Har Tikvah Outreach

	Har Tikvah Outreach "Climb Higher"
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Welcome

Welcome to Har Tikvah Outreach, the outreach and support program of Resources for Life. We're glad you are here. If this is your first visit, please use our Feedback Form to say hello. [Feedback Form]

Index

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	Top of Page
	Welcome
	What is Har Tikvah Outreach?
	Vision & Purpose
	How Har Tikvah is Organized
	How it Works
	Getting Started
	Becoming a Life Coach
	What Makes Har Tikvah Outreach Unique?
	Resources
	Ideas
	Disclaimers
	Thank You
	QuickLinks©

What Is Har Tikvah Outreach?

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Har Tikvah Outreach is a program which offers people access to support and resources that are designed to help them improve their life and meet their personal goals.

The Vision & Purpose of Har Tikvah Outreach

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Har is the Hebrew word for mountain, and Tikvah is the Hebrew word for hope. So Har Tikvah roughly translates to Hope Mountain in English. The purpose of Har Tikvah Outreach is to give people hope by helping them climb to higher heights in life. We don't have any pre-defined goals or definitions for what success should be. This is a part of the journey that is unique to each person which they must define. The Har Tikvah Outreach method can apply to anyone from the down-and-out to the "upwardly mobile" professional.

How Har Tikvah is Organized

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Har Tikvah Outreach is a simple, cost free, self-replicating, non-centralized organization consisting of independent cells. The organization has no hieratical structure. This page describes the goals and guidelines of the organization. As a group, participants cooperatively guide and refine how Har Tikvah Outreach is defined and expressed on this site by submitting their ideas, comments, suggestions, and stories. [Feedback Form]

How Har Tikvah Outreach Works

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The Har Tikvah Outreach program uses a simple technique of one-on-one coaching and mentoring. Central to the Har Tikvah Outreach program is the Tikkun Olam Map of Resources for Life. [Click here to view the map.]

The practitioner of Har Tikvah Outreach meets with someone they trust who voluntarily serves them as a coach and mentor - what we call a Life Coach. The practitioner meets with their Life Coach on a regular basis, preferably once a week, to discuss how they might improve in each of the areas of life represented by the Tikkun Olam Map of Resources for Life. It's that simple.

Getting Started

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The Har Tikvah Outreach begins with you! The first step is to become a practitioner of the Har Tikvah Outreach method. Follow these steps:

Life Coach. Find a Life Coach. Think of someone you trust. This should be someone you can be open and candid with. Preferably this would be someone with maturity and good judgment who you look up to. Perhaps you can think of more than one person. Perhaps you can't think of anyone. Consider a Rabbi, pastor, or councilor. If you still can't think of anyone, contact us and we'll try to hook you up with someone.
First Steps. Here are some points to consider as you begin.
1. Have your Life Coach refer to the information presented here so they can become familiar with the Har Tikvah Outreach method.
2. As you get started, you may feel a little awkward at first if you are not used to trusting others, humbling yourself to submit to others, being vulnerable, or admitting that you could use some help to have greater success in life.
3. Remember that the Life Coach is not meant to be your a financial planner, legal advisor, doctor, and fitness trainer. Instead, the Life Coach serves as a "general contractor" providing access to available organizations, programs, agencies, and resources. Having a Life Coach as a primary contact creates continuity and longevity. Your life coach is meant to encourage you and see you though various challenges and successes.
Weekly Meetings. Begin meeting with your Life Coach regularly (preferably once a week) and discuss the various areas of your life represented by the Tikkun Olam Map of Resources for Life. Here are some suggestions for topics to cover during your meeting:
1. Areas of Life. Discuss some areas of your life that you want to improve on. Consider that just about every area of our life can be positively or adversely impacted by just about any other area of our life. Here are some examples of areas we can all improve in (taken from the Tikkun Olam Map):
  1. Faith
  2. Family
  3. Finance
  4. Education
  5. Career
  6. Health
2. Goals. Explore and set goals. Examples might be:
  1. I want to quit smoking.
  2. I want to complete my college education.
  3. I want to have a strong marriage.
  4. I want to start a regular exercise program.
  5. I want to learn Spanish.
  6. I want to become a massage therapist.
  7. I want to loose 30 pounds and two inches around the waist.
3. Measuring Success. Define measurable methods for evaluating your progress. Maintain a journal to keep track daily of how you are doing. Examples might be:
  1. I will spend 5 minutes a day balancing my checkbook.
  2. I will go for a 15 minute walk every day.
  3. I will not eat fast food more than twice a week.
  4. I will read for 10 minutes from a good book every day.
  5. I will not watch more than 1 hour of television a night.
  6. I will spend an hour a day studying for my mid-term exams.
  7. I will not spend money on things I don't need just because they are "on sale."
4. Prevention. Discuss what proactive and preventative steps can be taken to avert problems in various areas of life. Consider what "firewalls" you might put in place to protect various areas of your life. Consider artificial / external firewalls and how internal self-discipline and self-control can be a firewall.
5. Challenges. Address challenges you are currently facing in various areas of your life. Discuss how you might successfully meet those challenges.
6. Growth & Success. The key to forward motion and progress is persistent growth. These weekly meetings are not for crisis management or putting out fires. They are to establish effective strategies for measurable growth and success.

