There have been a couple challenges since beginning our
volunteer work in Bulembu. The children had the first week that we were here
off from school. Since there was no school, I could not volunteer there so
instead of doing that, I have been helping with the work project that everyone
else has been doing. I am happy to help out elsewhere in the town, but I
haven’t had much experience doing the kind of work that they wanted us to do.
We had to work with a painter to paint a house that would later be used for
teacher or staff housing. This project put me out of my comfort zone, but I
fully embraced it and gave it my all. I had to overcome my fear of heights and
climb rickety ladders to paint the tops of the walls. We ended up finishing the
house, inside and outside, in about 2 weeks. Another challenge that I had to
face was the language barrier between our team and some of the Aunties that we
were working with. For about a total of about three and a half weeks we worked
with the babies and toddlers in the afternoons. There are multiple aunties in
each of the baby and toddler homes and many of them only spoke SiSwati. It was
difficult to get to know them and talk to them when we couldn’t understand them
and they couldn’t understand us. Some of the other Aunties who did know English
would help translate for us, but it was more difficult to bond with them. Once
they became comfortable with us they began to teach us some SiSwati words and
tried their best to use the little bit of English that they did know to
communicate with us. By the end of the trip we all had overcome the language
barrier and have become great friends.
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Week 1
I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this trip. I
have been hearing about Bulembu, Swaziland for a while and now I finally get to
go. I am looking forward to getting to work with the children and help them in
any way that I can. Whether that is with school, being someone for them to talk
to, or even someone for them to play with, I will be there for them. I am also
looking forward to getting to work in the primary school in Bulembu. I’m hoping
to learn about their school system and how they work with the children in an
educational setting. These children have all gone through so many hard things
in their lives and are different than many of the children that I have worked
with in the past. I’m hoping to learn how to help them and teach them in school
and be able to give them one on one time to help them with whatever they are
struggling with. This experience will teach me so much about teaching and
everything that I learn from the children, teachers, and other staff I can take
back with me to help my future students in The United States. What I learn here
are things that I would not be able to learn in a classroom back home. I am so excited for this experience and
I can’t wait for it to begin!
St. Francis House Week VII
Project Reflection and Closure
It was incredibly difficult to leave the st. francis house. the women and clients i worked with have become family; we've been through the trenches together, dealt with the most mentally-ill clients who didn't even know how to help themselves, and dealt with our boss (which was a task in and of itself). i've grown so much as a person in this organization, and i even received a job offer after working there. i'm going to miss my clients dearly, because there is no better feeling in the world than having clients come back week after week, recognize you and get to know you, and getting to see them grow and prosper. i wrote a whole blog post about it, but there really is no better sight than seeing your clients succeed. it's been an emotional toll as well, a difficult load to bear if you know what i mean. i've learned this summer that this is without a doubt my career field of choice, because nothing makes me happier than social work.
i'm really looking forward to coming back to deland and giving the neighborhood center some of these skills. i came back to visit and they're in some really bad shape, but i feel confident in my abilities to make a difference and bring them back to the high-impact influence they were when i first joined stetson. this summer has given me the tools necessary to become a highly significant person, and i am so thankful for this opportunity <3
It was incredibly difficult to leave the st. francis house. the women and clients i worked with have become family; we've been through the trenches together, dealt with the most mentally-ill clients who didn't even know how to help themselves, and dealt with our boss (which was a task in and of itself). i've grown so much as a person in this organization, and i even received a job offer after working there. i'm going to miss my clients dearly, because there is no better feeling in the world than having clients come back week after week, recognize you and get to know you, and getting to see them grow and prosper. i wrote a whole blog post about it, but there really is no better sight than seeing your clients succeed. it's been an emotional toll as well, a difficult load to bear if you know what i mean. i've learned this summer that this is without a doubt my career field of choice, because nothing makes me happier than social work.
i'm really looking forward to coming back to deland and giving the neighborhood center some of these skills. i came back to visit and they're in some really bad shape, but i feel confident in my abilities to make a difference and bring them back to the high-impact influence they were when i first joined stetson. this summer has given me the tools necessary to become a highly significant person, and i am so thankful for this opportunity <3
St. Francis House Week VI
Project Evaluation
Throughout my time at the st. francis House, I learned so much and i know for a fact that i helped a massive amount of people (at least compared to what i'm used to seeing). Over the course of the past two months, the st. francis house saw easily over 1,000 clients, many of whom received their services from me. Our last week, I saw the largest group in my experience come for food boxes, and i didn't stop moving once during the entire two hour period. i've helped families put food on the table, i've helped clients receive snap assistance and social security cards and birth certificates and safelink phones. i've helped send clients back to their families, one to arizona, another to georgia, and another to the okeechobee region.
on the not so nice side, i've seen clients get baker-acted and arrested, but i've also seen those same clients come back and ask for a second chance. i've seen clients fall off the wagon and stand back up again, stronger. these past two months have given me the most incredible wealth of knowledge about this field, and most importantly for me, given me the tools i need to have an impact on the deland community.
