LESSON 5 PSP TRAINING: Facilitating Vision Building

This is THEIR life!

Try - don’t be afraid to dream and ponder. The Lord will help you find that which you can be happy doing, and do it in a special way. 
A Roger Merrill

LESSON 5: FACILITATE VISION BUILDING:  Vision Building is more successful when it has foundation in spiritual truths which are then applied in their everyday life

What is most important for mentors to know? 

·        Vision Building is enhanced by understanding the spiritual truth that all of us are sons and daughters of God with infinite potential -  This knowledge allows mentees to believe that meaningful goals can be set and achieved

·        Vision Building cannot take place when there is undue stress in life - when the basics of life are not being met

·        Mentors know how to help someone imagine their “future story”

·        Mentors know how to motivate others to change using several models

What is most important for mentors to do?

·        Mentors will see each person as a son or daughter of God with infinite potential

·        Mentors will help others understand that each person has not only divine potential, but unique gifts and talents to use here on earth

·        Mentors will help others find their dreams

·        Mentors will honor each person's right to choose their own path or vision

·        Mentors will practice speaking in ways that affirm each person's innate ability to create and achieve the goals they want

What is most important for mentors to believe?

Mentors will know in their hearts that each person they mentor has the potential to become like God

What kind of person will mentors be?

“charity . . . rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth”

Understand and make part of your life the gospel principles in the plan of salvation that pertain to self-reliance and be bold, confident yet humble as you teach and bear testimony of them.  Rejoice with others when they catch vision and have success and achieve goals.

Learn together

1.     Which spiritual truths lead to vision building?    Tie each truth to Bridges Out of Poverty and what we know about those living in poverty.

2.     Note well:  when the basics of life are not being met, it is very difficult for someone to worry about a vision or dream for the future.  You may have to address immediate concerns first.  That means you are skipping ahead to problem solving and teaching how to access resources.  YOU are not in charge of fixing the problems – don’t get caught up in the “Tyranny of the Moment”.

3.     STRATEGIES TO HELP PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO VISION – NO FUTURE STORY:

a.     Patriarchal Blessing

b.     Prayer and fasting

c.      Imagine games: “Imagine a FUTURE STORY”.

                                                                                       i.      Imagine you won the lottery tomorrow.  What would you do?

                                                                                     ii.      If you could do anything, go anywhere, what would it be?

                                                                                   iii.      Imagine yourself in a new house.  What would it look like?

d.     Personality tests:  Good for people who have no idea what they are all about.  Starts them thinking about who they are.

                                                                      i.      the Color Code test -- www.colorcode.com

                                          ii.      Find Your Strengths   http://www.literacynet.org/mi/assessment/findyourstrengths.html

                                         iii.      Free Strengths Test  http://freestrengthstest.workuno.com/free-strengths-test.html

                                         iv.      Strengths/Weakness Aptitude Test

http://richardstep.com/richardstep-strengths-weaknesses-aptitude-test/

4.     Motivation:  The Scales of Change; Motivation:  Finding Out what matters most in another's life by really getting to know them. 

HOW DO WE MOTIVATE A PERSON?  -   The Scales of Change

PREMISE: Mentees are unlikely to change until the pain of change is less than the pain of remaining the same.

USE THE ILLUSTRATIONS TO EXPLAIN THE SCALES OF CHANGE

ILLUSTRATION #1 Presently, the pain of getting a job is greater than not getting one. 

A person needs a job but doesn't get one BECAUSE the pain of getting a job is GREATER than remaining the same with no job.

ILLUSTRATION #2 The mentors have to lighten the "JOB" side and make the "NO JOB" side heavier so that the pain of getting/having a job is less than the pain of having no job.

How do we tip the scales of change?

CAUTION:  Before we even begin to give you some strategies for using the Scales of Change, we’d like to give you a caution and remind you of the need for patience and empathy.

The pain of change can be associated with some VERY strong fears.  “I would have to move away from my family to get a job.”  “My family and friends would ostracize me and accuse me of thinking I am better than them.”    Empathy will be essential.  The culture of poverty may have been in their family for generations.  This is all they know.  When people choose to change they will be exercising great faith and courage.

A.      We can ask questions to find out what REALLY makes them tick, “what matters most, to them?”

·         Is it their hope for their children?

