Service Learning Reflection 3 (due 11/27)

As the end of the quarter approaches and the end of my SL also ends I find myself wondering if I could have done more. And the answer is yes. I volunteered at Kidworks, where I attended a couple of times a week to meet my obligation. However, I feel i could have done more. More hours, more activities, etc. Although I have also felt that my contribution was meaningful. If there is something that I have learned is to be more humble and empathetic. By seeing all these kids that so eagerly come to the center to learn more, and by looking at the different backgrounds they come from, mainly poor, I have felt more empathy for this group of people and more humbled to be able to give a little. I would tell the next generation of SL that going to these sites will enrich their lives, and to go in with an open mind as to what to expect. Sometimes, the site, is not what we imagine it to be but we can still provide our service with integrity and dedication.

As I approach the end of my service learning I have began to realize much about myself and what the meaning of service means to me. Coming into this class helping people was something I was aimed to do in the future, I was still indecisive if that was the career path that I wanted to follow. However now that I have gotten to work on multiple service projects with JumpStart and other community organizations I have realized that this is something I truly enjoy and want to do for a living. Taking the class as well as volunteering with JumpStart has opened my eyes to the fact I might just be one individual but I am capable of much if I set my mind to it. So things are more different now in the sense that I am sure of what I want to do in life. I have begun to think in terms of a broader perspective through volunteering with JumpStart. If I could give one piece of advice to future service learners I would tell them to truly engage in their service learning sites to make the best of it, because that is the only way they can determine how that career field fits into who they are and what they want to do. Over all my experience this quarter in this class and with JumpStart has been truly engaging and life changing, I feel like I have learned more about myself in this one quarter than I did all of high school and I am glad I took this class earlier towards my college career than later.

My service site is at The Center of Living Peace with a four month commitment so my service learning will continue with the site. I am glad to volunteer for more than the 15 hour requirement because there is so much more to learn with this organization. Compared to when I first started at the Center, I have learned much more about all the programs they offer and was surprised how affordable the classes were. Most classes are a $5 donation and it is a great resource to the Irvine community. There are so many generous people that work with the center as a nonprofit and it is incredible how funds are provided to support the center. The staff although small each member has a vital role. I look forward to learning more about organization of programs and the proposal process. I have become more open to learning new social media such as twitter and pinterest. Although I do not personal use these medias, i have learned that they are important marketing tools.

My advice to new service learners would be to have an open mind going in and establishing personal goals after familiarizing with the site. I believe with a personal goal within ones’ interests, a service learner will get more out of it and benefit overall. Being open-minded can allow new interests to form and they should also definitely ask the staff or whomever they work with about their own experiences with service or the site.

As my required service learning hours come to an end and I reflect back I realized that I encountered a lot more of public relations than expected. Working with Free Wheelchair Mission I was presented many opportunities to work in administration, finance, and even in the warehouse; however, I found myself volunteering to attend many of the outside the office jobs. It started off before I even asked, scheduled an interview, or sent in the service learning agreement. I was available one of the first weekends of the quarter and I was able to help Free Wheelchair Mission with the Long Beach Marathon Exposition. I expected to help out behind the scenes setting up and putting together the wheelchairs. To my surprise I faced the opposite; I quickly learned the organizations mission and I was telling everyone that was willing to listen the story.
My behavior has definitely changed due to the different experiences I have been exposed to during my time with Free Wheelchair Mission. I could have backed down and just maintained the booth, but I was inspired by Ariel, FWM coordinator, and her friend to get myself out there and represent something that was way bigger than me. Now I am way more involved and talkative and I am thankful for having been exposed to the experience that challenged me to do that. I appreciate working in the office and helping out with whatever they need done inside, but I am now eager to get out there and represent Free Wheelchair Mission.
My advice for any potential new service learners is to just go for it. The experience will be what you make of it. You will engage in many different opportunities and you won’t like some, but you might love others. It’s important that you keep an open mind and make sure you try everything because before you know it the quarter will be over.