If your Life Coach is your best friend, you may be tempted to be each other's Life Coach. This presents some unique challenges. Here are some additional tips to consider:

Focus. Try not to let your meetings become a casual coffee break or time to chat. Schedule a social or recreational meeting for some other time. Consider this: If you go to the gym to work out, but never quite get around to doing any exercise, it won't benefit you. The same is true for Life Coaching. It takes work and persistence.
Keep Balance. If one of you is going through a major crisis, your meeting may understandably be consumed by that crisis. Make every effort to keep balance.
Don't Skip. Best friends may not be as disciplined to hold each other accountable to weekly meetings. "Let's just skip this week and go get some ice cream."
Don't Alternate. The goal is to have regular weekly meetings to keep the momentum going and not overlook anything. If you alternate who is coaching from one week to the next, you will effectively only be getting coached every two weeks. If necessary, have two separate meetings per week where each person has an opportunity to be coached.

If you find it isn't working to have your best friend be your Life Coach, don't get discouraged. Just plan to find individually find your own life coaches. Some people will try to be their own Life Coach. While motivational and self-help resources are available, there is an additional benefit gained by being accountable to someone.

Becoming a Life Coach

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Perhaps you are already mentoring one or more people, or you have recently been approached by a friend who would like your ongoing help and encouragement. You might want to consider using the Har Tikvah Outreach method as a resource for guiding your coaching and mentoring. Please contact us if you have any questions. Here are some points to consider:

It Takes a Life Coach to be a Life Coach. If you desire to help someone else by volunteering to be their Life Coach and mentor, it might be good for you to have someone you are meeting with as well.

About Professional Advise. Life Coaches are not meant to take the place of licensed councilors, lawyers, financial advisors, or doctors. We recognize that the best advise to give someone is for them to get professional advise. The Har Tikvah Outreach method is effective because in itself it does not attempt to offer professional services. For this reason, anyone can participate. The method directs people to professionals, agencies, and programs that can help them. The method provides a support person who can ideally offer continuity and longevity. An example of this is www.211iowa.com

Financial Assistance. Finances and money management can be a stressful and all consuming subject. Because financial well-being can impact every area of a person's life, we will spend some extra time addressing various financial issues. Here are some points to consider:

Money Discussions. It is best to limit any discussion of money unless you personally have successful experience with personal financial management.

Employment. Obviously employment is the best source of income and it should be the primary focus of any discussion about money.

Financial Management. Good financial management is the best method for securing a strong financial future. Consider that it is better to pay for someone to get professional financial counseling than to try to take on this challenge yourself.

Cash Flow Assessment. It is critical for everyone to accurately assess their current and past income and examine their current and past expenses to determine where they are at financially and make the necessary corrections to keep their living expenses well below their income. It is not safe for a nuclear reactor to run at 95% capacity, nor is it safe for someone's lifestyle to consume 95% or more of their income.

Lending or Giving. There is nothing wrong with giving people money, and loans are commonplace in our society today. However, we would discourage the lending or giving of money to someone you are coaching or mentoring. It can detract from or harm the effectiveness of your relationship. It would be more appropriate to help them discover ways they can obtain income through employment, loans, grants, or support from other people. The ability to obtain income is a skill that can be used immediately and in the future. If you feel you must provide financial assistance, we would discourage loaning money because this only makes people feel indebted to you. It places stress on the relationship if the person is unable to pay back as you might have anticipated. Regardless of how you approach financial assistance there can be pitfalls, disappointments, challenges, and unexpected setbacks that can cause strain on any relationship. Over 50% of all marriages end in divorce primarily because of financial problems. Because the goal of the Har Tikvah Outreach method is to establish a strong long-term relationship, any financial arrangements should have limits which are clearly defined up front. If at all possible, avoid financial monetary assistance.

