Introduction to Guide Teams
If you are (1) a high school or college student, or a young adult, or an older adult, and (2) a member of a faith or secular community, we encourage you to join a guide team!
Watch the video below to learn more about the Imagining Your Future Program and hear from guide team members.
Feedback from Guide Team Members:
"I've been asked questions that help me focus on what really matters to me, rather than what is the next logical step."
-Ellie, College Explorer
"This program has given a meaningful, protected space to explore questions... and really think through what future we want to bring about for ourselves."
-Lauren, Young Adult Guide
"A Guide Team is an atmosphere of complete trust... it's people that come with open hearts and a willingness to share and listen."
-Anne, Adult Guide
What are guide teams all about?
Guide teams consist of three people – an explorer (student) and two guides (usually one young adult and one older adult). The team meets regularly over an extended period to discuss important life issues using books, articles, videos, exercises and discussion questions. They are adapted from materials developed in Pathways programs offered to secular and faith communities by The Harraseeket Foundation and from a secondary school class called “Imagining Your Future,” taught by Peter Vorkink. Peter is the Resource Adviser to The Harraseeket Foundation. Learn more about Peter here.
The philosophy of the guide team program is that career and other life choices are best made after first considering who we are and what that means.
Your participation on a team – whether you are an explorer or a guide -- is to help you imagine your future, generally best thought of in 5 to 10-year increments.
We are talking about not just your work and career, but also your value system, lifeview, workview, and understanding of yourself in relation to the larger world, obligations to self and to others, personal and career goals, and many other deeper questions we often have little time to ponder.
How do the guide teams fit into Pathways programs?
The Harraseeket Foundation has developed “Pathways” programs for faith and secular communities. The first such program was developed at Immanuel Presbyterian Church in McLean, VA. We call this program “IPC Pathways,” and it’s run on a website at ipcpathways.org. IPC Pathways is designed to encourage young Immanuelites to access the wisdom and experience of Immanuel’s older members.. The program offers online resources, forums, and an online directory of Immanuel mentors for one-on-one conversations.
Pathways does encourage discussion of career choices, but Pathways really is about much more than careers. It could be “how to live a well-lived life” or “how to live a life of real meaning.”
Guide teams supplement and enrich Pathways programs but don’t replace them.
Pathways mentoring conversations are one-time, one-on-one conversations, with the goal of having mentors introduce you g people to other mentors inside and outside of the community.
Guide teams involve a deeper dive into resources by three people who get to know each other over time.
We encourage guides to facilitate one-on-one mentoring conversations by their explorers with other mentors in their community..
What kinds of resources do the teams use?
The teams choose from a list of resources broken down into two dozen different topics. Descriptions and links are available to the teams behind password protected pages on this website. The resources are articles, videos, podcasts, books and exercises. They vary in length and time required, so a team can tackle what it wants in terms of time spent, format and topic. We segregate the topics different ways to make it easier for teams to choose what to use.
Examples of resources include modules on:
Choosing a question to answer from a list — such as “How have your parents, or friends, or peers influenced your life choices? “And “Do you have trouble deciding what you want in life, as opposed to what others want?”
Writing a “failure resume” (which we’ve found helps encourage growth, and is a positive, not negative experience)
Doing a "core values” exercise (identifying what matters to you through word selection)
Doing exercises in the book Designing Your Life
Watching a video on the subject of “What would you do if you were not afraid?” and then responding
How much of a time commitment is this?
We suggest that teams meet for an hour at least once a month. Some teams have been meeting bi-weekly at a regular time. We suggest at least an hour of preparation time for each meeting.
We know how busy students and adults are. Sometimes slowing down from time to time to ponder life’s important questions can help make the busy time more productive and satisfying!
How long do teams stay together?
Some teams may stay together for a long time, others may not. Whatever your experience is, we hope that after formal meetings are concluded, guides and explorers will stay in touch informally, particularly as they each face important life issues.