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Activist Resources The Nuts and Bolts of the Mentor Program: GPEP Mentor Program E-mail Discussion List Since 1998, several of us activists have dreamed of an e-mail discussion list where activists, staff, the national population committee (GPEPC), and mentors could all communicate in a single forum. Such a list is now a reality and has 54 subscribers. Unlike other lists, the Mentor ListServ is not a place for debating or discussing general population issues, but rather it's a nuts-and-bolts list where grassroots volunteers tell about upcoming events in their areas, share information on speakers, discuss ideas for tabling, etc.. The e-mail list is an important part of the Mentor outreach, and it's a great way to have access to national committee members and experienced activists. Rather than reinventing the wheel, you can bounce ideas on this list and obtain the combined wisdom of some of the Sierra Club's top population activists. The Mentor program was reactivated in early 2000 and consists of 16 senior activists. In addition to participating on the Mentor e-mail discussion list, Mentors assist GPEPC on various campaigns and continually support, coach, and encourage new volunteers. Questions? We Have the Answer! GPEP Mentor Program FAQ 1) What is the Global Population & Environment Program (GPEP)? Also known as the national population committee, GPEP is one of the Sierra Club's international programs, which also include human rights and the environment and responsible trade. Overseeing GPEP is the GPEP Committee (GPEPC), which is made up of seven volunteer activists. Late in 2000, a call went out for applications for the 2001-2002 GPEPC, and seven applicants were chosen to serve a two-year term. The GPEPC drafted a two-year plan, which we now follow. A summary of this plan was published over the summer. GPEPC works very closely with Annette Souder and Sarah Fairchild who are the staff members for this program, and work out of the DC office. 2) What are the positions of the Sierra Club on abortion, immigration, etc? Check out the Sierra Club's population FAQ on the web site: http://www.sierraclub.org/population/faq.asp 3) What is the Mentor Program? Though used in the past, this program was officially reactivated in January 2000. There are currently 17 "mentors." These individuals help with phone campaigns, serve as a liaison with grassroots activists, and mentor newer volunteers as needed. Like the GPEPC, the Mentors do much of their work through phone conferences. If you would like a mentor assigned to you, please let us know. Currently coordinating the mentor program are Todd Daniel and Karen Gaia Pitts. 4) What is the Mentor E-mail list? The Mentor list is an attempt to link the GPEPC, Mentors, and grassroots on one list. This is the place where you can share a tabling idea, recommend a speaker, or tell how your forum went. In other words, this is a nuts-and-bolts activities list, and NOT the place to debate population issues or policies. However, it is appropriate to ask questions about policies. The list is an official outreach of the GPEP Mentor Program. To join the list, send an e-mail to Todd Daniel at todddan@earthlink.net or Karen Gaia Pitts at karen@gaia-s.net. Up to Top HOME | Email Signup | About Us | Contact Us | Terms of Use | © 2008 Sierra Club