Giving Options. It is best to give someone money as an investment in their life not expecting anything in return except the hope that they will help someone else who is in need. If you feel you must provide support, here are some options to consider:

	Purchase a monthly subway or bus pass so they can get to work or job interviews.
	Consider giving a bicycle to someone who doesn't have a car and needs simple transportation for around town.
	Pay for resume services and other job search expenses.
	Pay for education, training, and certifications that can help them get employment.
	Give people books, office supplies, and other resources needed for education or business.
	Consider giving a computer.
	Consider paying for online services that are in part used for job searching, growing, and education.
	Consider paying for someone to receive professional financial management assistance.

Sustainability. For all of the above suggestions, eventually the person should become financially self-sufficient and be living a sustainable lifestyle well within their income. These suggestions are only meant to provide a short term "booster rocket" that will move them into a reasonable financial position. Consider setting transitional deadlines based on achieved goals rather than a specific time frame.

Special Exceptions. There are many possible financial setbacks that can required immediate attention which are beyond a person's ability to overcome. Major life setbacks are often hard to predict. In these cases it may be appropriate to provide some financial assistance within your means. Here are some setbacks that might warrant assistance.

	Layoffs. It is common today to hear of companies laying off thousands of employees. In these cases, individuals and families are often left financially stranded.
	Unemployment. Finding a job that is compatible with an individual's personality, temperament, abilities, and skills isn't always easy. The wrong job could adversely impact a person's career costing them in the future. Unemployment can financially and emotionally drive a person into the ground.
	Divorce. When a marriage dissolves there are frequently unexpected and unplanned for costs. There are legal costs and the additional expense of maintaining two households.
	Tax Deficit. It is common for people to underestimate their anticipated tax liability. The fees, interest, and penalties of tax debt can be devastating.
	Medical. We've all heard stories of people who have amassed huge medical debts or suffered significant loss of income as a result o a medical problem.
	Education. Someone attempting to further their education is doing a good thing. However, pursuing a degree can significantly reduce your ability to earn enough money to live on.
	Bankruptcy. Excessive financial indebtedness beyond one's ability to repay is a condition that can effect people suddenly and seemingly without warning. Its a fact that credit agencies and financial institutions are unable to develop accurate financial analysis models to predict bankruptcy even given today's sophisticated computing technology. While indebtedness is often due to poor financial planning, expensive lifestyle choices, insufficient income, and living beyond one's means, it can be complicated by one or more of the above listed setbacks.
	Poor Skills and Habits. It's easy to look at someone who has not had any significant financial setbacks and suggest that their financial problems are all of their own making. It could be argued that many of the above financial challenges could have been prepared for or prevented with appropriate planning and financial discipline. However, until people are effectively trained and skilled with regard to personal or household financial management, these problems will still continue.
	A Lesson From Wellness. Someone who formed habits when they were young to eat right and exercise finds it easy to maintain good health later in life. This healthy person might be critical of unhealthy people and not understand why they lack the discipline to achieve optimal health. It might be easy to blame someone for their sickness and poor health. A smoker chooses to smoke, so their tobacco induced illness is entirely their fault, right? Well, blame, fault, and responsibility are best depicted as a pie chart made up of many components. However, with health, finances, or other areas of life, the goal is not to assess blame, the goal is to achieve a long-term sustainable solutions that help people and lift them up.

Remember that providing guidance, wisdom, planning, and direction can save someone hundreds or even thousands of dollars, and helping someone get a job and keep it can be worth more money than you could ever give. For more information on finances, see the Financial Resource Group [click here]

What Makes Har Tikvah Outreach Unique?

