SL1: Choosing Your Site

Sorry if this is late, but I wanted to confirm my service learning site before I wrote this reflection.

(1) I have chosen WHW (Women Helping Women/Men2Work) for my service-learning site. Their mission of helping disadvantaged people (poor, lacking education, falling on difficult times) find jobs seemed intriguing, so I contacted them. I hope to gain job experience while helping out people in the community. I want to see up close the values of this non-profit and how it impacts people who need their help, as I have never directly helped disadvantaged people. I will also like to see how a non-profit organization works.
(2) I’m not sure what the organization will tell me to do, as I have only communicated to the director through email. I still have to take a tour of the place sometime this week to see what the internship program will be like. I don’t know if I will even get to directly help the people who seek this organization, or if I will just be doing behind the scenes work.
(3)I most fear the problems that will be difficult for me to solve. I might have to find the best solution to something alone. I have never had to solve a serious conflict, so this will be new for me. However, I hope to gain valuable skills from that experience. A less intense (and silly) fear I have is the long commute to and from the site, as my only mode of transportation is the bus.

(1) The service learning site that I’ve chosen is the Free Wheelchair Mission. I took an interest in this service learning site because I’ve always wanted to help the impoverished in developing countries seeing as their resources are scarce in comparison to those in the U.S. From performing service hours here, I hope to really gain a better understanding of the hardships that the impoverished go through in these countries, especially those who are disabled and do not have access to the medical care that we have in the United States. And with that understanding, I hope to gain a better sense of compassion to help those who are less fortunate and to be more selfless in my donations of time and money to others. The skills I hope to attain are better communication skills with other organizations as well as to improve my planning and logistics skills.

(2) To be honest, I don’t really know what to expect when I get to the service learning site. I would assume there are a lot of desks and phones to answer calls and to sit and plan fundraisers and events. I also picture a lot of boards containing fundraising goals and upcoming events. Most importantly, I feel like I would find very compassionate and selfless individuals who are constantly willing to give their time of day to help those in need.

(3) I think what I fear the most about my service learning is the time. I can easily give 15 hours to the organization, but for me it’s a matter of fitting my time into their schedule because I do have a lot of time commitment to school, work, and extracurriculars that I really need to manage my time wisely while still keeping a sane mind. I do volunteer a lot with clubs, but it’s for various events and organizations so it’s not set in stone with my schedule and I plan as I go. That will make volunteering at one service learning site on a more solid schedule interesting, but I’m willing to take the challenge.

(1) What do you hope to gain from involvement at your chosen service-learning site? Be specific, consider new skills, knowledge, experience, etc.?

-My main goal is to create more meaning in my life. I feel the art of giving and volunteerism humbles an individual and balances out their life. And I haven’t really partaken in volunteer activities since high school when I tried to solely improve my resume for college.

(2) What do you expect to find when you get to your service learning site?

-a humble and positive group of people. I assume that the individuals that I work with will love to volunteer and have a very optimistic attitude towards life. And I feel that in life we should be surrounded by good positive people to shape ourselves. Also really cute animals.

(3) What do you most fear about your service learning this quarter?

-Time commitment. I really hoped to work at IRvine Animal Care Center but they require at least 1 YEAR. Unfortunately after I graduate I plan to move abroad. This makes it difficult because I don’t want to volunteer just to receive credit for class. I hope to gain experience, new relationships, better meaning and lasting memories at my service learning site.

