C.A.R.E., at least in HOLA context, stands for Connect - Affirm - Reach Out - Engage. It was a model for group mentoring, introduced by Director Julius Cruz to District 75 during District Director Ninio Sepulveda's term, Then Divsion Director Joyce Delovieres liked what she heard about it, and suggested that HOLA adapt C.A.R.E. to help guide the club's membership.
This was important because back then, the club, was just newly formed. So we were a group of Toastmasters invited by Joyce to form an advanced club for Division H Toastmasters. But it was not enough to just group 20 members together. We needed a program to move us forward with our journey - not to mention that we were still getting used to the new membership fee increase to $60/semester.
We already had the OMOL (One Member- One Level) program in place as an internal target for each member - and this was discussed in another blog entry. However, we also recognized the need for mentors to help these disparate members - some of whom were complete stangers to each other; get thm to work together as small C.A.R.E. teams, and help each other out.
On paper, it sounded great. Definitely had potential. Form a small groups - say with four to five members, and have a C.A.R.E. mentor lead the group. Easy, right?
Not really.
The question of how to implement this.
With C.A.R.E., we break the club into small, mamageable groups. These groups are meant help each other with their goals. Not just being watchdogs to each other, but support - be it as cheerleaders, or even help in any way possible, so the member does not feel alone in their Toastmasters journey.
This helps the member gain friends, and connect with their club colleagues. It is hoped that with these friends, their journey is not a lonely one. The members are also co-mentors with each otehr - a decidely uniqu situation when compared to the one-on-one traditional mentoring style. The C.A.R.E. mentor / CAREbear helps run the meetings, and can facilitate discussions. If there are learnings to be shared, based on one or more of the members needs - everyone else rides in the learning process.
Now where do we start, and what do we look for as a starting conversation. Each C.A.R.E. mentor (whom we later dubbed as CAREbears) would start the conversatoins with each group to start getting to know each other - in fact, the first meeting is the letter 'C' of C.A.R.E., which is to connect with each other.
We have the C.A.R.E. script, of which the CAREbear would have to start the conversations with. Example... 'Why did you join Toastmasters?'; 'What was your reason, or purpose?'; 'What keeps you in, what makes you stay in Tostmasters?' Next questions could be 'What do you want to happen - both within and outside our club(s)?' Our CAREbears lead this discussion, and they all (the group that is) learn more about each other, and find similarities - or realize that the CARE group member has a good idea. Maybe even adopt the same idea.
After this initial meeting, and having gotten to know eahc other, the CAREbear will now use this to guide their succeeding meetings. The Mentor Affirms helping the mentees.
One tool that Toastmasters already has - one that seems underutilized because many clubs just pay the tool with lip service, is the Memebrship Interest Survey (MIS). This is readily available in the organization's online collection of tools. The Membership Interest Survey officially starts the focus on each member's 'why'. The tool captures these (assuming the member fills it up diligently) - and preferably, at the start of the new Term (July), the C.A.R.E. discussions begin.
With the MIS as the CARE group's starting point, each member's interests are discovered, and shared, it will not be the CARE mentor's role to help guide the members in fulfilling these goals for the member - more likely guide discussions, and each CARE group member can also contribute ideas, support and even share empathy. Everyone in this discusison, comes up with collaborative ideas to help each other, let them meet their stated goals. If the goals can't be reached within the CARE group's timeframe (or the TM calendar year) the goals can always be continued the next year.
If the goal is met early, then the member can always come up with their next goal. It is hoped that the group eventually transforms into a team. One challenge that HOLA gives the CARE teams is that hey need to organize a HOLA regular meeting - from concept to execution. They handle the theme, the Table TOpics, and even the Toastmaster for the Evening role. They have to make sure the meeting is HOLA standards interesting.
The C.A.R.E. group format also makes the life of the VPEd a lot easier. Instead of waiting for the VPEd to finally visit you to have their developmental discussions, you become part of an autonomous group of HOLAns who can decide how, when and where they will want to meet. It may seem difficult at the start, but in fulfilling all these, the team's camaraderie is tested (and strengened). The CAREbear is a facilitator - not a problem solving know it all. All these activities, meetings, discussions are meant o Affirm the C.A.R.E.'s purpose to help the members become better leaders and communicators. So basically, the facilitator Reaches out to the team regularly - be it once a week or month, and discuss how each member has prgressed with their goal.
By Affirming and Reaching out, the last letter of C.A.R.E. is getting fulfilled. Engaging actively with the member makes them feel they are part of the club. HOLA gets to help them get better and via the CAREgroup, the focus their goals. They have a dedicated mentor (CAREbear), and beyond their CARE group is, of course, a club that cares for their members.
C.A.R.E. is definitely one of HOLA's secret sauce. It makes each member feel that they belong. Even Toastmasters who need to leave HOLA for differing reasons, say they had a great HOLA experience. One of the main reasons I can think of is the C.A.R.E. program we have.
BTW, just liek the MIS, C.A.R.E. uses as many Toastmasters tools as much as possible. This allows us to remain within the Toastmasters orbit. The C.A.R.E. program is not meant ot subvert the Toatmasters mentoring program - I would posit the prefernce that the C.A.R.E. mentor needs to have gone through the Pathways Lvel 2 speech on Mentoring, and even better - if they could go through the Mentoring path that insists on the Toastmaster mentoring someone in real time for 6 months. Thsi way, they will have an idea of what Mentroing is before they try the C.A.R.E. group mentoring style.
HOLA is on it's second year of existence, and likewise, is on it's second year of C.A.R.E.ing. On our third year, we hope to ontinue this - and even go beyond HOLA, by helping other clubs adopt C.A.R.E. into their program.
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