Connecting Women, Changing Lives

One of the benefits of seeking out resources from a place like Fresh Start, is the women you meet there.  Maybe you are coming for a worksop, for a career coach, or for wordrobing.  Chances are, you are bound to meet a new friend.  We gain strength from supporting one another and insight from listening to eachother’s stories.

Recently, I dove head first into some of the memoirs available in our library-stories about women’s lives told from thier perspective.  And here is why:

• There is just something different when you know this is a REAL story.  Someone survived these events and lived to tell.
• You learn something about a community/country/culture totally different to your own.
• Even though the author’s circumstances are so different for your own, you still empathize with thier struggle and cheer them on!
• Seeing the world through someone else’s perspective can help you gain focus on your own life.

My recent Favorites (without giving any of their stories away…):

Stolen Lives: Twenty Years in a Desert Jail By Malika Oukfir

This is the heartbreaking and fascinating story of a woman, imprisoned with her family for political reasons, and how they found the strength to survive and eventually escape.

Infidel By Ayaan Hirsi Ali

he story of a Somali woman grew up in a culture where she felt she had few choices, and how she came to determine her own future and contribute to the freedom of other women.

More, Now, Again By Elizabeth Wurtezl

From the Author of “Prozac Nation”, the story of the pain and struggle of addiction and the ups and downs of finding sobriety.

There is a wide selection of memoirs in our library covering a wide variety of topics.  Come down and see what interests and inspires you about the lives of other women!

Volunteer Positions: Invaluable!

In this extremely competitive day and age, we seem to take so much for granted. The ease of being able to get in touch with someone no matter where they are by calling their cell phone, the fact that we can just pull up to a drive-thru window and have an instant dinner for a family of four, or even go onto a search website to locate a million and one results for one topic.
With the downfall of the economy, I would have to say that every one of us has learned not to take our employment for granted and that if we still had a job, we were extremely lucky. Should we feel the same about having a volunteer position within any organization? I say ABSOLUTELY!
Volunteers are often the driving force of our non-profit organizations. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to accomplish half of what we do, including the execution of fund-raising events which are certainly a vital part of what keeps us alive. But, do not forget the fact that volunteers need us, too. At times, it is a source for them to not only give back but GET back. It’s an opportunity for volunteers to get those much needed hands-on skills in order to obtain a particular job, get the required hours for schooling or government assistance or fill in a gap in time so that the resume will not be bare or questionable. These days, volunteerism takes on a whole other meaning for both sides of the spectrum. Volunteer positions are invaluable and should be treated and considered as such today and every day.
If you are interested in volunteering and getting involved, try visiting a search site such as http://www.VolunteerMatch.org or http://www.HandsOnPhoenix.org or, visit the Fresh Start local website at http://www.phoenix.wehelpwomen.com.

The Benefits of Mentoring

Mentoring is a proven strategy which assists in motivating women to achieve their potential. A mentor affects the career progression and personal development of a mentee by providing insight, identifying required knowledge, and expanding growth opportunities. Mentees gain insight beyond their own education and experiences.

As a mentee, your benefits may extend far beyond your expectations!

• Access to a support system during critical stages of your academic, career, financial or business development
• An insider’s perspective on navigating your career
• Clearer understanding and enhancement of obtainable success plans
• Greater knowledge of success factors
• Exposure to a diverse perspective and experience
• Direct access to powerful resources
• The foundation of a lasting professional network
• Identification of skill gaps

 

Are You Ready to be a Mentee?

If you can answer “YES” to the following statements, you are a great candidate for the Fresh Start Mentoring Program:

• I have life goals that relate to advancement of one of the following tracks: Education, Career, Financial, and Entrepreneurial.
• I’m responsible for my career goals and would enjoy the benefit of a mentor’s guidance to create a plan for success.
• I’m ready for objective feedback to consider new ideas and new approaches suggested by my mentor.
• I have realistic and professional expectations for my mentor relationship.
• I will be committed to my success plan.

 

How Do I Sign Up?

Any woman new to Fresh Start is required to attend our free Fresh Start 101 session. Our staff will provide an overview of all Fresh Start programs and explain how to access them. No registration is required. Please arrive 15 minutes early to complete paperwork.

 

Fresh Start 101 is held:

Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays: 12pm-1pm

Saturday: 9:30am-10:30am

 

As a Fresh Start mentee you are encouraged to begin the mentoring process by first meeting with an Empowerment Specialist which will assist you with the development of goals and expectations for the program. Once referral has been made to the mentoring program, Fresh Start will match you to a mentor based on your unique personal profile.