Upon reviewing the provided service learning sites in class, I was immediately drawn to the Free Wheelchair Mission. I was really interested in the organizations mission and goals. An in class announcement was made about how the organization needed volunteers for the weekend of the 6th and 7th. I was willing and able and excited for the opportunity. Eager and ready to get involved I contacted Ariel Rigney through email and she quickly responded asking if I was available Saturday the 6th from 3-6pm. I was set to help out at the Long Beach Marathon Exposition and I could not wait. I anticipated gaining hands on experience on the mechanics of a wheelchair and the standards for a quality chair made out of household items. I wanted to learn how to network with other similar organizations and see how we can help each other out. I wanted to gain communication and organizations skills at an international scale.
I was expecting and evening interacting with people who love getting involved and helping out as much as possible. I was under the impression that I was going to physically help build wheelchair models and learn how to make them by myself. Come Saturday afternoon I realized that I was not going to be doing what I was looking forward to, but I was still very excited. At the exposition I was a volunteer that helped represent the Free Wheelchair Mission at a booth and inform curious by passers of who we are, what we do, and how we do it. I learned that the wheelchairs themselves are manufactured in two companies in China and that during my volunteer process with this organization I will mostly be doing office work, organization events, and community outreach. It is definitely not what I expected, but I am still excited about helping in any way that I can.
During the exposition I had to quickly learn how to explain to strangers the mission of our organization and why it was there. I get nervous easily and I am not good with public speaking at all. I never encountered anyone that was rude or gave me a hard time, but I fear that one day I might. This volunteer work will challenge me and help me grow the confidence department, but I know it is going to take a lot of effort, dedication, and throwing myself out there.

Upon reviewing the provided service learning sites in class, I was immediately drawn to the Free Wheelchair Mission. I was really interested in the organizations mission and goals. An in class announcement was made about how the organization needed volunteers for the weekend of the 6th and 7th. I was willing and able and excited for the opportunity. Eager and ready to get involved I contacted Ariel Rigney through email and she quickly responded asking if I was available Saturday the 6th from 3-6pm. I was set to help out at the Long Beach Marathon Exposition and I could not wait. I anticipated gaining hands on experience on the mechanics of a wheelchair and the standards for a quality chair made out of household items. I wanted to learn how to network with other similar organizations and see how we can help each other out. I wanted to gain communication and organizations skills at an international scale.
I was expecting and evening interacting with people who love getting involved and helping out as much as possible. I was under the impression that I was going to physically help build wheelchair models and learn how to make them by myself. Come Saturday afternoon I realized that I was not going to be doing what I was looking forward to, but I was still very excited. At the exposition I was a volunteer that helped represent the Free Wheelchair Mission at a booth and inform curious by passers of who we are, what we do, and how we do it. I learned that the wheelchairs themselves are manufactured in two companies in China and that during my volunteer process with this organization I will mostly be doing office work, organization events, and community outreach. It is definitely not what I expected, but I am still excited about helping in any way that I can.
During the exposition I had to quickly learn how to explain to strangers the mission of our organization and why it was there. I get nervous easily and I am not good with public speaking at all. I never encountered anyone that was rude or gave me a hard time, but I fear that one day I might. This volunteer work will challenge me and help me grow the confidence department, but I know it is going to take a lot of effort, dedication, and throwing myself out there.

For my serving learning site, I have narrowed down to the American Heart Association. I hope to gain more knowledge in the health aspect of community engagement. I would like to get experience in a non-profit organization and observe how they operate as well as having a better idea of what it may be like to work at a non-profit organization in the future. I have a personal experience in my family which ties me to the American Heart Association on a personal level. I expect to learn so much from doing service leaning at this site. I will understand what kind of opportunities that they offer to the public and what they do to promote the awareness of cardiovascular disease prevention. My fear is that I will be entering a completely new area that I am not familiar with, but I am eager to take in as much information and knowledge as I can. I want to understand the behind the scenes work involved in heart disease awareness as well as getting involved in their big events that they put on for the community.

1) By volunteering at the American Heart Association, I hope to gain the knowledge of how a non-profit organization works. I also hope to gain valuable time management skills as well as learn the “behind the scenes” work of an organization that does so much good in the community. I also hope to meet new people who are passionate about what they do, and in the process I hope to become inspired to pursue my own passion.

2) What I expect to find when I get to the service learning site is to meet dedicated individuals who are passionate about what they’re doing. I hope to find a welcoming environment that will help foster me to grow as a leader and give me the valuable skills and knowledge in case I decide to pursue a career in a non-profit organization.

