Saturday, June 29, 2013

Community engagement

Relationships in communities Over the past three weeks I have had the opportunity to build strong relationship with the communities which my CLA’s are located. This week on top of my daily duties at mosquito control I participated in the yearly open house in which the department opens its doors to public allowing them to all aspects of (IPM) integrated past management. This includes the use of trapping, monitoring, and using alternatives to pesticides when possible. Over all the event was a great success with all the attendees learning about how Volusia County Mosquito operates. My other two CLA’s have also given me the opportunity to build relationships by interacting with business and residents. In all instances of relationships I have learned listening is key to understanding the needs of the community.

Friday, June 28, 2013

Week 4

I just got back from a 3 day road trip that covered the Northern Region of New Mexico! One of the mentors, another undergraduate intern, and I traveled up to many primary care clinics that are a part of a network the department has created.
The Research Involving Outpatient Setting Network (RIOS Net) encourages providers who are in various parts of the state to participate in community research being done by Family and Community Medicine Center.  
We provided clinical staff with latest information about the research published by our staff, helpful information, and some goodies such as coffee mugs. Driving through and getting lost in some of the towns also allowed us to scope out new clinics we can outreach to.
A problem we ran into while delivering the materials is that providers who work in clinics in rural areas, don’t appear to stay there very long. This is a pattern that became obvious since the department launched the network. An interesting new project would be to do an exploratory study in regards to this issue. 
In addition, as a result of having spent the majority of the time on the road, I got a lot of bonding time with my coworkers which was pretty awesome! 

Week 3

             The project I am currently working on keeps me busy doing literature searches, reading, and data analysis; however, the project I will be working on later this summer will allow me to interact more with the general public by administering a survey. 

           So far I have been developing a strong relationship with my mentor as well the other staff. I have also become fairly close with the other intern, especially since we share a small office space. Turns out we have a lot in common!

            Outside of the office I have attended several meetings with individuals from all over New Mexico State to discuss the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, and outreach. It’s very invigorating to meet other individuals who are so focused on an issue area that is relative to what I have been working on. 

Week 3

I just finished my first full week of summer camp!!!! We have had camp since June 10th but I was away in Iceland from the 12-21st so now that I am back my SOS continues. 
Relationships in the community are extremely important for most non-profits. It allows them to obtain funding, volunteers and lets them to help more people. NEC is no different. Our summer camp helps to build relationships by spreading the word about Naples Equestrian Challenge. We gained a potential volunteer this week because of camp. One of our camper's grandmother has heard all about her granddaughters week at camp and during our horse show today she came in to ask about volunteering. 
I am also building personal relationships with the riders and their families of our communities. By being a volunteer coordinator I am able to meet and work with many of our families. This includes talking to them during lessons and even calling them on the phone to explain that riding is cancelled due to the thunder and lightening. I was at the movies the other day and saw one of our riders there with his mother and sister. I was able to go over and talk to them about their summer and riding. I enjoy building these relationships and finding out more about our riders. 

Week 5: Personal Reflections

Hello all, hope you are having great summer and SoS! Although I've been volunteering more than 5 weeks, this is the 5th week since I've started to write my blog. In some ways its better this way because I had more time to reflect on my work at the places I volunteer. So, just yesterday I had to translate a document (Azeri to English); its about a short play that the Azeri kids would be performing in Ukraine! So proud of them! Also good news is that Education USA has started their Competitive College Club (CCC) for the high school students who are interested in studying in the USA. Students would have a chance to learn about American culture&traditions, prepare for TOEFL and SAT, learn how to write college essays. Yesterday my supervisor and I had interviewed about 25 kids, and we chose 12 of them to be part of this club! I hope all of them achieve their dreams and go to the colleges/universities they want in the US. Tonight I am going to lead the Conversation Club and I have suggested that we all go see a movie in English after; I hope enough people want to come. Also next week (the 6th of July) the Play Bus is going to their annual Summer Tour; I will be going with them. We will travel to the regions of Azerbaijan and have programs with the local kids over there. It should a great and busy week! So as you can see I am having a great time at my volunteer sites and its nothing but pleasure to work with these people! I am happy that Bonner creates a chance for us to do so. It taught me a lot to work and help with people in need, and I feel like I am doing a small chance in their lives - that's the ultimate prize.

Monday, June 24, 2013

SOS Week 5

Week 5 - Personal Reflections:

This week, I helped in a few different areas in the hospital to show additional ways I may be of service. In the cardiology/radiology department, I worked in the reception office where several women process, organize, and communicate patients' data. I helped scan wetreads, x-rays, and other documents into the patients' digital files. I also worked in the Auxiliary office one day this week, as I occasionally do. The main tasks are “discharging” patients and transporting lab specimens. 
Based on the compliments I've been receiving from staff, fellow volunteers, and patients, I believe I am accomplishing my goal of being uplifting, professional, helpful, and resourceful. As the director of volunteers services phrased it, "There's the gold standard, and then there's Audrey's standard." What a compliment! I can achieve such a standard because I enjoy coming into the hospital each day. It's not always the most exciting (thankfully, because that means the patients are doing fairly well), but it is rewarding to know that I am making life a little bit easier for these busy doctors, nurses, and for the patients, too. Several patients have complained about the lack of communication from the doctors. However, the doctors don't really have the time to update the family members every half hour. So I help try to respect people's time by making calls to the nurses to see how the patients are doing and to get a time estimate. People appreciate the communication that way they can make plans around the circumstance, even if those plans may simply be going to the cafĂ© for a coffee or lunch. 
Being able to give a positive personal reflection is what should be the goal of every person in any circumstance of life. I strive to be my best at every moment and, when I make mistakes, I remember the feeling that comes along with it, and simply learn from it. It is through this process that I am able to grow, succeed and reach happiness. :)

