2012 Journey New Pros

One week until our paths come together on The Journey at Camp Tecumseh

Hello New Pros,

Melinda, Janet and I have just returned from great retreat with our Executive fellows at Turkey Run State Park.  The weather was perfect every day, and had us thinking about OUR upcoming time together.  

We are looking forward to being together in Lafayette, IN and Camp Tecumseh.  This retreat will give us a chance to do a few things: (1) take a breather together and reflect on all that has been happening within our group since our first retreat, (2) understand more deeply the youth work that is integral to our juvenile justice system in Indiana, and (3) continue to build our learning community of peers

Day 1 @ Camp Tecumseh:      In retreat: Personal reflection, learning and connections continue

Day 2 in Lafayette, IN:            We will carpool to downtown Lafayette and spend the day and evening

Day 3 @ Camp Tecumseh:      Retreat continues at Camp Tecumseh

 

Retreat Dates:    Wednesday, May 2 – Friday, May 4, 2012

Retreat Start:     10 AM,  Wednesday, May 2nd

Retreat End:       3 PM,  Friday, May 4th

Retreat Center Location:      Camp Tecumseh – The Leadership Center (http://www.camptecumseh.org/tlc/)

12635 W. Tecumseh Bend Road
Brookston, IN 47923

Lodging: The rooms in the Tecumseh Leadership Center are arranged camp-style, with bunk beds in several “bed-rooms” and shared bathroom space at the end of each wing (separate facilities for men & women).   Therefore, please bring lounge-wear and sleep wear that will be appropriate for shared spaces in common areas and bedrooms.  Bedding--including pillows, sheets and blankets, will be provided.  Please bring your own toiletries and your favorite pillow as needed

What to bring:

 -  Your Journal

-  Comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing.   At Tecumseh Leadership Center, we will be completely casual.  NOTE: Some activities will require time outdoors, so bring layers and sneakers (closed-toed shoes) or shorts…just depending on the weather.

-  Dress clothes appropriate for a day in Lafayette, including meeting judges, executive directors, and other professionals.  For guys, although suits are not absolutely necessary, they WOULD be appropriate.  Dresses/skirts/with jackets for women would be appropriate.  As I think about it, I (Tom) will probably wear a button-down shirt with a jacket available, but no tie.  (I will likely wear pants as well, you’re welcome). J

-  Your favorite pillow

-  Morning option activities (i.e. yoga DVD)

-  Music on your iPod to play during breaks and relax-times

-  Personal care items and toiletries

-  Your unique wonderful self

 This should start us for now.  Please…

--watch your email on Monday or Tuesday of next week before the retreat for any further or last-minute instructions

We can’t wait to see you all…

Tom, Janet and Melinda

Spring Breaking...

Hello New Pros!

Hope you have plans to break a little this spring—even if it if break dancing. 

Three Reminders for you

1-----GROWING EDGES

Since the retreat, I’ve received—wait for it--- TWO, emails of your growing edges (thanks Abby and Rachel).  If you’ve sent me something, please let me know…OTHERWISE…a reminder to please send me your thoughts and ideas about your growing edges in those three areas: personal, career and the field…where do you need/want to grow and learn in these three areas over the coming year?  Send them to tom@thejourneyonline.org   thanks

2----VISITING EACH OTHER

How are your visits coming along to each other’s organizations?  Looking forward to seeing those creative pictures of you “journaling” at your place, posted to our group page on facebook

3—CAMP TECUMSEH

Our retreat is in five weeks, and you will be getting more information about it via email in a couple of weeks.  But know that plans are being made!!!

Retreat #1 Information

The time is fast approaching for our very first retreat together.  On February 21st we will all meet for the first time at Country Lakes Christian Retreat Center, (a favorite meeting place of ours) located near Scottsburg, Indiana (off of I-65 near Louisville).

Our agenda will be focused on three things (a) building your own community with your fellow youth workers, (b) learning about all of the requirements and opportunities the Journey Fellowship for New Pros has to offer and (c) immersing yourself further in your own career, your profession as a youth worker and your self as a leader in this world.  Don’t be surprised if you learn some things about yourself in the process. 