3) What I fear most about my service learning this quarter is the scheduling. I have a busy schedule and I only have a small gap in the afternoon. But hopefully my schedule will permit me to volunteer more than the required 15 hours.

1) While working with youth I hope to gain patience, experience working with children, and understanding of what it is like to provide support services. I also hope that it is fun!

2) I expect to find a lot of kids who either want to be there or are forced there by a guardian. I expect that all the kids will have different personalities and that I will feel maybe a little overwhelmed trying to get to know all of them. I also expect not having too large a role in the overall scheme of things because of how many volunteers they take.

3) I am really scared that I won’t be able to find transportation. The sites are a good twenty minutes away so a zip car would be really too expensive and I can’t bike there. I fear that because I am working with youth, my help will be wanted at a steady rate, like once or twice a week, every week. Finding a ride that many times will get difficult.

My service learning site is Girls Incorporated of Orange County. I believe their mission to inspire all girls to be strong, smart, and bold is a great goal. I have worked with children before as a tutor and educator but not in a way outside of schoolwork. I hope to gain a different perspective with working with young girls and learning to be a good role model. I remember having a program similar to Girls Incorporated that I was a part of in elementary school and it was something I looked forward to. If I could be a part of something that the girls can be excited to learn from, it would be a great way for me to give back to something I benefited from when I was younger. I am an education minor so I would like to improve my teaching skills and gain better communication skills with children. I expect to find eager girls ready to learn, however if that was not the case I will always be ready to interact with them and challenge myself. I am excited about service learning this quarter, nothing to be feared.

At first, I did not know what I to gain from my service-learning site because I just wanted to make sure I was accepted into one. I was nervous contacting the Food Bank of Orange County because there was limited space and so many peers that needed and opportunity to volunteer at a site. Even with my doubts, I emailed Mark Lowry and stated my intent for participating in his company. By the end of the day, I received an email and a phone call by Mr. Lowry himself telling me that he would appreciate my help at the location especially because I’m bilingual. I did not know what to expect to gain from serving here. I thought I would just be packaging food and handing it the recipients.
After meeting with Mr. Lowry today, we discussed a project to get closer to the families or proxy that come to accept our food. It is a new plan to get to know who receives help in order to promote and share with the community how we can all work together to make a difference. Currently, I am the only one starting this project so I volunteered to make the layout of the questionnaire. In addition, it is my responsibility to interview recipients who would like to tell their story and how the food bank has made an impact on their lives. I am a bit nervous because these stories that I write will be published internally with the company and since this is a new task, there are no guidelines to follow but the ones I make. I hope by the end of the quarter, things will come together and everything will be organized.

For my service-learning site, I chose the Free Wheelchair Mission organization. Because it is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free wheelchairs for the disabled, I immediately took interest in the organization. I hope that volunteering with them will broaden my views of the social life of the impoverished so that I will be more appreciative with what I have and to become more passionate about helping others and have a better understanding of what service is all about. I also hope to gain more experience in communication skills, as well as fundraising and event planning. I am excited to learn more about social and environmental problems and being able to help improve living conditions for the impoverished. Although I am already familiar with event planning at my job, I am always looking for more opportunities to improve my skills. My biggest fear is not being able to dedicate enough time to completely experience the service-learning project. Hopefully I will be able to learn as much as I can within these next eight weeks working with them. I look forward to taking my experience from volunteering and continuing to do my part in improving society with other organizations and projects.

From my involvement with Newport Bay Conservancy, I hope to gain a better understanding of conservation and its importance to the ecosystem and community. I would like to gain new technical field skills and identification or plants and animals, to better teach others about the natural environment in Orange County. I also hope to better understand how a conservation organization works, what it needs to keep going, what helps it move forward, and how it gets better.
I expect to find knowledgeable people that have a good understanding of the natural environment and leaders that have the skills to make the organization function. I expect to be taught the necessary skills that will make me helpful to them. The thing I fear most is not being helpful enough to them. It can be hard giving a volunteer a task where it takes someone the same amount of time to explain it as it does to just do it themselves. I have experienced that myself in directing volunteers. I know that the experience of teaching someone else to do it is important and it is important to pass that on, but I don’t want to be a hindrance to what needs to be done. I hope I am able to learn and understand fast enough to be a valuable volunteer to them and that I will be able to help them more than hinder them.