Relationships

While I mentioned in my challenges blog that each CLA is different I realized that they are similar in the sense that each requires the bridges relationships within the community that they operate. So far I have witnessed that relationship building can take place in several forms wither it is in person or via another means of communications. Each CLA requires interacting with the public with a cool calm attitude understanding that most of the time the people contacting the CLA are in some type of need or requiring further information. Another form of relationship building I have experienced is with bridging a relationship with each CLA myself. This has been accomplished so far active listening and knowing the needs of each CLA and where my skill fits into them. Next week I will continue the blog and provide a more in-depth look at what I do on a daily basis at my sites.

Challenges

This S.O.S is very different then my first S.O.S two years ago. I have taken on a total of three CLA’s all with local government, some challenges I am facing are time management, adapting to new tasks, and connecting each CLA to common learning goals. While these are big challenges I have taken them with stride and plan to learn and grow both as an individual and team player. On top of my own challenges each CLA faces its own challenges which range from funding issues, size of the organization and its own mission and goals. I am learning a lot small government with the city of Debary and large government with the city of Deltona, and am getting a taste of county government by working for Mosquito Control. I look forward to imbedding myself into each organization and facing the challenges head on.

Week 1+1

                I will be working on more than one project; however I will focus on discussing my main one. The purpose of my project is to determine the prevalence of underinsurance in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, according to zip codes in accordance with patients seen in two primary care clinics.

Other than getting used to my new office environment, the major challenges include: understanding underinsurance and why it’s important and understanding Affordable Care Act and whom it will affect most.

So what is underinsurance?

Underinsurance is when insurance coverage fails to provide adequate protection against health care expenditures, exposing the policy holder to a financial risk and psychological stress.

In fact, while much attention has been allocated to the rising numbers of Americans who are uninsured, the issue of “underinsurance”, introduced only two decades ago, has been largely overlooked.  In 2003 it was reported that 16 million adults were underinsured and by 2010 this estimate increased to 29 million adults.


This will be the first study of this type in NM. J Let’s do it!

Week 1

The first week I had lunch with my mentor who will be helping me throughout my summer research experience at the department Family and Community Medicine (FCM). FCM is oriented towards advancing the science of health equity and exploring the health and health care disparities in communities across New Mexico.

I will be working on a summer research project and will present a poster at a poster session at the end. I have yet to learn much about the details of the project. Thus far I have been exploring available literature regarding Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) as well as published studies that define and explore underinsurance in specific areas of U.S. I look forward working on this project, receiving guidance from my mentor, and developing new research and data analysis skills.           

Project Reflections (Week IV)

Hey all! I feel good about the challenges being overcome; I finally got used to the busy routine of going from one office to another in the crazy city traffic! One of my sites - SOS Play Bus is still trying to get funds $$$ for our annual summer trip around the country's regions. On that note I have found a great websites to get grants to fund social projects! I am planning to submit one for poor kids to be able to go to summer camp :) As I've mentioned before, I had worked with Play Bus since last year and I have friendly relationship with the crew members, so we work together very well. I am glad that I can help them with stuff that has to do with Language (eg translating documents), and they help me to do good deeds by sharing their experiences! Second place I go to is BEIC - there are several offices and each does pretty much the same thing - it is education. Just this week, my supervisor gave me a bunch of applications to look through so we can choose approximately 10 high school kids for free college preparation program the EdUSA is offering. I am happy to see that so many students want to study abroad and learn about foreign cultures! I also tutor a few kids (my age) on individual level; many of them learned Eng. in high school but since they don't use it, they forgot how to speak it well. Conversation Club I lead is also going great - we talk about some really cool topics and play games at times too. To put all this into one sentence - I am having a great time, and I am glad I am doing this!

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Florida Rural Legal Services - Final Week

I wrapped up my last week at FRLS so I'm going to combine the prompt for Week 6 and Week 7. My project at FRLS was very eye-opening and kept ablaze the fire for human rights. I worked on a case that I worked on last summer. It involves about 60 farmworkers who were brought to the United States from Haiti. They were promised free housing and free food as well as $8 an hour. Things changed  when they got over here. They had to pay for housing, food, and were paid by the bin and not the hour. This case went to trial last week. We are sort of hopeful on the outcome because the judge was appointed by Obama and it is the only liberal judge that we have had on this case. My job all last week was to look up every case that was mentioned in summary judgment. I had to print out a copy for our attorneys, a copy for the judge, and a copy for opposing council. I had to put the copies in a binder and make sure that they were easily accessible just in case the judge or opposing council had any questions about the cases mentioned.  My final day was spent reviewing all of the projects that I had completed this summer and putting them in a folder for future use by the attorneys.