Throughout my time at the st. francis House, I learned so much and i know for a fact that i helped a massive amount of people (at least compared to what i'm used to seeing). Over the course of the past two months, the st. francis house saw easily over 1,000 clients, many of whom received their services from me. Our last week, I saw the largest group in my experience come for food boxes, and i didn't stop moving once during the entire two hour period. i've helped families put food on the table, i've helped clients receive snap assistance and social security cards and birth certificates and safelink phones. i've helped send clients back to their families, one to arizona, another to georgia, and another to the okeechobee region.
on the not so nice side, i've seen clients get baker-acted and arrested, but i've also seen those same clients come back and ask for a second chance. i've seen clients fall off the wagon and stand back up again, stronger. these past two months have given me the most incredible wealth of knowledge about this field, and most importantly for me, given me the tools i need to have an impact on the deland community.
Monday, August 5, 2013
Project evaluation
Over the past couple weeks I have had the opportunity to work on several large and small scale projects within all three of my CLA’s. Two of my CLA’s have included working with local government in particular the city of Deltona economic development office and the city of DeBary clerk’s office. While at the city of Deltona I worked on updating information on new businesses opening in the city along with working on an eco-tourism project related to the vast trail system within the city. My work at the city of DeBary included updating and providing suggests related to the employee hand book and job descriptions.
Finally the CLA I have spent the most time working the Volusia County Mosquito Control Distract; here I have learned a lot about (IPM) integrated pest management. While here about 40hrs a week I worked on various projects ranging from landing rates, trapping, and lab work. As I reflect on these projects within my CLA’s I am very happy how this S.O.S has gone, I have gone through evaluations and received feedback throughout each stage of each project from my site supervisors. This has been extremely helpful in providing constructive feedback and ways to improve my skills along with providing the highest quality and level of service each CLA serves. It’s hard to believe the summer is almost complete, look forward to wrapping up my blog next weekJ
Project Evaluation
I can't believe that this summer is coming to an end. After seven weeks of camp the summer is over. I have learned so much this summer being the head counselor. Naples Equestrian Challenge has had summer camps for the last 14 years and there has never been head counselors. There was always an NEC employee that ran the inside of camp while the instructor taught lessons. This year my friend Sam and I were given the title of head counselor. We started planning for camp last summer and throughout the year. This summer before camp even started I was at NEC planning crafts, setting up the camp room and getting supplies. Sam and I fixed the counselor handbook we had made last summer, helped run the counselor training and came up with plenty of ideas for camp. During camp we were inside making sure crafts ran smoothly, all the kids ate and that there were plenty of games to play after lunch. Since there were 10 campers a week all with varying interests and levels of ability we had to make sure that the crafts were acceptable for all of them and that there were plenty of different games we could play outside. Sam and I worked closely with the instructor to make sure what the kids were learning outside was being reinforced inside the camp room. We also were given the task of MC at the weekly horse show. While the kids were riding we would talk about the week, what they learned and give individual descriptions of the campers as they were riding. The instructors always did this job so it was new to us.
I believe that this summer was great. Everyone said that it was the best year of camp yet!! Our jobs as head counselor took on more and more responsibility as the summer progressed, but I know that we handled it well. I am very pleased with the example we set as head counselors. Having head counselors allowed the instructors to focus on purely the riding aspect of camp, while we were responsible for the arts and crafts and safety of the campers and junior counselors once they left the arena. I know that we could have been more patient with the other counselors, but that is something we worked hard on all summer and I will continue to work on. It is hard to step back and put yourself in their shoes when you are trying to watch 10 kids and simply want help with that. They worked hard outside with the kids all morning and maybe needed a few minute break, however Sam and I were just thinking about the safety of the campers and not the needs of the junior counselors as much. I know this is something I need to work on and hopefully will have the opportunity to next year.
Another one of my "projects" this summer was volunteer coordinator for regular therapeutic riding lessons. This was not a new position at NEC just new to me. I believe I was successful in this as well. I always had ample volunteers that came back each week eager to volunteer. The instructor never switched up my choices of who was leading and who was sidewalking, which means I played matchmaker well. Most importantly all my riders and volunteers were having fun and staying safe which to me shows that my "project" was successful. I know that I could have improved in being more confident, but towards the end of the summer I saw that my confidence had really grown.
I believe that this summer was great. Everyone said that it was the best year of camp yet!! Our jobs as head counselor took on more and more responsibility as the summer progressed, but I know that we handled it well. I am very pleased with the example we set as head counselors. Having head counselors allowed the instructors to focus on purely the riding aspect of camp, while we were responsible for the arts and crafts and safety of the campers and junior counselors once they left the arena. I know that we could have been more patient with the other counselors, but that is something we worked hard on all summer and I will continue to work on. It is hard to step back and put yourself in their shoes when you are trying to watch 10 kids and simply want help with that. They worked hard outside with the kids all morning and maybe needed a few minute break, however Sam and I were just thinking about the safety of the campers and not the needs of the junior counselors as much. I know this is something I need to work on and hopefully will have the opportunity to next year.
