Community Workshops

Overview

Our volunteer coaches often remarked how frequently they use the skills — listening non-judgmentally and asking questions — with many of their relationships to everyone’s benefit! Not surprisingly, we concluded that if most relationships and conversations were based on coaching, more results could be generated to create the highest possible outcomes for people.

With that in mind and a desire to spread our message, we created workshops for the community at large with a focus on schools, youth serving agencies, and parents. We shared our experiences, our learning, our stories, and the concepts associated with Basic Coaching Conversations. We provided half-day workshops complete with videos of students and Volunteer Coaches sharing the benefits received from learning about, and participating in, coaching conversations.

The Community Workshop focused on:

  1. Looking into the life of a teen today.
  2. Setting a framework of: safety, trust and mutual respect, and establishing a common agreement from which to have a conversation.
  3. The Basic Skills: Active Listening, Asking Open-ended Questions, and Closing the Conversation with at least one action to be implemented

We provided ample time for practice, debriefing, and questions.

Note: the slide presentations for two of our workshops follow. Go to the Video Menu tab for the videos used at the workshop

  • Workshop Introducing Coaching
  • Workshop Coaching Conversations
  • Workshop Practicing Coaching
  • Workshop Listening Exercises
  • Workshop Discuss Coaching
  • Workshop Coaching Observations

Decision Makers and Leaders Workshop Slides

Talking With Teens Workshop Slides

Coaching Teens… Building Futures

Students Say…

“Talking with someone helped me to understand what was right and wrong.”
“It was good. My coach helped me a lot with organizing my life.”
“Before my coaching I had no idea of what to do after high school; now I have ideas on how to reach goals I didn’t know I had.”
“My coach didn’t judge me and tell me I was throwing away my life.”
“Before coaching I was getting C's and D's. Now I am getting A's and B's on my report card.”
“I connected with my coach. I wasn’t afraid to tell her personal stuff. I could trust her because I wasn’t being judged.”
“Coaching has given me the strength to show the world what I've got and what I can do. I have learned to not limit my challenges but challenge my limits.”
“I had someone who just listened. When I had a question there was a combination of getting ideas from him, and figuring out myself.”
“Our relationship was more about a friendship. I have told him secrets - things about myself I have not told anyone else.”
“Before my coaching I had no ideas of what to do after high school. Now I have ideas on how to reach my goals.”
“I learned that I can be independent and don’t have to rely on others, but can get support when I feel I need it.”
“At first we just talked, it felt good to talk to someone and really trust them.”
“My coach and I worked on a graph so I could organize my time better. I was getting C’s and D’s on my progress report, now I am getting A’s and B’s on my report card.”
“I had somebody who would help me set up steps to reach my goals. It wasn't complicated, she made it simple. It was positive, and I had the ability to identify those steps.”
“Because of coaching, my life is better because I can actually meet my goals and reach for my future goals.   I'm stronger and more positive since having a coach.”
“When asked what makes an ideal coach, she responded: "Somebody who listens to my opinions and helps me get more ideas about what I want.”
“Since I started working with a coach I'm way more confident and I don't care if people judge me.”
“I know now that when I have a problem there are different ways to solve it other than violence.”
“I used to think of myself as lazy and a failure. Since I've had a coach, my perspective is different and now I can see myself being successful.”
“Coaching was a moment where I could just talk about what I want.”
“It felt good to have an adult in my life that I could trust and didn’t judge me.”
Top