

If you are a prospective member who has completed and submitted the application/waiver at a meeting and you do not yet have a key/code for the building, you can schedule or reschedule your Orientation meeting by emailing Orientation@milwaukeemakerspace.org

Become an Orientation Leader

Orientation leaders are members who run our orientations! As an orientation leader, you will be responsible for picking a date every so often to do a one to two hour orientation, teaching new people about the space and getting them set up with their accounts. We have a nifty checklist that you'll follow. If you would like to sign up to be an Orientation leader, please email membership-committee@milwaukeemakerspace.org. You will only be asked to give an orientation when you feel like you can do it. You get to pick the date, time, and which building you will host it at.

Mentorship "Do-er Docent" Program

As a new member, you will be assigned a “Do-er Docent,” or a mentor to help guide you in your first weeks at the space. Don't know where something is? Don't know who to reach out to for something? You will be able to reach out to your Do-er Docent and they will steer you in the correct direction. They may not have all the answers, but they will be able to figure out who can help you with your question so you are not lost in the weeds. Please allow them at least 24 hours to get you the answers.

If you have something to say about your Do-er Docent, please email membership-committee@milwaukeemakerspace.org.

Become a Do-er Docent

  • Do-er Docents are a new member’s second contact at the space
  • They are not their sole contact or skill teacher (unless both people want to be!)
  • Your job as a Docent is to guide new members to the correct people, show or tell them where things are, and help them to get involved in the community to remove the paralysis new members might experience
  • Be visible at the Orientation (show up, video chat for a minute, provide contact info, etc)
  • Give new members the best time to reach you and a method of contact (email, phone, etc.)
  • Try to answer questions within 24 hours - if you don’t know, pass them on to someone else who might be able to answer
  • Pass on frequently asked questions to the membership-committee@milwaukeemakerspace.org so we can form a FAQ for all Docents
  • If you have something to say about your mentee, email membership-committee@milwaukeemakerspace.org and we will help you praise them or guide them in a positive direction

You have flexibility as a mentor and these are just guidelines. Let us know what works and what doesn’t by giving feedback to the committee at membership-committee@milwaukeemakerspace.org.

If you are a member and would like to be part of the mentorship program to help new members grow and learn, please sign up using this form and we will reach out. Do-er Docents sign up for one group at a time. After about 6 weeks, Docents can sign up again for a new group.

The Membership Committee

The membership committee was formed in 2024 in the aftermath of the results of the world cafe. *any member* can join the membership committee. The committee falls under the president and is not run by a board member, but it is recommended to have a board member on the committee to present new plans to the board and give updates.

The membership committee generally meets on Wednesday evenings while in session for the purpose of forming a new membership program. While not in session, the committee leaders may call a meeting quarterly or monthly.

If you'd like to join the membership committee, email membership-committee@milwaukeemakerspace.org or show up when you know we are having a meeting!

orientation_mentorship.txt · Last modified: 2024/09/05 03:20 by wildapricot-kirch_anna