I did my service learning at Women Helping Women, an organization whose primary goal is to provide professional clothing for interviews to disadvantaged people. I expected to only work as a personal shopper (indeed, that is what I agreed upon in the beginning), by helping them pick out clothes for their job interviews. However, I was a personal shopper only two times, and one of those times I was helping out with two other volunteers. So during the downtime, I sorted donated clothing: professional for the “boutique” (the area clients pick their clothes out at); casual for their thrift store; and worn out to send to Goodwill. Another time, I helped fill envelopes for a silent auction, and sorted client information.
My behavior has not changed too much, but now I realize that there are poorer people in Orange County. I didn’t volunteer during the busy days (or mornings, as I hear many of the clients come during that time) so I didn’t get to fully understand exactly how many people need WHW’s services. This was probably also influenced by the short amount of time I volunteered there. I also learned a bit about how non-profit organizations work. The atmosphere was more casual, and because there weren’t as many employees than in a typical office, simple clerical work was relegated to volunteers. I found this very interesting, because I went in thinking that volunteering there would be like working a job in a very professional, tense environment. I was glad to discover that the atmosphere was friendlier.
My message to new service learners is a bit pessimistic: don’t get your hopes up. If you are only volunteering there for a short amount of time, you won’t be able to get too much experience. Don’t go in thinking that you will be used to your full potential, because many times, you won’t be and you might get disappointed by this. Think realistically instead of ideally. There may be times that you will have a short and wonderful experience at your service learning location, so when you don’t set your expectations too high, you will be pleasantly surprised! Perhaps choosing a smaller organization for service learning will benefit you more, because you will be able to help out with bigger, more interesting tasks. It seems as if my classmates are having a lot of fun at KidWorks, too. It doesn’t seem like too small of an organization, but I expect that you go in learning beforehand that you will be working directly with children. Your expectations exactly meet your experiences. So when choosing a service learning site, pick ones that you know you will do exactly what you expect. But of course, if another organization’s mission is something you are passionate about, go for it! You might have a great experience.

The Center for Living Peace has been a great learning opportunity thus far. I still have another few months to go before I meet the time commitment that I agreed to, so it’s still only the beginning of my experience at the center. I was surprised to find out about the variety of classes and workshops the center offers to reach many different types of people. The center offers classes ranging from yoga and meditation, to hosting movie nights, and even to holding workshops for ornament or collage making. It’s a place where one can explore other interests that can simply bring them happiness inside. The Center for Living Peace supports the motto that good begets good, meaning that a simple act of kindness can go a long way. This has influenced me in the way I perceive my service learning position. I know that the actual volunteer work I’m doing may only make a small difference, but it’s the overall positive cause that I’m helping to contribute to that matters. Advice that I would give new service learners is to take advantage of the opportunity to commit yourself to the volunteer position, and if you don’t feel it’s quite self-fulfilling enough, then try to learn more from the other volunteer or staff members that you are working with. After having volunteered at the center for one month, I’ve learned that I should take the opportunity to learn more about the people I work with. They may have the same interest as me and may be able to suggest other internship or job positions that they have experienced or heard of.

-Expect the unexpected. A valid quote very much applicable to my experiences at my service learning site. This is how it all started. First, I knew that I want to have the opportunity to work with animals since I never get the chance in college-my interactions (not in a negative manner) are primarily with people. I love people but I thought my service learning project could be directed toward another one of my hidden passions-animals. So I was very excited to to pursue this idea, ready to work with ALL types of animals. My main hope: to volunteer at the Irvine Animal Shelter as they care for dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, essentially anything that needs a warm and loving home. Unfortunately I could not commit the year long requirement to the shelter. So I looked elsewhere. Then I found another caring shelter that dealt with dogs! my favorite animal! Unfortunately the timing again did not work out. After many emails and phone calls, the OCARC was the most appropriate match. They care for cats-an animal I have interacted with the least. At first I expected this project to be a perfect opportunity to harness my love for animals. But then it didn’t work out EXACTLY how I planned.
BUT, this was just what I needed. I feel like I am a proud owner of 10 beautiful little cats. I love each one that I care for and play with them as much as I can. Without this opportunity and how it ended I do not think I would have ever found my love for kitties. They are so gentle, loving and playful. I gained my confidence to reach inside that cage, hold the cat and play with them. Additionally, this allows me to clean the cage for my feline friend.
Never say never. Never quit because one feels the expectations do NOT meet the experiences. Because these experiences are what challenge and push us to become a better person. These unexpected experiences can sometimes be life changing and alter of view on life. We should always at least try something once-then if we do not like it move on and try something else. The world is beautiful-filled with many opportunities waiting at our finger tips. I am just very appreciative of these cats and this wonderful service learning project. I have challenged and expanded myself through the care and cuddling of kitties! I would have never of guessed before taking this course.

