Government Jobs Interview Questions
Commitment like McNeil's is key, says Payne. A Hand UP Coaching is serious about that personal investment. After potential clients fill out applications, a team of coaches reviews their materials to determine which candidates seem most likely to make that kind of commitment. Any participant who misses two sessions is dropped from the program. A Hand UP Coaching only accepts women who not only sincerely want to change their lives but who are also ready to do the work necessary to make that happen.
According to Payne, more than 80% of those clients who sign up with A Hand UP Coaching complete the program.
But client commitment is not the only reason for A Hand UP Coaching's success. It is the program's team of highly qualified and dedicated volunteer coaches that makes it work so well. Those who are interested in becoming volunteer coaches fill out applications and authorize background checks. In order to qualify, coaches must be students or graduates of accredited coaching schools, or they must be members of the International Coach Federation. Qualified coaches are then selected and approved to participate in A Hand UP Coaching's intensive orientation and training program.
Once they are assigned to a client, coaches stay in close contact with their clients. They conduct three 30-minute phone sessions per month for three months with each client. In addition, they fill out monthly progress reports. "Some of the clients have extreme challenges, and it's hard to avoid getting pulled into the drama," says Payne. "Coaches need to watch the boundaries between therapy and coaching. It's not easy to not get pulled into the drama."
Gail Nape has experienced those challenges firsthand and knows how important it is to keep the line between therapy and coaching clear. "I coached a woman who had a problem with drug addition, and during our time together she fell off the wagon," she says. "Our sessions were disrupted, and she started missing appointments. I recognized that she needed professional support for her problem. I told her to contact me if I could help her later, and I detached with love."
Despite the challenges, Nape says coaching for A Hand UP Coaching is a rewarding experience. "I like the sense that I'm giving something back and helping other women. You can see the results from week to week championing these women."
McNeil credits Nape with helping her change her attitude towards her job. "When I first started getting coaching, I hated my job. For me, the shift was my gaining a sense of purpose. It became a challenge to see how well I could do the job." Clearly, she met that challenge. McNeil was instrumental in her department meeting its sales goal for the first time in eighteen months. For her work, she received a great performance review and an excellent raise. "Now, I look forward to going to work, and I enjoy the people I work with," she says.
But those who run successful programs like A Hand UP Coaching know that it's impossible to do it all alone. Hunt and Payne work hand-in-hand with other organizations to reach women in need. Dress for Success, an organization that helps low income women buy clothing and accessories for the workplace that have been donated by a variety of organizations and agencies, and its Professional Women's Group extension, provides educational support.
"We teach women the skills they'll need in the workforce," says PWG facilitator Mary Ellen Romano. "That's where A Hand UP Coaching comes in. It opens doors so that women see what they can do with their lives." Romano saw for herself the difference that A Hand UP can make. "The profound effect coaching had on their outlook overwhelmed us," says Romano. "We saw their increased self-esteem and motivation. It was like the Cinderella's transformation from a kitchen drudge to a princess."
Payne says that this is what A Hand UP Coaching is all about--providing women with the resources that can make their lives just a little bit better. And when that happens, those women, in turn, make the lives of others better. "If they can each help one person, it's made a difference."
We can all get caught up in the drama of our own circumstances when life deals us challenging blows. But, with a helping hand, each and every one of us can pull ourselves up out of the mire and move forward. A Hand UP Coaching offers just that.
For more information about A Hand Up Coaching contact Michelle Payne at: Office: (916) 608-1812 or via email at michelle@ahandupcoaching.org or visit their website at http://www.ahuc.org.
About The Author
Cardell Phillips is a freelance writer specializing in articles and features about entrepreneurs, success and personal development. His articles have appeared in magazines, newspapers and webzines.
