COACHING A PASSIONATE GENERATION
What college/grad school shall I attend? Why?
What shall I major in?
What shall I do after I graduate?
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WHY DIRECTIONNOW EXISTS: We help students and their parents confidently answer some of these significant direction questions and help them choose wisely sooner rather than later. We believe in equipping students to engage their passion areas and take proactive action to move in that direction. Our dream is to see today's teens and twenty-somethings become a passionate generation that lives and loves their work. We want everyone who goes through DirectionNOW to confidently know:
1. WHO they are. 2. WHAT they do best and 3. WHERE they can do it.
WHAT WE DO: We provide a coaching process to equip students to link the dreams and the practical, while making wise choices among the myriad of options. In the midst of complex problems, involving education and career decisions, we provide a safe and enlightening way to make the right call.
The factors affecting the decision include
- Financial factors What can we afford? Can I get paid to do what I love?
- Spiritual factors Who am I? What shall I do with my life?
- Motivational Factors What gets me going? What keeps me going?
- Educational factors How do I learn best? Where?
- Dream and Passion factors What are my greatest hopes and desires?
- Abilities and Skills factors What am I good at? Great at?
- Opportunity factors What's out there that fits? and more.
HOW WE DO IT: We go beyond assessments or brief conversations of "What do you want to do?" to get to what matters most to the student. What's compelling to THEM? Then we help them create their personal gameplan to move forward with practical next steps and clear opportunities. All the while adding education encouragement, support. To do that we've created and tested a unique process that works!
Structured Curriculum: Guide you through a tested process.
Personal Coaching: Draw the best you out and empower you to take concrete steps in your direction.
Interactive Community: Connect with other like-minded people.
Partnering: Work with parents, schools, churches and groups as specialists.
DIRECTIONNOW COACHES
Jeff Caliguire (B.A.,ThM.) is the founder and developer of the DirectionNOW process. He is a coach, author and communicator with a mission of "unlocking people to discover their passions and dreams, one person at a time." He serves as co-founder and president of Convergence Point Inc. and worked with a team of volunteers and youth to create and pilot DirectionNOW. Jeff is the dad of three of his own teenage sons, Jeff (18), Jon (16) and Josh (14) and is married to Mindy Caliguire. He is the author of books including The
Convergence: Seven Resolves to Release What You Were Born to Do, Shifting Into Higher Gear: Connecting Your Calling and Career (with Tom Sicilliano) and Leadership Secrets of Saint Paul. He is a graduate of Cornell University and Dallas Theological Seminary. He truly enjoys working with students, coaching leaders in transition, writing, sports, nature and dogs. (Especially Harry and Scrappy!).
Melissa Breyette (B.A., M.A.) loves to help students discover God’s unique intention for their lives and feels honored to participate in the process. She is director of Student Ministries at Fox Valley Church in West Dundee, IL. Through the DirectionNow process, Melissa gained a clear vision that leading, teaching and coaching is God’s design for her. Born and raised in Minnesota, Melissa has lived in Portland, OR, Bangkok, Thailand, and Gothenburg, Sweden but now lives in the Chicago area. She has a B.A. from the University of Minnesota and will complete her M.A. in Transformational Leadership from Bethel Seminary, St. Paul, MN in June 2013. Melissa is mom to three teenagers – Alex (17), David (17), and Ben (13) – and has celebrated 25 years married to David. When she’s not leading, teaching or coaching you’ll find her at Starbucks, catching a quick nap or cheering on her boys in cross-country, basketball and track.
Kimberly Pelletier (B.A.) is passionate about people living their God-given voice. She has worked with incarcerated youth, business professionals, college students, and suburban church-goers. Listening with others as they discern the activity of God in their life and vocation is the vision of her life. Kimberly has a B.A. in Christian Formation from Wheaton College and has completed Master’s coursework in theology, psychology, and spiritual formation. She and her husband currently reside in the suburbs of Chicago awaiting a baby brother for their daughter. On the off-chance that Kimberly has time alone, she can be found writing, reading, scheming a new party idea for hosting, or getting together with friends.