Another one of my "projects" this summer was volunteer coordinator for regular therapeutic riding lessons. This was not a new position at NEC just new to me. I believe I was successful in this as well. I always had ample volunteers that came back each week eager to volunteer. The instructor never switched up my choices of who was leading and who was sidewalking, which means I played matchmaker well. Most importantly all my riders and volunteers were having fun and staying safe which to me shows that my "project" was successful. I know that I could have improved in being more confident, but towards the end of the summer I saw that my confidence had really grown.
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Week 4- Project success
Week fours blog post is supposed to be about project success, however I've only just begun my new CLA so I haven't had much time to work on my projects. My new CLA is at the Department of Children and Families Substance Abuse and Mental Health division. Ive been working with my supervisor on planning "Recovery Month." Recovery month is in Spetember and is a nation wide effort to promote prevention, treatment, and recovery for substance abuse. This month is also meant to highlight those who have successfully recovered from substance abuse such as young adults and veterans. For Recovery month we are hoping to implement drug and alcohol prevention training programs within elementary and middle schools through the use of local coalitions. My role currently has been putting together information on the program (Lifeskills Training) for a proposal the local coalitions. Lifeskills is a evidence based program for drug and alcohol prevention. It's similar to DARE except lifeskills has shown MUCH better results and has a really good cost benefit. Hopefully this program can be implemented in Leon county schools with the assistance of local coalitions and the financial backing of DCF.
Here is a little Excerpt on what life skills is about: "LifeSkills Training (LST) is a school-based program that aims to prevent alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use and violence by targeting the major social and psychological factors that promote the initiation of substance use and other risky behaviors. LST is based on both the social influence and competence enhancement models of prevention. Consistent with this theoretical framework, LST addresses multiple risk and protective factors and teaches personal and social skills that build resilience and help youth navigate developmental tasks, including the skills necessary to understand and resist prodrug influences. LST is designed to provide information relevant to the important life transitions that adolescents and young teens face, using culturally sensitive and developmentally and age-appropriate language and content." -http://www.nrepp.samhsa.gov/ViewIntervention.aspx?id=109
It would be really cool to try and propose that to a Volusia county coalition too right?
The department of Substance Abuse and Mental Health is going through a lot of reorganization which has given me an inside view of it's restructure and regrowth. My supervisor is having me help her and her unit with their strategic planning for this coming fiscal year. Which means working on their priorities and creating goals & tasks. Apparently, everything has to be written at an 8th grade level which can be checked on Word! I also went to a retirement get together and networked with a lot of the regional directors the other night which was awesome. I met the women who runs DCF Substance Abuse and Mental Health division in Broward (where I'm from) and talked a lot about the interconnection between sub/ment and homelessness. Homelessness especially in Broward is a huge problem, so she invited me to come down to Broward and not only take a tour but to also meet a whole bunch of Nonprofits who work with the homeless in our county.
I've also been given some responsibility on a grant for coalitions to assist in substance abuse prevention marketing which is really exciting as a marketing minor. I'm working towards putting more time and effort into assisting that project as well to get as much experience as I can. Anyways, over all there is an abundance of projects that I have my hand in. All of them are more long term minus the Recovery Month project, so I hope to make great strides in helping them solidify it before I depart.
Here is a little Excerpt on what life skills is about: "LifeSkills Training (LST) is a school-based program that aims to prevent alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use and violence by targeting the major social and psychological factors that promote the initiation of substance use and other risky behaviors. LST is based on both the social influence and competence enhancement models of prevention. Consistent with this theoretical framework, LST addresses multiple risk and protective factors and teaches personal and social skills that build resilience and help youth navigate developmental tasks, including the skills necessary to understand and resist prodrug influences. LST is designed to provide information relevant to the important life transitions that adolescents and young teens face, using culturally sensitive and developmentally and age-appropriate language and content." -http://www.nrepp.samhsa.gov/ViewIntervention.aspx?id=109
It would be really cool to try and propose that to a Volusia county coalition too right?
The department of Substance Abuse and Mental Health is going through a lot of reorganization which has given me an inside view of it's restructure and regrowth. My supervisor is having me help her and her unit with their strategic planning for this coming fiscal year. Which means working on their priorities and creating goals & tasks. Apparently, everything has to be written at an 8th grade level which can be checked on Word! I also went to a retirement get together and networked with a lot of the regional directors the other night which was awesome. I met the women who runs DCF Substance Abuse and Mental Health division in Broward (where I'm from) and talked a lot about the interconnection between sub/ment and homelessness. Homelessness especially in Broward is a huge problem, so she invited me to come down to Broward and not only take a tour but to also meet a whole bunch of Nonprofits who work with the homeless in our county.
I've also been given some responsibility on a grant for coalitions to assist in substance abuse prevention marketing which is really exciting as a marketing minor. I'm working towards putting more time and effort into assisting that project as well to get as much experience as I can. Anyways, over all there is an abundance of projects that I have my hand in. All of them are more long term minus the Recovery Month project, so I hope to make great strides in helping them solidify it before I depart.
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