FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS // ADVISORS + VALIDATORS

Any adult may serve in this role with the exception of parents, relatives, and peers. Congressional Award Gold Medalists may also serve, regardless of their age.

No. Advisors and Validators may be any adult (or Gold medalist regardless of age) that is not a parent, relative, or peer of the participant.

The only qualification required is a willingness to mentor youth.

A Validator should possess the desire to mentor youth, plus a working knowledge of a specific activity you were asked to supervise. For example, if a participant is working toward a specific goal of competing giants in gymnastics, a rancher with no knowledge of gymnastics skills is not a good fit for serving as a Validator for that particular Physical Fitness goal.

There is no specific time requirement to serve. However, Advisors and Validators should plan to stay in periodic touch with the person who requested their involvement. After the initial goal planning, this might include an occasional phone call, text, or lunch. If a Validator is already a coach or similiar, simply making a point to check in about the participant's progress at practice might be enough. Mentorship is most effective when there is a two-way relationship.

No. Your service to Wyoming Congressional Award is entirely voluntary without financial compensation.

For Advisors, you'll encourage your advisee to obtain written comments and signatures from Validators as soon as goals have been met; review goals and sign to certify their completion before advisee moves to the next level; retains a photocopy of each completed Record Book; assists in the formation of new goals for the next level. For Validators, you'll discuss specific activities related to each goal you supervise; help identify "Point A" in skill/competence level so that measurable steps may be taken to reach "Point B;" review records and sign to certify the minimum hours and duration of activities have been met.

Sometimes circumstances change and it's absolutely OK to assist your advisee in revising his/her goals.

There is no restriction on how many youth you may advise, though be sure you have the time to devote to each.

While you're in a position to encourage and motivate a participant to keep up with the program, it is not your responsibility to force participation.

Life is full of the unexpected; if for some reason you determine you are unable to continue serving, be sure to communicate that to the youth you're advising or serving as validator for. Ideally, you'd provide some potential candidates that may be able to jump into the role.

Or course—students all over the country participate in Congressional Award. As long as you make the commitment to bridge distance through available technology like the occasional telephone call, text, Facetime, or Skype, you are free to work with any participant. The procedure for returning a Record Book may be a little different, but the premise of the program remains the same.

You may contact the Wyoming Congressional Award Council office at 514-2004 or team@wcac.us at any time with questions! We're always happy to hear from our network of volunteers.