Mentoring the Next Gen

What are you doing to mentor the next generation of aspiring genealogists?

Do we just think this will happen? Who mentored you?

My family didn’t talk about their family much. Few stories; closed lips. I never thought there was a secret (and there wasn’t), but it just wasn’t something you talk about. Perhaps it was because my mother broke the chain of Ostfriesen marriages to marry a Scandinavian, my Dad. He told mother, “No foreign food.” I didn’t have pizza until I made it myself from a Chef Boyyardee box! She did make Swedish Rye Bread but I think she got the recipe from a friend.

I was contacted by a ProGen student requesting an interview. She said she had seven questions–we got to 3 +1! the conversation was wide-ranging, but it got me thinking about how we can encourage the next generation of genealogists. We each can do it and should, but each of us will do this unique to our personal situation.

Although this was not one of the questions, it got me thinking of all the ways I have mentored others and how others have mentored me. Here are some ideas.

Volunteer at your local genealogical society. Genealogy seems to be rather isolating, so reverse that and meet like-minded individuals in your own community. Desk volunteers at our society and at the library help session have the opportunity to raise their own level of knowledge by helping someone with a question outside the helpers usual locations of research. Recently, a patron came in when I was at the desk and wanted to know more about his Irish CW soldier. I know very little about researching Ireland but a goodly amount about the CW. We don’t have to know everything–we just have to want to help and meet the person where they are at in their journey.

Take in-person courses–not just online ones. The experience is definitely different and usually better. Yes, it’s easier to stay at home and listen to a webinar, but if it was offered as a hybrid and you are in the locale, go there and be part of the audience. Attend in-person workshops or institutes; attend conferences. We got out of the habit of personal attendance during COVID. Don’t be a COVID-trained recluse!

Set a goal to meet a (new) genealogist every month—call them up, ask to treat them for coffee or lunch. Bring a genealogical problem with you. One-on-one dialog may yield more than you think. A lunch break with a fellow genealogist led me on a two-year path to writing my book Journeys of the Forgotten: The Orphans of Hamilton County, Iowa. Who knows where your next conversation will take you?

Write a or call far-away cousin that you haven’t corresponded with for a while. Ask about their memories of your common ancestor. They may share some of the same memories but they will also have different ones.

If someone reaches out to you, make sure you reach back with an idea to communicate more.

All these expand your personal FAN Club–yes, you have one and you need to develop it. Some of these folks may be older than you and some will be younger. Remember, that younger does not mean they are not experts in their fields. Respect the knowledge they bring to the table; you are not there to be a “fixer” but rather a “listener.”

This blog has reminded me to call my older cousin and get her to talk about our grandfather. Gotta go!

Happy hunting!

Jill

What I have done since my last post: The first in a series of books about my paternal family is off to the printer (Lulu.com) for a draft. Cannot wait to see it! I am already working on my maternal family book which I hope to have to the printer by the end of this year. I have some fun presentations coming up and I have to work on those.

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Are You an “Education Junkie”?

I have just completed teaching the course of Certification Discussion Group (CDG) for the fall term. This course reviews the process, strategies and methods that might be useful to create a successful portfolio for the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG). One of the themes recurs throughout the course–how much education is enough?

Judy Russell, JD, CG, CGL, The Legal Genealogist, advised me early in my genealogy career that there were two types of submitters of the portfolio–the “over-readies” and the “under-readies.” This blog post will address the over-readies!

Over-readies think that they don’t know enough and just need one more course. THEN they will start writing their portfolio. When that class is completed, they then think the next class is the one they need and THEN they will start writing their portfolio. Wash, rinse, repeat. Result? The portfolio never gets written.

One of the first assignments the attendees get in the CDG class is to develop their genealogical resume. These Development Activities are a part of the portfolio and includes what made them memorable. Here are some issues that are usually raised every session:

• Are transferable skills ok? Yes, they should be included if you have some that have made you a better genealogist.[1] There are transferable elements to every job and every degree. For example, I have a Bachelor of Architecture and an MA in public administration. One built my project organization skills and the other taught me how to conduct oral interviews and write academic papers. Neither has much to do with genealogy like a major in History or Library Science might.
• What courses are required? There is no list of what courses you have to take to succeed; however, some courses or combination of courses are better predictors of success than others. You can see these educational options and their success rate on the BCG Learning Center page. Click on “Effect of Genealogical Education on Certification.” CDG is proud to be listed and while we think our percentage is higher than indicated we recognize that neither BCG or CDG have the same sample to compare. So, mix and match the many options to fill your educational gaps.
• Everything? No, you do not have to list everything you ever did. BCG wants you to focus on those that helped you 1.) attain standards; 2.) learn about useful records and context; 3.) learn skills that help reconstruct families and 4.) showcase your skills in presenting to others.[2]
• What is required? BCG has developed a series of rubrics against which your portfolio will be reviewed. There is only one rubric for Development Activities (genealogical resume)–it includes the word “variety,” but this should not be interpreted as being every institute, class, conference that is out there.

One of the advantages of Covid was that it changed the way education can be delivered and so many of you took advantage of taking courses virtually. But, don’t let more education be a crutch. Here is what you can do right now….

• Read the Application Guide (free) and the BCG website to get familiar with what is required.
• Buy a copy of Genealogy Standards (Second Edition Revised, 2021) and read the standards for documenting. Assess if you follow those standards. If not, start today.
• Buy a copy of Elizabeth Shown Mills book “Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources ;form Artifacts to Cyberspace, 4th edition.” Read the first four chapters. Now, stop the self-talk about how you cannot do citations.
• Write a one-generation family history. Pick an easy one, where you know the parents and their children. Cite it. Look at the examples on the BCG website and see if you can improve your work. Share it with other genealogists, and welcome a critique.

Adopt an attitude of “This is where I am today and I will be a better genealogist tomorrow.”

True confession: I am an education junkie! I am working on a pre-assignment for a DNA class on the 11th; I signed up for Virtual SLIG course on French-Canadian Research; I will teach “Write As You Research” in the Spring of 2025; and I will be attending RootsTech and NGS Family History Conference in 2025. It will be a busy year.

Happy hunting!

Jill

What I have done this past week: I finished up teaching the fall CDG class of 41 aspiring and inspiring genealogists; worked on my pre-assignment for Karen Stanbary’s course on the 11th; signed up for the Virtual SLIG class; and am starting to think about what I am taking with me to MA on the 7th.

[1] Board for Certification of Genealogists, Genealogy Standards, Second Edition Revised (Nashville: Ancestry.com, 2021) 48.
[2] Ibid., p. 47.