Wednesday, June 19, 2013

St. Francis House Week V

I cannot believe it's week five already; my time here has absolutely soared by, but at the same time I have more than a month left. It's certainly been a ride, but depending on the day it's either bumpy or beautiful. Especially according to the case managers I've become really strong at doing case management, which was one of my goals for coming here. My relationship with the clients is fairly strong; I recognize our regulars and almost everyone recognizes me, which is great because I have honestly developed relationships. It's also a friendly reminder that no matter how terrible my day might be, I have 30 shining, strong examples of how much worse it can get right before my eyes.

However, a relationship that has been rough on my emotional health has been with our ED. She's a former cop and has clearly never been a case manager before, so we go back and forth about her treatment of our clients. She's also completely OCD/neurotic/nit picky and obsessed with perfect order, so she helps remind me how not to act when I become crazy involved in my job. Unfortunately, it's clear she's become burnt out on the job, but as an intern there's not much that I can, nor should I, say about any of it. Oftentimes I'm just an observer, because she likes to go on firing sprees and I'm certain the Bonner Program wouldn't be too thrilled if I were a casualty.

I am so excited to return to the Neighborhood Center and the CCE for my new spot as Community Organizer for Hunger and Homelessness, and in November as (fingers crossed) the new Community Service Chair for Alpha Chi. I feel like I've developed in broadening my understanding of what I am capable of in the realm of social work. Because Beth and Maura have taught me how to sign people up for food stamps, Safelink phones, SS cards, Birth Certificates, and what a real pantry service looks like, I'm just that much more of an ally to the hungry and the homeless than I used to be. I can also be an asset to our philanthropy in AXO because I've spoken to countless battered women about their stories. Like I said in the last post, I feel that I've transcended and now see what's truly important. What's important is what you give back and physically do, not receiving the highest score on a quiz or winning Greek Week or Greenfeather. What's important is helping people get back on their feet, or feeling inspired or even simply full from their first meal in a week.

Some quotes that elucidate how I feel about my purpose:



“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”
― Charles Dickens 
 
 “It's only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential.”
― Barack Obama
 
"There's no better exercise for the heart than bending over and lifting someone up."
 
 

St. Francis House Week IV

Project reflection, how do I even begin? Well, to begin, this is the end of my fourth week and it has flown by incredibly fast. I feel like a completely different resource for the homeless than I was four weeks ago, because now I can actually help people with services! It sounds really silly, but it was so embarrassing to sit in front of clients and not know anything. Not only have I grown up as a person, but I now see them differently too. I can spot the chronically homeless and know just a little bit better between who wants to improve their lives and who doesn't.

As far as the St. Francis, well, it's changed too. The residents here are almost completely different from who were here when I first arrived, and we've even lost a staff member, but gained a bright new case manager. Even Ms. Renee has warmed up to me, which is a feat in and of itself. I am now greeted by clients sitting outside who look forward to being helped with their cases, and even though waking up at six am isn't easy, it's always worth it when I hear "Good morning Miss Amber!" as I walk up our path. And on food box days, when I load an entire building cart full of cans and bread and meats and fruit and whatever else we have, the look on my clients' faces at the amount of food they're receiving is just breathtaking. I can't imagine having to swallow the pride and accept that, for one reason or another, your children don't have enough food to eat, or that you and your wife might need to leave the house that's been in your family lineage for decades. Our clients are more brave and courageous than anyone I've ever met; could you imagine having to beg?

So, I always seem to go off on a tangent, but essentially this project has broken barriers I had in my mind in the way I look at people, and I'm not just talking about the homeless. I'm talking about drug addicts, women who have been raped or beaten, men who leave their wives, and even people who willingly drop everything to become homeless. Not that I necessarily judged these people, but we all have a certain way we're taught to see the world, and in working at the St. Francis House my ways of looking at almost everyone have been completely shattered. In short, I feel that I have transcended the majority of our population; like I now, more than ever before, eat, sleep and breathe social service.

Monday, June 17, 2013

Week 5 - Arcadia Farmworker Camp

Okay so last week I was able to go to another farmworker camp with one of the paralegals and three other interns and this camp let me see more of what really happens with farmworkers. Last week was the workers' last week here in the United States so they were emptying their apartments and they had all their equipment outside. The first thing I saw when we parked was the huge ladder that they have to carry around when they're picking. The height of the ladder itself made me shudder. We got out the truck and began going around to each apartment, handing out flyers to ensure that they were aware of their rights as H2-A workers and ask them how the season went. It was great to get to talk to the workers. I found out that it takes them 3 days by bus to get to Mexico and the company has to pay for their bus fare. If the workers want to go by plane and get to Mexico quicker, however, the company only has to pay for the bus fare to Miami and the workers have to pay for the plane ticket. As we kept walking, I noticed the sacks that they hang around their necks to put the fruit in. The owner of the apartment came and started chatting with the other interns and me. She was friendly (or so it seemed). She told us that the sacks weigh 90 lbs when they are completely full. So that's a 90 lbs sack around the worker's neck along with the tall and heavy ladder they carry from one tree to the next. The sad thing is all of the workers were underpaid but none of them really want to be a part of a lawsuit for fear of repercussions. As we were leaving, the owner of the camp (who seemed friendly) appeared to be going to each group of people who we had already talked to and intimidating them. She even told the paralegal that the workers "should not be relaxing. They should be cleaning up." On the way back from the camp, I kept thinking about all the people who say immigrants are lazy. I wonder which one of them would go out into the fields with a ladder and a 90 lbs sack around his/her neck. I wonder which one of them would leave their family for 5-6 months to come pick fruit for people who think that they are a disgrace. Yeah...I wonder...


