Established in 1988, Chattanooga Endeavors is the first and longest-serving re-entry program in East Tennessee. #Chattanooga #SecondChances #IntegrativeJustice
know your team
If you’re anxious to find the help you need, you’re likely to skip this page and move on to more practical information that we’ve posted elsewhere. However, it will take just a couple of minutes of your time to read what’s below. And the point that we’re making is extraordinarily important:
To get the help you need, you need to know who is on your team. Many will say they are. But few actually are. And the ones who are, may not be where you expect them to be.
Keep in mind that very few people give without strings attached. They want something in return. Know what you need from the person helping you — and know what they need from you in return.
PS – If you live in the Chattanooga area and would like us to pass along opportunities that we hear about, just text “help” to +1 423 266-1888.
The Best Is Right under your nose
The fact that you’re looking for help and not waiting on it is the best help of all. So, don’t get discourage! And never give up! You’re already a step ahead of most if you’re reaching out.
Just keep in mind that what you’re looking for isn’t likely to be where you expect to find it. Like looking for a needle in a haystack, going off the beaten path, or happening upon a pearl of great price, the best things hide a little.
You need to beat the bushes. Which means you need to talk with a lot of people — and keep talking until you find someone who can point you to what you need.
There is a lot of information online. Maybe too much! But even United Way’s First Call for Help directory — which lists over 10,000 health and human services programs in Tennessee — is incomplete.
The truth of the matter is that a lot of good help comes and goes quickly — much too quickly to get added to a state-wide database. Assistance is sometimes attached to temporary funding at organizations. Sometimes it’s attached to the big hearts of individuals who help outside the mainstream. Sometimes it’s just a one-off event like a workshop or job fair that gets advertised on a community bulletin board. And sometimes people are just in the right place at the right time when an opportunity opens up.
Never end a conversation phone without asking, “Who else out there might have what I need?” and “If you were me, what would you do?”
Just because you’ve been convicted of a felony doesn’t mean that you qualify only for services made for “ex-felons.” You’re also part of the general public. Therefore, unless you’re specifically disqualified because of your conviction, there are many general services that are open to the general public and don’t discriminate on the basis of a criminal background. So forget about your background and ask for what you need.
visualize the barriers
A common mistake people make when setting goals, is that they don’t anticipate the things that might get in the way. Therefore, when something gets in the way — and something always gets in the way — they’re not ready to adjust.
Instead of just setting a goal, visualize it in three-dimension:
- Get really clear about what you’re going for — and what your life will be like if you achieve it.
- Get really clear also about what your life will be like if you don’t achieve it.
- Now think hard about all of the things that might get in your way — and detail what you will do to get past these barriers if they arise.
After you’re clear about the three dimensions, get obsessed with your goal and keep moving!
Something from Nothing
This is totally old school, but there’s a universal lesson in it that’s worth a look. When you know what you’re going for and you look for opportunities that move you in the direction of your goal — one tiny step at a time — it is absolutely possible to achieve goals that seem completely out of reach at the beginning.
