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Instructors & Mentors/Mentees

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Instructors

Instructors are the backbone of Jumpstart. Pairing motivated, community-based residents with experienced industry instructors is one of the most effective ways to convert blighted and abandoned properties into quality housing and neigborhood assets. Jumpstart Atlantic City instructors are not just teaching a class - they are helping create the next generation of developers who whill reinvest in their own neighborhoods.

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Instructors are professionals such as developers, builders, contractors, lenders, brokers, property managers, planners, title experts, or inspectors who volunteer their real-world expertise to give emerging developers practical knowledge as they begin their development journeys.

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Jumpstart Atlantic City will provide instructors with a written curriculum outline and workbook in advace. In-person instruction is strongly preferred. Instructors who cannot attend in person may teach remotely via Zoom.

Topics: The Jumpsteps

  • September 15: Create a development strategy and identify your team

  • September 22: Source a property and conduct due dilligence

  • September 29: Find your financing

  • October 6: Develop design and procure permits

  • October 13: Customize construction

  • October 20: Lease, manage and sell your property

Instructors Responsibilities

  • Teach a full 2-hour class on a topic that falls within their expertise, or

  • Teach part of a class with one or more co-instructors, when a session covers multiple specialties.

  • Using the curriculum outline, prepare session content for emerging/early-stage developers assume limited prior technical knowledge, but a high level of motivation and community investment.

  • Deliver instruction including real Atlantic City conditions where applicable.

  • Use real examples and case studies where possible - sample deals, sample documents, checklists, templates, or tools participants can apply directly to their own projects.

  • Engage participants in discussion and Q&A.

  • Provide or recommend resource materials (templates, checklists, contact lists, local agency information) that participants can keep and reuse after the program ends.

  • Be available for limited follow-up.

  • Submit materials in advance (slides, handouts) to program coordinators for distribution to participants.

Desired Instructor Qualifications

  • Demonstrated professional experience in one or more Jumpsteps.

  • Comfortable teaching or presenting to adult learners with a range of experience levels.

  • Genuine interest in Atlantic City's revitalization and in supporting emerging developers, particularly those from the community who may lack traditional access to capital, networks, or technical knowledge.

Commitment

  • One 2-hour session (or portion of one session), scheduled within the program calendar.

  • Brief advance coordination with program staff and any co-instructors.

Mentors

The success of the JumpStart Atlantic City Program is dependent on seasoned professionals volunteering their time and providing their experience and insights to rookie developers who enter the program.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

                              Mentors are available only to those who have completed the Jumpstart Atlantic City program.

Mentor Qualifications

  • Residential and/or commercial real estate development experience. We are seeking experienced developers who have developed at least 10 properties.

  • Understand most or all of the development process applications outlined in the Jumpstart Workbook.

Mentor Expectations

  • Establish communication with your mentee within the first week after the mentoring session ends to introduce yourself.

  • Determine realistic and attainable expectations for mentee and mentor and determine best form(s) of communication.

  • Maintain confidentiality with mentee.

  • Complete and return annual program evaluation for each mentee.

Mentor Requirements

  • Minimum 1-year commitment to the program.

  • Seasoned leadership capabilities.

  • High personal moral and ethical standards.

  • Share and support Jumpstart Atlantic City mission.

Mentor Responsibilities

  • Be positive, honest and approachable by developing a positive counseling relationship and a climate of open communication.

  • Get to know the person you are mentoring on both a personal and profressional level.

  • Provide guidance on real estate development.

  • Be respectful and supportive of your mentee.

  • Be available by phone, email and/or in person.

  • Be sincere. Praise efforts as well as accomplishments.

  • Help mentees identify problems and solutions.

  • Be aware of mentee's progress.

  • Provide feedback and advice.

  • Be aware fo the mentee's strengths and areas of development.

  • Share stories, including mistakes.

  • Refer mentees to other business associates.

  • Be helpful in expanding your mentee's relationship base.

  • Respect confidentiality.

Mentees

The success of the Jumpstart Program is dependent on seasonsed real estate professionals volunteering their time and providing their experience and insights to emerging developers who complete the Jumpstart Atlantic City program. This is a one-year commitment on the part of the mentor and mentee. A mentee will be matched with a mentor upon satisfactorily completeing the training program and expressing preparedness to fully utilize their mentor's skills and expertise. The mentor's role is to provide guidance and information.

Mentee Qualifications

  • Must have attented all Jumpstart Atlantic City training sessions.

  • Must have an intent to develop residential and/or commercial real estate in Atlantic City.

Mentee Expectations

  • Timing. Establish communication with your mentor within the first week after mentor matching introductory email is sent.

  • Mutual expectations. Determine realistic and attainable expectations for mentee and mentor and determine best form(s) of communication.

  • Mutal obligations. Both mentor and mentee are mutally obligaed to maintain communication.

  • Clarity of request. Be clear about your goal(s) when engaging your mentor on a particular topic.

  • Confidentiality. Maintain confidentiality with mentor.

  • Evaluation. Complete and return evaluation of your mentor when provided by Jumpstart Atlantic City program staff.

  • Transparency. If you have been matched with a mentor but find that you are not in a position to effectively utilize their guidance and expertise at that time, pleae be transparent with your mentor about your circumstances and ask if you can reengage at a later time when you are more fully able to take advantage of their assistance.

Mentee Requirements

  • Minimum 1-year commitment to the program.

  • High personal moral and ethical standards.

  • Share and support Jumpstart Atlantic City mission.

Mentee Responsibilities

  • Be positive, honest and approachable.

  • Work to develop a positive relationship and a climate of open communication.

  • Get to know your mentor.

  • Be respectful of your mentor, their time commitments, and other obligations.

  • Be available by phone, email and/or in person as mutually agreed upon with your mentor.

  • Be aware of your mentor's strengths and areas of development.

  • Share experiences in real estate development to date to help your mentor understand your level of experience.

  • Respect confidentiality.

For​ any additional questions or inquiries, please contact us at jumpstartac@chelseaedc.org.

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