Sunday, June 16, 2013

SOS Week 4


Week 4 - Project Reflection:

Summer of Service is definitely a "project" and is one of my biggest. I've combined the opportunity to serve with my entire career search. Four weeks in, this experience of working at the hospital has already given me a great insight into what it's like to work in the medical field in various positions. There are countless areas in which one can specialize in medicine. I am searching for the one that will best suit me and in which I can make the most impact on the population's health for the better. 
Serving at IRMC has been much of what I expected it to be. Being a volunteer, I'm obviously somewhat limited to my position, but as I stated at the beginning, I am determined to make the most of it. I am lucky to have already seen the way many doctors and employees work within their positions, especially in viewing the catherization procedure. I am very interested in nutrition and the career of a registered dietician, so I will request to spend a day or so in the nutrition department. Likewise, I am fascinated with dermatology. I'm not sure if there is a dermatology department in the hospital, but I am sure there is an office in the area where I may also request to shadow. That will be a side project to my volunteer service here at IRMC. 

Again, life here is good and I wish the same for you! I've read some of the other Bonner's blogs in my free time and it sounds like everyone participating in a Summer of Service is benefiting from an incredible learning experience. Reaching out to the community really opens your eyes beyond the little college-student-on-summer-vacation lifestyle in which most people our age (but not all, of course) are stuck. So congrats to us! :)

Week 3 (Relationships in Community)

Hey all, hope you're having a good summer and SoS! Relationship is great. First I'll start with Play Bus org. we go out to different neighborhoods and schools to have educational activities and play games with kids; they enjoy my presence and help. Since I volunteered with them last year too, we already know each other which makes it easier to cooperate! I also help them to write reports (in English) which they have to submit to the headquarters. After submitting their last report, their supervisor told them that it was written 'perfectly', so I am glad I was able to help! We are also planning to take our annual 'summer tours' where Play Bus crew goes to different regions and cities in Azerbaijan. This will probably be a week long trip and I am looking forward to it! (I heard that a Peace Corps volunteer will be going with us too!). Second place I go to is EdUSA (at BEIC) and its 2nd year I have been going there too! I know a number of the participants and the administration; it makes it much easier than starting over. It is nice seeing some of the students progress in their academic lives and many of them are getting ready to leave for foreign universities abroad. We are getting ready to start a "college preparatory" club for high schools students; they will be trained to take TOEFL/SAT, writing essays, and filling out the college apps. I also have one-on-one lessons with people who are learning elementary English, and I have to admit it is really hard being a teacher! I hardly remember grammatical rules not to mention teaching them. Besides that, I am having a great time and if you are reading this I hope your summer is going well! 

Saturday, June 15, 2013

week 1

     This week I got off to a late start after flying back to Fort Lauderdale and catching some kind of virus (thank god that's over). I reached Deland on Wednesday morning and met with Logan and Bella to discuss what our schedules were, along with our plans for the summer. Unfortunately the summer fellowship ended up having low registration, so it's going to have to be put off until next summer. However, it opens up the opportunity for more planning and research to be done this summer. So my goals for the are to do a summer needs assessment of every organization that Bonner works with during the school year. As well as setting up protocol for the Fellows program so that next year it will run more efficiently with easy replication and room for emulation.
     Our volunteering really began on Thursday when the three of us headed over to the Boys and Girls Club. I had only ever been for Kilometer kids so volunteering all day was a new experience. Watching the children play was interesting, because the children understood that being there was a privilege. It was a punishment to be sent home, and it made me ponder on my views as a child and how summer camp was viewed as something forced upon me. I was also intrigued by the children's differences in energy levels when painting a box or running under the high squirting water fountain compared to being inside playing video games and watching tv. They were so much happier and full of life when they were outside.
     On Friday i headed over the the Neighborhood Center which will be my primary site for this summer along with prepping the summer camp. I met with Jeanie and spent most of my time writing thank you letters to those who had contributed to their last fundraiser at Sky Dive Deland. Apparently, according to several people I have beautiful handwriting :) I then headed back to office and wrote up the first draft of the commitment form to be signed by the community partners. The next step is the community partner assessment... Tomorrow I'm off to the Border Collie rescue with Annie to see whats going on there.