 

And One More Thing About Mentoring… IT PAYS!

It has been suggested by multiple studies that individuals who have had mentors are much happier in their career and typically earn thousands more than individuals who haven’t. Mentoring statistics also show that women who have been involved with a form of mentoring relationship, have reported an average increase of 94% in their professional productivity – as a result of this kind of professional mentoring.

 

Any Questions?

You can contact the Mentoring Coordinator, Christina Laucks at Claucks@fswf.org or at 602.261.7163.

“Tell Me a Little Bit About Yourself”

It is probably the most commonly asked question in an interview and most often is the very first question you will be asked.  Your response can set the tone for the interview and can aid you in guiding your discussion with your interviewer in a direction that will sell you best.

With so much resting on one little question, it is important to prepare ahead.  Use these quick and easy steps to make sure you ace this question in your next interview!

This questions should actually be – “Tell about your professional self” – Job seekers often make the mistake of including too much personal information like their age, where they grew up, their hobbies or even family status.  Sharing this information in no way speaks to the qualifications that make you right for the job and in some cases can provide the interviewer with really personal information that can make them question your ability to do the job.

So what do you talk about and how exactly can you prepare ahead of time to ensure your success?

1. Be sure that you know the job description inside and out – This will help you to better understand the skills, qualifications, experience, etc. that you will need to highlight in your response.
2. Craft your answer to be short and sweet – An interviewer does not want to hear your entire life history.  Your response to this question should be clear, concise and tailored to the specific position you are interviewing for.  You don’t need to tell them everything you have done, just the things that apply to the position.   This response is meant to be an overview or summary of your key selling points.
3. Give yourself a time limit and practice sticking to it – Your response should never take longer than 2 minutes at the absolute max.  Anything longer than this will probably put your interviewer in “la la land”.  Once you have crafted your response have a friend or family member time you to make sure you are on track.
4. Always stick to professional topics – These can include things like education, work experience, special skills, certifications, community involvement, and the list could go on and on.  Just be sure to stick to things that give you professional experience and skill.
5. Talk about what makes you special – Since this is often the first thing an interviewer will hear from you, make sure you start the interview off right.  Think about the things that set you apart and what makes you the best candidate for the job.  Consider the attributes that you bring to the table that you would be heartbroken about if you walked out of the interview and never got to talk about them.  These are the things that will create your response.  This will allow you to demonstrate, right out of the gate, that you are a strong candidate.
6. Practice & preparation makes perfect – The more you interview and work on questions the more comfortable you will feel.  Practicing will allow you to exude more confidence when delivering your answers which in turn makes you more believable and seemingly more qualified to an interviewer.

So what would a good response sound like?  The following puts these 6 rules into play and gives you an idea of what a well crafted response would sound like.  In this example, Susie Smith is interviewing for a position as a trainer at a local bank.

I posses over 10 years of training and adult education experience with 6 of those years being in the banking industry. In my last position I was responsible for providing all soft skills training and new employee orientations and I was even named trainer of the year for the state of Arizona.   I currently hold a bachelor degree in human resource management and a masters in corporate training from ASU.  I have recently gone back to school to get my online education certification because it is becoming such an integral part of an effective training program.  In my free time I facilitate various job readiness courses at a local non-profit. 

Be sure to start your interview off right!  Stop dreading the “Tell me about yourself question” and prepare yourself now for interviewing success.

Setting Goals for Empowerment

Have you ever stopped to ask yourself, what is important to me or what do I want? Even thinking about prioritizing our goals can be overwhelming. Eventually our energy is drained because we don’t know where to start.

Accomplishing goals is something that we all want, but how much time do we actually devote to attaining them? Let us help you identify personal goals and work towards making them a reality. Self empowerment and self advocacy will help you gain awareness of personal strengths that you may not have identified for yourself.

Step number 1.   Identify a personal goal.

Step number 2.   Make sure it is measurable and obtainable.

Step number 3.   Identify a time frame.

Step number 4.   Leave room for unexpected changes in your life.

Step number 5.   Avoid negative self talk and negative thoughts

Step number 6.  Review progress

There are classes available to help you through your journey for goal obtainment.

Empowerment Road Map – Thursday November 3 – December 8 (not 11/24) 6:00 – 7:45 p.m.

The Second Half – Wednesdays, November 2 – December 14 – 6:00 – 7:45 p.m.

