MATCH is Vermont’s term for a system of mentors, coaches, and consultants working with early childhood and afterschool programs and professionals. MATCH stands for Mentoring, Advising, Teaching, Coaching, Consulting, and Helping.
MATCH Professionals provide many different kinds of support to early childhood and afterschool professionals in Vermont. Here are some of the most common types of support and their definitions in Vermont’s professional development system for early childhood and afterschool professionals.
Mentoring: A relationship-based process between colleagues in similar professional roles. In this relationship, a Mentor – with more experience in a particular topic or area and experience with adult learning principles – provides guidance and support to a Mentee. Mentoring is intended to increase an individual’s personal or professional capacity, resulting in greater professional effectiveness.
Coaching: A relationship-based process led by an expert in a particular topic or area and experience with adult learning principles, who often services in a different professional role than the recipient(s). Coaching is designed to build capacity for specific professional dispositions, skills, and behaviors and is focused on goal-setting and achievement for an individual or group.
Consultation: A collaborative, problem-solving process between an external consultant with expertise in a particular topic or area and experience with adult learning principles with an individual or group from one program or organization. Consultation can be a one-time experience or can be an ongoing relationship over a defined period of time. Consultation may include identifying and resolving a particular issue or concern, such as a program, staff, child, or family-related issue, or may address a specific topic.
Technical Assistance: the provision of targeted and customized support by a professional with subject matter and adult learning knowledge and skills to develop or strengthen processes, knowledge application or implementation of services by recipients. For example: I can help you find and fill out the grant application.