·         Is it a parent they want to please? 

·         Is it a lifestyle they want?

·         Or is it to prove they can break out/succeed?

ADD THIS INFORMATION TO THE PAIN OF REMAINING THE SAME (NO JOB). 

·         Son will never have a better life

·         My mom will be disappointed in me

·            I won’t get to realize my dream of living in a safe neighborhood

·            I’ll never be able to show my parents that I really did matter!

B.     Change their vision/perspective

1.      Help them see the long term consequences associated with either having a job or of not having a job.  This will add to the pain of remaining the same and/or lessen the pain of change.

CONSEQUENCE OF NO JOB:  ANOTHER ENERGY BILL IS UNPAID.  IT IS PAINFUL TO HAVE TO LIVE WITH DAILY CRISES ALL THE TIME. ADD THIS TO THE PAIN OF STAYING THE SAME WITH NO JOB. 

CONSEQUENCE OF GETTING A JOB:  I GET TO PAY THE ENERGY BILL AND WON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT HEAT BEING TURNED OFF AND THE CONSTANT HARRASSMENT FROM THE UTILITY COMPANY.  REMOVE THIS FROM THE PAIN OF CHANGE

2.      Their perception of the pain regarding “getting a job” is SO overwhelming to them nothing is changing. 

HELP THEM SEE THAT THE STEPS TO GETTING A JOB ARE DOABLE.  THIS LIGHTENS THE LOAD OF GETTING A JOB AND MAKING A CHANGE.  

C.     Encourage their efforts to move toward their vision.

Give them praise for the pain they are overcoming as they work toward their goal – as they move closer to realizing their purpose in life.   Be patience as they may not succeed in their efforts initially.  Help them learn from failure and pick themselves up. Remember, they need praise on a regular basis.

PRAISE REDUCES THE PAIN OF CHANGE.  PRAISE IS A MOTIVATOR.  IT GIVES US THE COURAGE TO MOVE FORWARD.  IT HELPS US FACE FEAR AND TO BELIEVE IN OURSELVES.

D.    Prepare for success

1.      Ensure they feel empowered to succeed. 

HELPING A MENTEE CORRECTLY APPLY FOR A JOB REDUCES THE PAIN OF CHANGE.

2.      Make sure there is a sufficiently strong safety net in place to help them make positive change. 

HELPING A MENTEE FIND A BABYSITTER TO WATCH THE TODDLER DURING HER JOB INTERVIEW REDUCES THE PAIN OF CHANGE.

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CASE STUDY:  Ask one mentor to share a situation they are working with and create a “Scale of Change” for that situation.  Use White Board.   Below the scale write the things that you see being the issue for this person.  What is making the pain of change so difficult for them?  Is there anything you know about them that might tip the scale?

Everyone – given what you have heard here, what would you do to help tip the scale?

Use the Demo Scale to illustrate this situation.

5.     Motivation: The Wizard of Oz Power Point Presentation   

     This presentation has a lot of good ideas about how to motivate people who are crippled by lack of confidence or competence, fear, or just the energy to change.  It is available on your DVD of training materials in either Power Point or PDF formats.  It is a good idea to go through the presentation so you know what it on it and then you can always go back and review these ideas if you come across someone who needs that particular type of assistance. 

     The following video will help you to understand how it important it is for someone to believe in themself.  Self-belief is a motivator.

VIDEO:The Power of Self-Belief 

6.     REMEMBER: The mentors job is to help them create THEIR vision

Practice and invite

• Practice adding to each side of The Scales of Change
• Spend time this month doing something with your mentees that allows you to really get to know them so that you begin to understand what really matters to them. 
• Journal for each of them how you see the scales of change playing out in their lives and how you might help them tip those scales.  
• Watch the Power Point Presentation "If I Only Had Motivation" to learn how to help those who lack courage, competence, or heart to move ahead.  This is on the training DVD in your mentor training book.
• Invite those you mentor to participate in a spiritual lesson that strengthens their understanding of their infinite potential (self-belief).

 
 
A POWER POINT PRESENTATION FOR EACH LESSON AS WELL AS COPIES OF ALL VIDEOS USED IN OUR TRAINING ARE ON THE DVD OF MENTOR TRAINING MATERIALS THAT IS INCLUDING IN THE MENTOR TRAINING MANUAL.