Divorce Support Group – Monday September 12 –November 21 (no group on October 31)

Questioning Stressful Thoughts – Thursday Part I – September 22, 6:00 – 7:45 p.m. Part II – September 29 6:00 – 7:45 p.m.

Thursday Part I – November I – 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Part II – November 17 – 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

La Mujer Hispana – Septiembre 13 – Noviembre 15 (a.m.), Septiembre 15 – Noviember 17 (p.m.)

Books: “The Girl’s Guide To Homelessness”

Brianna Karp is an employed, educated capable young woman who has been working her whole life.  She is also homeless.  Her first book, “The Girl’s Guide to Homelessness” chronicles the journey from typical Southern California teen to becoming one voice out of millions of people without a permanent address.  Her book is touching, funny, infuriating and hopeful.  You can check it out in Fresh Start’s Library, too!

As we enter the summer months here in Arizona, it becomes an especially dangerous time for people without shelter.  The heat can kill, and keeping cool and healthy can be a challenge.   

If you are currently seeking shelter, here are some resources:

• CONTACTS Shelter Hotline: 602-263-8900 24 hours a day/7 days a week
• HOPE Homeless Outreach: 480-350-8950  M-F/7am-5pm
• Arizona Coalition to End Homelessness: 602-340-9393

 If you want to get to know Brianna, you can also follow her blog at:

http://girlsguidetohomelessness.com/blog/

School’s Out, Summer is here

Can you believe summer is here?  School’s out for summer!  Now that the kiddos are home for summer break, enjoy that extra time for family.  Say good-bye to boredom and hello to free family fun! Here are some budget friendly ideas for you and your family to enjoy.

1. Visit Fresh Start! Fresh Start is offering a free workshop this summer, called Building Peaceful Families. While you’re attending any  class or using any Fresh Start service,  your children can have fun at Fresh Start’s free Child Watch.  Child Watch services are free of charge to Fresh Start mothers and their children.  Child Watch is available  for children from infancy to 12 years of age on Mondays-Thursdays from 11 am-8pm and Saturdays 9am-2pm.

2.  Take your kids to the library.   All of the area libraries have story times for the younger kids, and programs and events for the older ones. http://www.phoenixpubliclibrary.org

3.  Got skates or a skateboard? The valley now has several free skate parks. Novice skaters can watch the more experienced ones practice.  http://www.freeskateparks.com/freeSkateparks.php

4.  There are more than 400 animals on display at the Cabela’s store  in Glendale, AZ. Some were real animals that were stuffed, and some are original creations. All are very lifelike, from the tiny mouse to the huge elephant. Sure, it’s primarily a hunting and fishing store but the exhibits are great. http://www.cabelas.com/retail-stores-glendale.shtml

5.  Take the kids swimming! There are several community pools  all around the valley. Most charge a very nominal fee. If your kids don’t swim yet, many of the area parks now have splash pads and splash playgrounds during the summer. http://phoenix.about.com/od/publicswimmingpools/tp/pools.htm

Multi-tasking Through Volunteerism! – Ways that you can fulfill your desire to give back to the community and check-off items on your “To-Do” list at the same time!

These days we live in what seems to be a time-deprived world. We sit on our couch at the end of the day wondering, “Just where did the time go?” With the fast-paced drive that we all seem to have, multi-tasking is always a necessary method of ensuring we’ve accomplished at least 80 out of the quadrillion things on our list!

Listening to an audio book while we drive, visiting the super marts where we can shop for our son’s shoes, pick up a chicken dinner and movie rental all while scheduling a doctor appointment over the phone are just a few of the many ways we’ve learned to cut time and pressure.

But, have you ever thought of volunteering as a way to multi-task? Many of us have had the passion for giving back to the communities in which we live but just don’t seem to have the time to do it. Here are just a few samples of how to clear a few extra minutes on the dreaded clock:

• Quality Time with Family & Friends – Think of an opportunity to volunteer at a location where you can join a group. Maybe packing food boxes at a local food bank with your family, schedule an outing to assist with a neighborhood project or join a friend at a local youth organization where you can read to kids or organize an activity where everyone is involved.
• Make New Friends – Meet others with similar passions and interests and also have an opportunity to network, building relationships that may land you that new job while you contribute time and talent to those in need.
• Newly Retired – Miss having that regular schedule? Volunteer at a non-profit agency on a weekly basis. Just a few hours per week will bring much needed help to the organization and fulfill your need to have a schedule without the required 9 to 5.
• Expand Your Resume with New Skills and Experience – Adding new skills through volunteer experience is always a positive whether for resume building or personal fulfillment. Brush up on your marketing skills by assisting with a fundraiser or add to your excellent planting skills with an Earth Day project.