We will eat all our meals together (they will all be provided) and our agenda will extend from the morning into the nighttime.  There will be the occasional hour or two for solitude and free time, but for the most part, we will be spending the entire time with each other.  As will be the case for all retreats, don’t schedule or plan to attend other outside activities during our retreats.  You really will not have the time. J

The following will fill you in on the basic details for our gathering.

(1)   TIME:  Our first retreat is from 10AM Tuesday, February 21st until Thursday, February 23rd at 3 PM.  We like to make the most of our short time together so please plan on arriving by 9:30 to give yourself time to check in before the meeting.  We’ll have the coffee / tea waiting for you.

(2)   PLACE:  Country Lakes is a large retreat center with comfortable private rooms (with bath) and large meeting spaces.  It will be a wonderful place for us to relax, retreat and use for our home base together.

Country Lake Christian Retreat Center http://www.southeastchristian.org/default.aspx?page=3780

815 Country Lake Road, Underwood, IN 47177

(3)   HEADS UP: 

- Even though comfortable and casual is the dress for this retreat (think “cozy”), please pack a change of dress  clothes that would be appropriate to wear when we go out to dinner or on site visits to youth-serving agencies in the area.  Nothing too dressy is necessary for the majority of our retreat.  We will be casual at the retreat center

-  It will be winter(!). And we will likely be spending some of our time outside – even if it’s cold… and snowing…or windy. (I don’t know what we’ll do if it’s ALL those things.) So, bring clothing that you could hike in, throw snowballs in, and still remain dry and fairly warm.

- Get in the habit of checking your email the day before our retreats are to start.  If there is any last minute information we want to get to you…it will likely be in your email box.

-  Monday Arrival: There is usually the option to arrive the night prior to our retreat starting.  However, you would have to pay for your room that night ($75). If you’re interested in coming early, please email Melinda@thejourneyonline.org no later than Wednesday, February 8 so Melinda can get you instructions or help you reserve a room for Monday. You’ll be able to pay Country Lakes directly for your room when you are at the retreat. 

Last…we encourage you to call / fb /email the other fellows and work out carpooling – a great way to get acquainted and save money.

See you soon.

Welcome

Greetings 2012 Journey New Pros…

I hope that your year has started well--as slow or fast as you’ve needed.

We have just SIX weeks until our first retreat together—can you believe it?  And we are busy making preparations here at The Journey. 

We are looking forward to being able to meet everyone, especially as your applications revealed we have such a powerful group of professionals who will be traveling together this year.

In the next week or two, we will be sending specific information about our first retreat.

In the meantime, here are a couple of things for you to do….

1)    Request to join our facebook group.  We will be using email, facebook, text and voice for our communications with each other throughout the year.   We hope to be able to use both email and facebook to keep everyone informed about what’s going on as we travel together.

Visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/270158133044405/ and click on the upper right-hand link “request to join”.  Please note this is a closed group-only your fellows group and staff will be able to see what you post

2)     Make sure that the retreat dates you committed to are on your 2012 calendar.  Here they are (as listed on your application) for your convenience:

Retreat #1:   February 21-23

Retreat #2:   May 2-4

Retreat #3:  July 31-Aug 2

Retreat #4:  Nov 6-8

All retreats will begin at 10 am on the first day and finish by 3pm on the last day.

3)    (one more) Please make sure that your email systems are set to receive email from addresses @thejourneyonline.org.  You will receive more emails from me, Janet, Melinda and our “Connections”  newsletter sent most every Friday to the entire Journey community.

Stay tuned for more information and don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any immediate questions.

Kindly,

Tom and Janet

Journey Leaders

PS- Since the last email announcement in the middle of December, we snail-mailed (USPS) a congratulations letter TO YOU.  If you did not receive a letter in the mail from us, please contact Melinda Bowman,  our Journey coordinator, so she can find out what happened.