1) First, I want to learn American culture. I want to know people life not only student and belief, way of thinking.
Second I want to find answer of two questions. First one is “Why there are many organizations in the US comparing to Japan?”. Talking with worker there, I want to know about NGO in the US and think how these organizations exist. Second one is “Can these organization be third place for people?”. People need third organization, not government and family. In these days, the government cannot afford to offer a lot of support to people. Thus, the importance of NGO as third place will be lager and larger.

2) I want to find an organization which many kind of age people get together and talk each other.

3) First, I will take an interview. Thus, I’m not sure whether I can join or not. Second, My English is not enough to do work. I hope my English will improve.

Firstly, I am very excited to volunteer again! Once at my learning-service site, I hope I can gain some knowledge about how these non-profit organizations run their preschool programs. Since I chose to volunteer and Kidworks, I hope I can get to understand smaller children, for I worked with third graders in high school. Furthermore, since I am interested in education, I believe this experience will give me insight into my possible future. When I get to my learning site, I expect to see very energetic children. I am aware that I will need to be patient since these children are very young but I am determined to make a difference in their lives; perhaps by giving them basic comprehension help or just advice on problems they may be encountering. What I fear most about my service-learning this quarter is the fact that I will have to commute from South El Monte just to complete my hours. Consequently, it is possible that this may be a restraint on my study hours since it is like a one-and-a-half hour drive. I am sure I will be able to complete the service learning hours, but it may be tough to balance the drives, the studies, and my academic performance.

Please respond in a comment:

(1) What do you hope to gain from involvement at your chosen service-learning site? Be specific, consider new skills, knowledge, experience, etc.?

I hope to gain experience at my service learning site. I have not exactly choose which site to participate in, but I hope to meet new people and hear their stories of how they are giving back to the community and what it means to them. Some experience I want to gain is personal experiences with building my communication skills and more knowledge of their organization and how it has grown. I want to be able to connect with these people that I help out with, and understand where they are coming from in terms of the organization they are working with.

(2) What do you expect to find when you get to your service learning site?

I except to find an open environment with kind people who want to give back to the same organization. In most services that I participate in, usually the coordinator and everyone helping out are kind and helpful when it came to the event. In general, I hope that everything I do will someone give back to the community as well as develop my own personal relationship with the organization.

(3) What do you most fear about your service learning this quarter?

What I fear most about my service learning this quarter is that I won’t be able to reach my goal of helping others and give back. I want to do some one-on-one time with an individual, but I’m worried that with my new schedule this quarter (class and job), I will just do the bare minimum and not give my all to the organization. I also fear that the environment is not what I expect it to be, and that I won’t enjoy my time there. But usually, I keep an open mind about everything and make the most of my experiences.

1). I hope that from my future involvement at Kidworks, I will become more adept at communicating not only with children, but with educators and other volunteers. I really enjoy working with kids, but I haven’t done so in quite some time. From working with Kidworks, I want to gain more knowledge about how I work as a person in regards to volunteerism. My experience with volunteering with people has been limited as the work I have done in the past has been primarily working on my own or in small groups. I also hope to become more patient and empathetic towards people in general. Sometimes it’s difficult for me to place myself in other’s shoes and consider their stories, which I hope to change and allow me to grow as a person.

2). I expect that when I get to my service learning site, there will be a lot of grade school and middle school aged children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. I also feel as if they might be understaffed and want a lot of volunteers to help stabilize programs and help the kids with homework. I hope that the kids will be open to new volunteers and learn to trust and accept one another.

3). I fear that I won’t be able to connect with all the kids I might come in contact with. I also fear that I’ll get too caught up in my own classes that I’ll spread myself too thin and won’t be able to commit the amount of time I would really like to.