Here are some aspects of Har Tikvah Outreach that make it unique:

	Faith. As you can see from the Tikkun Olam Map of Resources for Life, faith (religion or spirituality) is an important part of the Har Tikvah Outreach method. Most programs that have a faith or religious component to them also incorporate some kind of proselytizing or evangelical element. The Har Tikvah Outreach method works with any faith. There is no hidden agenda to fix or change someone's theology. The goal is to help each person grow in their own faith in a way that produces healthy and desirable results in other areas of their life. If someone is engaged in a practice or belief that is negatively impacting their finances, family, career, or health, then it might be appropriate to suggest some "tweaking" of their religious practice.
	Equipping. The Har Tikvah Outreach method is not meant to provide hand outs or to rescue people as they go from one catastrophe to another. The goal is to provide wisdom, encouragement, guidance, correction, access to resources, and other support that will help people improve their life.
	Funding & Sustainability. While some outreach programs desperately depend on donations to survive and be effective, the Har Tikvah Outreach method requires no funding. It is a volunteer based program with no overhead. This ensures that its mission can continue with maximum impact and efficiency. In this way, the Har Tikvah Outreach is a sustainable organization.
	Holistic. Religious programs, self help materials, and social agencies are often too narrow in focus to address a person's broader needs. A person's Life Coach does not try to be a financial planner, legal advisor, doctor, and fitness trainer. Instead, the Life Coach serves as a "general contractor" providing access to available organizations, programs, agencies, and resources. Having a Life Coach as a primary contact creates continuity and longevity.
	Resource Portal Organizational Model. On the Internet, there are sites known as portals. They only offer links to other sites with little or no content. What makes portal sites popular and valuable is that a lot of work goes into finding the links and resources that are presented. This is similar to an employment agency. The employment agency doesn't offer anyone employment. However, they do offer a well organized presentation of places to find work. In the same way, Har Tikvah Outreach isn't trying to be everything to all people. It is an effort to develop a portal of support services and resources that will help people improve their life. Along with that, it is an attempt to encourage people and help them overcome various obstacles and challenges that threaten various areas of their life.

Resources

Here are some helpful resources for Life Coaches and practitioners of the Har Tikvah Outreach method. Please let us know of any other resources that might be useful.

	Bicycle. The bicycle is a healthy and inexpensive mode of transportation. High quality bicycles are now available at Wal-Mart and other similar stores for $100 or less.
	Free E-mail. Yahoo offers a free online e-mail service. [Yahoo]
	Free Toll-Free FAX Number. Yahoo offers a free toll-free FAX number to anyone signing up for their free online e-mail service. [Yahoo]
	Free Online Chat. Yahoo offers a free online chat service that can help people keep in touch. [Yahoo]
	Free Toll-Free Voice Messaging Number. Yahoo offers a toll-free voice mail number free of charge to anyone signing up for their free online e-mail service. Voice messages can be heard by dialing a toll-free number from any phone. [Yahoo]
	The Tikkun Olam Map of Resources for Life. This map provides access to resources for health, finance, faith, career and more. [Map]

Ideas

Here are some ideas you might want to consider.

	Share the Har Tikvah Outreach method with friends. See if you can start a local group interested in offering Life Coaching and mentoring.
	Consider putting up a flyer at your place of worship (if you have one).
	If you are willing to volunteer some time every week to helping others, you might want to obtain the free services and resources listed above. Consider advertising your free toll-free number on flyers, on payphones, or in other public places or meeting places. As you are contacted by total strangers for help you should obviously use caution and discretion. However, this is an effective way to reach out to people that may not otherwise have any help. This method of outreach is only suggested for mature and seasoned people who have several years experience with this kind of contact.

Disclaimers

Here are some additional considerations:

Life Coaches. Life Coaches are not meant to take the place of licensed councilors, lawyers, financial advisors, or doctors. We recognize that the best advise to give someone is for them to get professional advise. The Har Tikvah Outreach method is effective because in itself it does not attempt to offer professional services. For this reason, anyone can participate. The method directs people to professionals, agencies, and programs that can help them. The method provides a support person who can ideally offer continuity and longevity.

Risks. Any kind of mentoring includes various risks. While we don't advocate giving people money, providing mentoring costs money either directly or in opportunity costs. Providing mentoring and support can take a lot out of you and be an emotional disappointment if someone you are helping doesn't progress in life as quickly as was hoped or if someone regresses in areas of their life. Be prepared to give selflessly of your heart, mind, and self to help others. Know that some times people won't respond.

Thank you!

Thank you for helping to build the Har Tikvah Outreach project. Please let us know if there is any way we can be of help to you or if you have any ideas that might improve this program.

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