Thursday, June 13, 2013

SOS Week 3

Week 3 - Relationships in Communities:

My third week volunteering at IRMC has been more interesting than the last. I received many compliments on my cheerful behavior, bright smile, and consistent work. It was nice to receive a little bit of praise and recognition. More so, I enjoyed simply serving others.
One's quality of service and interaction with others is important to the quality of life and wellbeing for all. Each person's behavior sets an example for each other person in return. What I am getting at is even when a person become impatient with me this week due to their having to wait for a longer-than-desirable amount of time at the hospital, I responded kindly and respectfully. I tried to be helpful and understanding of the patient's situation. In return, the patient calmed down and I felt confident that I set an example of good behavior. Everyday situations such as these make an impact on the relationships citizens hold with each other. Responding properly maintains peace, shows love and consideration, and allows for cooperation and growth within a community. 
On the bright side, I met many more patients and their family members with whom I enjoyed chatting and were a pleasure to meet. And the most exciting part of the week was being invited to observe a cardiac catherization procedure by the doctor in the CATH department. Two other interns, some staff, and I watched through a large window as the doctor and his assistants maneuvered various catherization tubes around the man's heart. We were in a sort of control room with computer monitors displaying the live images of the man's heart. The doctor and patient were in the operating room, where they wore lead aprons to protect themselves from the radiation (which is why I wasn't in there). The doctor would call out data about the patient that the other doctor in the control room could here through a speaker. She recorded the data into the computer and compiled all of the necessary information to conclude whether the condition of the patient's cardiovascular system was desirable or if he was at risk for experiencing clogged arteries, a stroke, heart attack, or some other cardiac issue. It was all fascinating to watch and a nurse also explained to me what was happening step-by-step. In this case, the man's results showed that he was not at any major risk of a heart condition. However, just at the closing of this procedure, we got word that a man was on his way in an ambulance to have an emergency operation because he had just experienced a heart attack. I returned to my station at this time because I knew they would be very busy the next several hours.

It was quite the week! Best wishes to all of you!

SOS Week 2

Week 2 - Service Challenges:

Happy (late, by the time I'm posting this and you're reading it) Memorial Day! Summer is breaking in on my East coast hometown of Vero Beach, Florida. The weather is fairly hot and humid, we're already getting afternoon rain showers from tropical storm Andrea, and kids only have a week or two left of school. 
In light of Memorial Day, the volunteer director advised I wait until Tuesday to start volunteering full-time because it'd be a slow day on Monday anyhow. On Tuesday and throughout the rest of the week, I saw many patients come through my Cardiology & Radiology Hospitality Room. Each day I became more familiar with the halls and began to learn the most professional and efficient methods of communicating with patients and staff. Everyone I met was very friendly, which made my work much more enjoyable. 
Honestly, the only challenge I had this week was getting used to my new sleep schedule because I was exhausted at the end of each 8-hour day! I'm sure I will face more constructive challenges throughout my days spent at IRMC, yet for now, all is going smoothly. 

I hope everyone else's summers are going just as well!

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

SOS Week 1

Week 1 - Goals for Service:

After experiencing my first year as a Stetson student and Bonner Scholar, I decided to jump straight into another exciting experience of completing my first Summer of Service. I applied to donate my 280 hours of service to helping my local hospital - the hospital in which I was born! Serving at the hospital will essentially double as an internship - not by the definition of my position as a "college volunteer," but through my determination to get the most out of my time spent there. The volunteer director also encouraged me to be curious and to ask the nurses, doctors, and other staff if I may watch the way they operate.
On May 21, I met with the Indian River Medical Center volunteer services director for a final interview. Just half an hour into the interview, I was already getting my ID badge, scrubs, a packet of hospital guidelines to read, and a request to come in at 8:00AM the next day to be trained in the Cardiology & Radiology Hospitality Room.
I met a lively, sweet, elderly woman the next morning in the Cardio/Radiology Hospitality Room where she was waiting to meet her new trainee. I spent the next four hours with her learning the process by which I would be transporting patients' paperwork and my way around the second floor of the hospital to the different cardiology/radiology departments where I would be escorting the patients. 
The following Friday, I met another sweet woman who trained me for the position of manning the Surgical Hospitality Room. Working there will be a different type of experience, as family members of surgical patients are usually there for nearly an entire day. I believe it's important to assist these families by giving them updates of the status of their loved one who is having surgery and being as cheerful and helpful as possible.
I am looking forward to assisting individuals daily and learning as much as I possibly can about how the hospital operates. Ideally, I will also be able to sit in on some medical procedures. Overall, I am glad to be given this opportunity to receive insight about my potential career choice. I hope to find a career that serves people, is intellectually challenging, and is an added joy to my life. 

I'll be updating you all on my medical adventures soon!

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

St.Francis Week III - Relationships in Communities

Working at the St. Francis has taught me that I'm not as great as I thought with remembering large volumes of peoples' names! Luckily, by the end of week three, I've learned the names of all of our staff/residents that hold positions; sadly, I'm finding that each morning I drive down the streets of St. Augustine and I recognize almost every person I see on the sidewalks, in the streets, or sitting in alleys. Some mornings it's very discouraging to see so many people struggling, but it is reassuring that we have a pretty steady flow of clients each day.

