The Blessing of Being A Coach and Mentor

People do not come into LifeWorks training thinking they will connect deeply and form bonds based on trust and that this will drive their path to a better life and job. They come because they are stuck and want to find a job, but they graduate feeling empowered and full of hope. The “secret sauce” is the coach/mentor relationship.

Flynn Ettienne has coached six training classes and says that it keeps him grounded. He learned faith from one of his students who had moved to Orlando after Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and was striving to feed his family, one day at a time. He said his students this Fall were eager and appreciated what they learned along the way.

Stacie Crawley, a first time coach this session, loved being on the journey with her students. She helped them grow by working on things like making eye contact and writing a resume, but it was seeing them grow closer to Christ that made the difference. Her students were all single moms who bonded and encouraged each other and she says that the relationships were the key to their progress.

Another veteran coach of eight years, Jay Rohr, shared, “students start, some without a sense of direction, and most without someone to mentor them.  As coaches we listen a lot, call on our hard earned job experiences and lead them through the JP material. At graduation, they walk tall and proud with a new purpose and new tools to pursue a career.  And as coaches, we are just as proud.”

Denise Ferro found JP through her pastor and has recruited others to volunteer too. She felt it was her role to provide daily encouragement, give positive feedback and guidance while assisting with homework and assignments. But ultimately, she experienced them grow closer to God as they overcame barriers and learned to trust in God’s plan. She was impressed with this class because they connected as a team and supported each other, promising to never quit, and instead to utilize the tools presented to find their path.

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