There are several ways that you can check items off of your list while donating a small amount of time. And even when you feel you just can’t commit to an hour or two out of your day, find a worthy cause you are most passionate about and take a few moments to make a small monetary donation. A little always goes a long way.

If you are interested in volunteering or making a donation to Fresh Start Women’s Foundation, please contact our office at 602-252-8494 or visit our website at http://phoenix.wehelpwomen.com

Making Self Care a Priority

Summer is upon us, the heat is rising and so are the demands on our energy and time. Graduation season is here, the kids are out of school, it’s time to plan summer vacations and activities and the work demands never stop. As women we are taught to care for everyone else first, from children, to spouses, to extended family & friends.  We even take care of the family pet before taking care of ourselves!

 

Self Care is the exercise of putting one’s self first! Self care, while often neglected or prioritized at the bottom of the to do list, is actually the most important thing to do. For example, when traveling on an airplane, the flight attendants instruct parents to place the oxygen mask on themselves before placing the mask on their children.  We can’t take care of others until we take time to stop and care of ourselves.  We’re often told that focusing on ourselves is selfish, but here at Fresh Start we would argue that taking care of yourself is actually the best way to take care of everyone else in your life!

 

So how can you work on incorporating self care into your daily life? Try implementing a few of our Self Care Tips!

 

Self Care Tips:

1. Take 15 minutes (or more) of “me time” each day. Try a deep breathing exercise, meditate, or just get outside. Use this time as an opportunity to refocus and refresh. “Me time” can be squeezed in throughout your day: on your lunch break, immediately after your wake up in the morning (before the rest of the household rises), after everyone else has already gone to bed, during your commute (if someone else is driving), or simply declare “me time” anytime and take a break. There aren’t many things in life that can’t wait 15 minutes!
2.  Get in tune with your self talk! Self talk is the constant stream of thoughts that flow through our heads. Are you aware of your self talk? You may be sending negative messages to yourself that you aren’t even aware of! Plan 2-3 times during your day to pause and listen to your thoughts. Are you being nice to yourself? If not work on building awareness about the negative messages you send and try to turn negative thoughts into positive and supportive messages. There are plenty of people in our lives who give us negative messages, don’t let you be one of them!
3. Think before you commit! When people make demands on your time or energy, give yourself time to think before responding with a yes or no. Check in with yourself, is this something your capable of? Do you have the time? What would you have to give up to do this? And most importantly is this something you really want to do? Give yourself permission to think it through and allow yourself the option of saying no.
4.  Let go. There are many things in life that are outside of our control, yet we build up a lot of stress and anxiety trying to manage things (people, situations, etc.) that are simply beyond our control. When you find yourself worrying about something step back and ask: Is this within my control? If the answer is no, ask yourself what the payoff is for worrying.  How does it help or benefit you?  Then make the decision to let it go and move forward. Focusing on what you can control and letting go of what you can’t will help you better manage the level of stress in your life.
5. Get Grounded. Do you ever find yourself wondering where the day went or feel like life is spinning around you and you’re just going through the motions? Often we’re so focused on our next task that we forget to actually live in the present moment. When you feel like this call a “time out” and take a moment to ground yourself. Practice deep breathing or meditation to calm your mind and allow yourself to focus on the physical environment. Notice the sun shining on a sunny afternoon,  get lost looking at a beautiful flower, or notice the people passing on the busy street. Grounding helps you connect with the present and find joy in the moment!

At Fresh Start Women’s Resource Center we can help you say “I need a time out”. Attend self care seminars to learn new techniques, join support groups to learn from other women, or meet with a Fresh Start Social Worker to create an action plan that meets your needs. After all, your “list of things to do” will still be there.

 

Here are some good ways to take care of yourself this summer:

 

The Women’s Group– Support Group, Tuesdays in June  from 6-7:45 (no group June 14^th)

Questioning Stressful Thoughts– Workshop Dates: June 16^th from 6-7:45pm; July 16^th from 11am-1pm and August 17^th from 6-7:45pm

Supporting Women In New Growth–  Support group, Wednesdays July 6th-August 24^th. Registration Required, contact Merle at 602-261-7172

Developing Boundaries– 2 part series Thursday July 19^th & Thursday July 26^th 6-7:45pm

Yoga- weekly on Wednesdays from 11:30am-12:45pm and Saturdays 9:30-11:00am

 

For more information or to register please visit us at phoenix.wehelpwomen.com. or call 602-252-8494.