I'm finding it hard to describe the relationships I've made with clients, because they're so brief that I only interact with most of them individually for about fifteen minutes maximum. I have fostered a pretty close relationship with Maura and Beth, as well as with our kitchen staff and our handymen Kevin and Jose. I struggle morally with our ED, Renee, because she has a very different approach to dealing with our clients than I do. Without a doubt, anything she says goes, as I am the intern and she is the director, and I always hold back comments, but she has a habit of being incredibly cruel to people. My thought is, why kick people when they're down? They know they smell bad, they know they haven't shaved, and they're fully aware of the fact they may have an addiction or be unemployed for long periods of time. It's so embarassing for people to even walk through our doors, so why be rude once they buck up the courage to come inside and ask for help? I don't know about you, but I absolutely hate asking for help. I'm definitely a hard-headed little one, so if there's anyway I can do something myself, even if it's harder, I will.

The closest relationship I've fostered has been with the community as a whole; I know that sounds incredibly vague and like a cop-out, but let me explain. Case work and social work are hard. Emotionally, you deal with a lot of really heavy subjects, a lot of arguing, a lot of demanding, and then a lot of crying or children screaming. The hardest of it all is memorizing and knowing and developing relationships with other agencies or the police department or the hospital or social security. It all takes time. Trust me, I've tried to just jump in and know all of our contacts within the first week. It doesn't work, because it takes time to get your bearings and get to know a place. Now that I'm in my third week I've learned how to sign people up for food stamps, how to get social security cards and birth certificates and IDs. I'm finally gaining some bearing so that when the case managers are busy and a client walks through the door, I can give them an answer aside from, "uhhh, let me ask Beth/Maura". That way, I can actually foster a relationship with these clients instead of being the know-nothing intern that gives them a terrible first impression of the St. Francis. I'm on my way:]

3:47pm: I was just thinking about how it would be if I came back in a few months to visit, and I realized that, aside from our ED, it's possible for me not to know a single soul living, working, or simply being here. So many people I thought I've built relationships with who have stayed here and I've helped can disappear from us in the blink of an eye. That's what's so powerful about addiction for some, and for others the simple drive to never be in one place for too long, or for some unthinkable reason, that life under a bridge or in the woods will be better than three square meals at the St. Francis. So it's hard to foster relationships, because for these people, life on foot is a reality. It's hard investing so much time in these cases with the full knowledge that by tomorrow I may never see them again. For those that truly want to turn their lives around and make their lives better, I get to foster a closer relationship with them because they actually care enough to stay and receive help. But for the ones in whoms lives I'd love to make a difference but aren't ready to help themselves, they disappear. It's a sad, endless cycle, but it's part of the job.

Monday, June 10, 2013

Week 4 - Liberty and Justice for all [but read the fine print]

I spent Week 4 of my Summer of Service at SLI but I can still give a project reflection of my site. Between last summer and this summer I have become more aware of just how untrue the statement "liberty and justice for all" truly is. There is so much fine-print and between-the-line words that are involved. I have realized that I do not want to go into a job just for the money. My vision is to work with those who are disadvantaged by the systems in place. I used to say that I wanted to help people but in reality, these people help me become a better person. We are working with each other and empowering one another to become better citizens in the world. The attorneys for whom I work rarely get attorney fees. They do not get paid overtime and yet sometimes they are out until 10 or 11pm interviewing clients. It is this type of work that interests me the most. Yeah, having money is great but sometimes money makes you lose sight of why you chose the work in the first place. My site also made me realized that those who work in public interest jobs make barely any money but yet they're happy because of the work. It is sad though because these jobs work with the people who need it the most. Some day, I hope, society's priorities will get straight.

Week 2 (Service Challanges)

Hi all! So first of all, I found a new NGO that I started volunteering at - Its name is "Birliye Dogru" meaning "towards unity". What this org does is they basically help the children who have no parents (ones over 18); these kids leave orphanages at adulthood and many of them struggle to find their place in the World. I volunteered to teach them Eng classes!
So there are many challenges in each of my 3 cites!
1. Education USA (BEIC). - here I lead conversation classes and help with programs on study abroad. The biggest challenge was finding days and times that are conformable for all of the students who come to conv. club. Some of the people who come work, while others are students, and lack of support from the office didn't help. Anyways, now we have figured the days and times and everything is well!
2. SOS Children's Villages - here I volunteer with Play Bus (our crew reaches out to poor kids and we play educational and fun games). Challenge here is a unique one - language barrier. Since I have lived in the USA for 5 yr now, its somewhat hard to switch to my native language right away; it takes me a few weeks. :) Here in Baku, most of my friends and family are bilingual (Russian and Azeri). But the kids we work with only know Azeri. This is not that big of a challenge but definitely one I faced with.
3. The new site I started going to is great- the people working there & students appreciate me lots! One challenge here is the lack of funding; I am trying to find some private companies that would donate some money so the org. could do more programs for their kids.
-Aykhan

Saturday, June 8, 2013

Week 1: Goals

‘From the outside you can’t understand it, and from the inside you can’t explain.’