Finding the Right Job for You! Quick & Easy Tips to Find a Career You Love

I can’t begin to tell you how many women I work with on a weekly basis that are in the latter part of their career and have realized that their current profession does not fulfill them.  They are good at what they do but; they do not enjoy their work.  Surprisingly, some of these women are thankful that they have finally been laid off from the job that they never had the heart to leave.  All too often I hear those words: “I don’t think I know what I want to be when I grow up”.

What I have found is that few people consider the right factors when making career decisions.  Most will make decisions about their career direction with 3 main factors in mind: money, ease of finding the position and whether or not the career is in a growing industry.  In reality, they have neglected to consider the most important factor: who they are.  Personality is something that develops very early on in life and studies show that it will never really change drastically beyond the age of 18-21.  Certainly, the salary and whether or not the position is in a growing industry are important but personality should always be considered first.  As we know, the medical industry is still thriving, there’s a wealth of opportunities and potential to make money.  However, what I know about myself tells me that no matter how much someone pays me or how in-demand those jobs are, I will never enjoy or be good at this profession.  I hate the sight of blood and hospitals scare me.  I can’t even watch a medical show on TV without cringing!  I also know that when I think about what I want to do with my career, I first have to examine who I am.

Whether you are beginning a job search, considering a career change, attempting to choose the right educational program or trying to figure out what you what to be when you grow up, use the following tips to help determine your exciting new career direction.

Make your passion part of your work – Each of us has something we are passionate about; the key is figuring out how you can incorporate that into your career.  Maybe you love animals and feel strongly about animal rights yet your college degree is in marketing.  Some easy career transitions or options could be doing community outreach or public relations for a local animal shelter or the Humane Society.  Maybe you love the arts and your degree is in finance.  Your experience and passion could translate into a job as a fundraiser for an arts foundation or even grant writing.  Infusing your passion into the environment and mission of what you do each day, can create a more fulfilling and successful career.

Ask yourself – why am I here? – Have you ever found yourself sitting at your desk wondering why you are even doing what you are doing?  How did you get where you are today?  Sometimes life can move so quickly that we forget to regularly assess where we are going.  Take time every so often to make sure that you are getting as much out of your job as you are putting in and that the work environment is right for you.  Do you understand the importance of your position and what it means to your company?  Are you continuing to learn and grow in your current position?  Do you feel accomplished at the end of the day?  If you can’t satisfactorily answer these questions then it is likely that you are not receiving the career fulfillment you desire.

There is a big difference between “CAN DO” and “WANT TO DO” – Most people confuse these two statements or even use them interchangeably.  However when it comes to your career they are vastly different.  Just because you can do something and even do it well does not mean that you want to or even enjoy doing it.  For example, you may be able to cook a great meal for a dinner party but does that mean you should be a chef?  When considering a career think about the day-to-day work tasks and skills required.  Perhaps make a list of things that you enjoy – if the majority of skills required are not on your “want to do” list then it is time to re-evaluate.

Consider your past jobs – A previous job can be one of the best indicators of what your future work should be and what positions you should avoid.  Think back to any position you’ve had – whether an entry-level retail job that got you through school or your first professional position, then ask yourself the following questions: Which job did I love?  What did I get to do each day that was exciting or fulfilling?  What was I really good at?  When did I feel most accomplished?  Past experiences are the best things to learn from, so use work history to help direct you on your next career path.

Keep your eye on the prize – Before you can effectively job search you must have a clear understanding of what position you will be seeking.  What is your ultimate goal?  Without direction it is easy to get overwhelmed with the amount of postings, companies and opportunities out there.  It will be difficult to effectively sell or package yourself on a resume without knowing how to “tailor” your skills and experience.  Before starting any job search, you must first determine where you want to be when it is all over.  Otherwise, you may get distracted and end up in a position or company that won’t get you to where you want to be professionally.

Get Feedback – Sometimes the best information can come from those who are on the outside looking in.  Ask your friends, co-workers, professors, supervisors, classmates, and family what they see as your strengths or even what they feel you might be good at.  They may see abilities or potential in you that you never noticed.

The answer to the question of “what do I want to be when I grow up” can be difficult and most certainly can change over the course of your life.  If you ask yourself the important questions of “who am I and what makes me happy?” you too can find the career success and fulfillment you desire.