After only two weeks of being here at Victory Junction (VJ), I can’t imagine a better phrase to describe the magic that occurs in this place. VJ is a camp for children ages 6-16 with chronic and terminal illnesses to come for a week and have the opportunity to be ‘normal.’ Every week this summer we will have the opportunity to work with an amazing group of children from a different disease group, each of whom gets to experience it for free. Children that have never been in the swimming pool before have the opportunity to get in our temperature controlled waterpark with special wheelchairs and other accommodations, allowing them a new freedom. Many children never imagine having the opportunity to ride a zip line because of physical disabilities that prohibit them from climbing up the stairs to reach a higher level. Here, at the only facility like it in the country, they are able to because it lowers the rider directly to the ground, or straight into their wheelchair. Whereas most canoeing and kayaking venues require a person to be able to climb down into it, here at VJ we have a sliding system that allows campers to be transferred into it on land and then the whole boat is slid down the bank into the water. With all of the accommodations and opportunities here at camp, there is nothing a camper cannot do.

I think that this summer, my goals are going to change drastically as we move through. Everyone says that your entire outlook on life will be changed after being here, and I am so ready. As of now, my goal is to make everything I do for the kids. I want to see their eyes light up as they enter these gates and then see tears of joy falling from their eyes as they leave and to know that I played a part in that. I can’t wait until laughter and excitement fills every space. Another goal is to work as a cohesive team with the other counselors in my cabin and to do all I can to be a team player. The last goal I have at this point is to give my all to this place this summer. I hope that I can look back in August and be proud of how much of myself I put into every child and every moment. As my friend said the other night, my ship has already left it’s safe harbor of home, and now I’m here, so all I can do is give it everything I have. I hope I come back in the fall sobbing because I made memories and friendships that will live in my heart forever.

As we say here at camp, we are getting ready to feel our heart race on Sunday when the first campers start to arrive! So think great thoughts for me, and I hope all of your summer projects are going fabulously as well! :D

Friday, June 7, 2013

Service Goals

This will be my second summer of service; this summer will be drastically different yet the similar in a sense. My first S.O.S was during the summer between my freshman and sophomore year, back then I was a summer camp counselor with the Deltona Tennis Association. There I learned lot and built a sense of compassion for helping others. Thus this brings me to this summer which I will be helping people in others; I will be volunteering for the Cities of DeBary, Deltona, and the County of Volusia. This week I got to experience my tasks with the two cities and set learning goals for myself and goals to accomplish for both. While volunteering with both cities I will complete task such as but are not limited to, researching and analyzing proposed City ordinances; performing various administrative functions to support program activities; drafting informational materials and correspondence in response to inquiries; distributing informational materials; maintaining records and preparing reports; creating spreadsheets and maintaining databases; participating in the setup and operation of special events and program activities; and performing related duties, as required. I know that sounds like a lot but I have already began to settle in by working a human resources project for the city of DeBary and an economic development project with the city of Deltona. Next week I look forward to continue blogging and starting up with the county.

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Challenges


One of the biggest challenges in the weeks I’ve been working at Border Collie Rescue has been learning to let go. The first dog I've ever trained at the rescue was recently adopted.

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This is my sweet little Shank.Yeah we had a good laugh for a while since they gave the dog named Shank to the Hispanic girl.

He was the dog I trained agility and obedience to. He was able to make me love another breed of dog besides German Shepherds. He was my baby who enjoyed a good bath and belly rub. Two summers ago he was adopted by a couple, but before I came back he was returned to us.

It seemed like he didn't get along with the wife and developed jealousy aggression since he connected more with the husband. I was very disappointed with myself for not catching this quirk of his, but I continued training him and CJ for some time.

Then a miracle happened! Another couple came by to view some of the dogs and they were both very funny. One of the women had an elderly female border collie who matched her owner, short and broad. The other woman was tall and skinny. When we brought Shank out it seemed like a match made in heaven. The other dog loved him and the tall lady was very impressed with the tricks I taught him. When I looked at them all together I hoped they would choose him because the dogs definitely matched their owners. They left to think about whether or not they wanted to adopt and I just prayed and hoped that Shank finally found his new home.

I was gone for a day training a service dog on campus and when I came back Shank was gone. It seems that they picked him up the next day and brought him home. I was sad that I couldn't say goodbye to the big goof, but I was happy that he found his a family.   

I went through my usual routine of sadness.

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But then I got over it, looked on the bright side of things and ran around with glee.

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This was one of the challenges I faced, the other was less of a crying-palooza and more of a heart attack waiting to happen.

So I let out a group of three dogs; Talan, Summer and Boonie. They are a great and chill group who don’t appear to give me trouble Summer and Boonie are new, but they are sweet and I let my guard down.

Biggest mistake ever.

So I’m sitting in the living room eating my turkey and cheese sandwich with an awesome side of apple juice when suddenly I hear a bang on the door. I almost drop my lunch at the sudden noise. Everything goes silent and then all hell breaks loose.

The door bursts open, my sandwich is on the floor, I'm screaming my head off running away to find a weapon, and the parrot is screeching.

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When I finally turn around I find myself facing a huge fluffy border collie. She pants and wags her tail with pride at finally being able to get inside the house. I’m shocked and baffled to how she managed to get in and noticed that her border collie intelligence managed to find a hole into the small porch of the house. I also noticed she ate my sandwich.

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Great.

I learned the hard way that I need to lock the front door or dear old Summer will find a way inside. Remembering every dogs quirk has taken me sometime, but I think I have them down packed. For now.

My next challenge involves the service dog I’m training. Kurt is an angel and loves people. No I mean loves people, if there was a person across the street that would offer to pet his belly with traffic separating them. That dog is like the honey badger! He doesn’t care, his tush would get ran over and he won’t mind as long as you pet him.

Now you see what I have to tweak.

He is a velcro-dog, he will never leave your side and is stuck there. Kurt loves people and people love him. His nickname to some is No-Ears due to the fact that his ears are never perked up when he is around people, they are always down in contentment. I don’t care what people tell me, but that dog is no dog. He is a full blown ham sandwich and he loves it.

For now these are some of my challenges that I face at the rescue and I;m expecting more in the future.

Have fun this summer guys! I’ll keep you all posted for week 3 soon!

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Goals

Hello my fellow bonner peeps!


This summer I’m working at Southeast Border Collie Rescue and I’m so excited! I’ll be training and working with some of the most coolest people and dogs ever!


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Of course it can’t be all fun and game, even though it is for me. ;)


Some of the goals I want to accomplish this summer are getting the general dog rotation down packed for the daily chores, training potential service dogs, going out and having the dogs be socialized, attending service dogs demos and general events, and most importantly getting some bright smiles.


I want to personally get to know each and every dog at the rescue and remember their names and their personalities. With me getting used to the general routine I would be helping the staff at the rescue so they could focus on other issues that need attention.


Some of the rescue dogs that come through here have the potential and personality to become therapy or service dogs. For now I will be training a border collie named Kurt who is a cuddle monster and has a high possibility of being a therapy dog. Another dog that I would be training would be my little psychopath, C.J., who is an amazing dog that is as fast as a bullet and loves agility and too just be around someone. Besides service dogs I want to also have some of the rescue dogs learn a few pet tricks to impress possible owners.


Since the staff here has a lot on their plate, they do not always have the time and hands to take potential service/therapy dogs out to different types of locations and situations. That’s where I come in. I hope to take the dog I’m training to big locations like a supermarket and to socialize with different types of people and animals.


Other chances for socialization would be service dog demos. Where we bring the dogs to a big event with a wide arrange of people to see how they react and to see how far our training with them has improved their behavior and their chances to pass the test.


So far these are my goals and I can’t wait to get each one accomplished. I hopefully expect there to be a lot of smiling! :)

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Bye!


Sunday, June 2, 2013

Week 2: Challenges

I have been at my site for the past two weeks now. 
Even though my official summer job hasn't started and camp is still in the planning stages I have overcome a lot and know that I will just add to the list in the upcoming weeks.
Being in charge of camp is not just planning fun games and arts and crafts… I wish it was. One of my responsibilities was to call every camper to remind them about camp and what to bring and wear. I HATE calling people on the phone. It makes me nervous. Yet I had to call every single camper’s parents. There are seven weeks of camp with ten campers each week meaning that we will have around 70 campers. I was overwhelmed with the thought of having to make 70 phone calls. Luckily a handful of campers were siblings or attending camp more than one week so it cut the calls to about 50. I was soooooo nervous sitting down to make those calls. The first one was the hardest but after that my nerves seemed to disappear. I can proudly say that I made all of those phone calls and overcame a major trepidation.


Another thing that I have started to overcome is not really a hard thing it just takes time. I have been at NEC since I was twelve and so I have kind of grown up there. Most of the staff members have watched me grow and mature. From being a shy 12 year old to getting my drivers license and then going off to college they have seen me transform into a young adult. However they still see me as kid. Yes over the past seven years I have gradually taken on more and more responsibility. I went from just helping with the lessons, to training new volunteers, helping with the horses, assisting in the office and traveling to events to promote NEC. They trust me a lot more and I have been able to do and learn more than most volunteers, but they still see me as a child. It is funny because they will be having an "adult" conversation and I will walk in the room and they will stop, like I'm too innocent to hear what they are talking about.  I hope that after this summer they will start to see me more as an adult and able to take on even greater responsibilities. I believe this is starting to happen. The other day the program manager and volunteer coordinator said that they were excited to see me taking on a greater role at NEC and more responsibility!!!! 

I am also learning how to be more assertive in my opinions. I have been a camp counselor at NEC for the past six summers. I know how it has been run in the past and what works and what doesn't work. The other lady (Layne) I am working with has never done camp before so it is all new to her. I have had to become more firm in my opinions about what to do at camp since I know the layout and activities that the campers enjoy. This has been a bit of a challenge for me because I don't like to be pushy and tell people how to run something, especially when they are older than me. Even though I was afraid to speak my mind about aspects of camp I learned that Layne does not mind me do this and is actually thankful for my advice!! 

I can feel myself growing even more these past two weeks and I am positive I will continue to grow as a person throughout the summer at this place I call my second home :) 

Hope everyone is having a great summer. B LOVE!!!!