One thing that I am never certain about is how my interactions with other people are going to turn out, especially children. In my opinion, I feel that Latino children tend to be very reserved initially but I enjoyed how quickly they opened up to me. This allowed me to feel that my time with them was more than enjoyable. All of this worked to my benefit because I have always preferred a relationship with my teachers that went beyond the average student teacher relationship and they take on the role of a mentor as well. This made me feel that I was more than just a name on the roster to them. With the kids, they make me feel more like I am an older brother to them more than just a dance teacher. This closeness with the kids changes how my behavior because I simply have a stronger, newly found confidence in being able to work with children.

Another thing that I did not expect, or I was not sure of to say the least, was how these inner city children were going to behave with me as well as how much did they really care about what I was teaching them. I found those worries weren’t really such a big deal because they were still having a lot of fun by simply learning how to dance. I really like when the boys that I teach are eager and happy to learn when they come back the next week because it shows me that they are not bound to the stereotype that dancing isn’t a manly thing to do.

Some advice that I would give to the next service learners would be that you have to be reminiscent of how they were like as a child. That more than likely the adult that took care of them at their age tried to be good and patient influence on them. Kids are going to be kids most of the time. Also one must keep in mind that patience is key to fully enjoying oneself when working with children. It can be trying at times but it makes the payoff that much better at the end of the day.

Going into the service learning, I didn’t really have much expectations. As I began to volunteer with Free Wheelchair Mission, I guess my view of how they run their office and how they raise money for the wheelchairs that they give out for free changed. Based on the description we were given for service learning sites that we could join, the image made up in my head of a typical day at FWM was going into the office and constantly making phone calls inquiring donations from various sponsors. I guess you could say that I envisioned a very professional and super serious environment of an office with various cubicles and workers in a hectic work environment, such as one for a newspaper column. After a couple hours of volunteering, I found that the office was very chill and the people were very nice and not intimidating at all like how you would expect bosses of big companies to be. The people who worked there weren’t constantly fishing for money from donors, but instead, were trying to inform others of the troubles of the disabled in third world countries with the hope that other’s compassion would inspire them to act and serve as ambassadors for FWM. I also found that the wheelchairs that they give out were very unique in that they were made simple, yet durable in order to minimize costs but to keep efficiency. What I saw in their warehouse was unlike any wheelchair that I would have pictured in my head.
As for my behavior, I would say that volunteering at FWM has made me more aware of the troubles of disabled people in developing countries , which in turn has made me want to take action and do more than seal envelopes for donations. It has reminded me of my dreams of someday traveling and providing healthcare to third world countries, and has made me more driven to someday make that goal attainable. After hearing the founder, Don, talk about his experiences of making FWM what it is today, I would say my mentality has changed in that I want to be more proactive in serving the causes that I believe in and to never stop short of reaching my goals.
My advice to future service learners would be to be proactive in their service and to do more than what they are required to do. For me, these past few weeks seem short and I feel like the things I want to do to help with FWM’s cause needs more time, so I would encourage other service learners to not be afraid to become an ambassador, to start their own projects for FWM, and to give more of their time to the community if that’s what they feel because we may be required to do a certain amount of hours, but we can give back so much more and shouldn’t feel the need to stop because the service learning project is over.

Nearing the end of my service learning experience at Valley Village, I have come to realize that to really learn and experience you must step outside of your comfort zone and try new things. Before actually starting my service learning at Valley Village, I was a bit worried about how I would be able to interact with people who have developmental disabilities. I was not ready and had so many questions and to be honest, I did not know what to expect. But after the first day, more like the first 20 minutes of walking into the center, I was able to adapt to the environment; and feel comfortable. This was made possible by the clients at the center, they had welcomed me the with smiles and greetings the moment I stepped foot into the center. My initial impression was shattered, and I actually felt bad for thinking they would be unlike other people, also that they would be running around and difficult to handle.

I can definitely say that I have a newfound perspective on life, it may be a little far fetched, but my time there had allowed me to reflect on myself and the way I see the world. This goes back to the first day at the center, it was raining out so everyone was waiting inside the living room, waiting for instructions from the coordinators about where they were going for their field trip that morning. I walked into the room filled with people and not long after, I was greeted by several clients, some had come up to me to say “hi” and “good morning” while others would wave to me from afar. It was my first time there and they were already greeting me as though they knew me, they friendlier than most of the staff who worked there. At that very moment, I realized that it was the client’s inability to read social cues that contributed to their behavior, and despite the fact that such characteristics can be a downfall at times, they are generally happier and are living in a state of bliss. The words “awkward”, “embarrassing” or “weird” is not ingrained in their minds like it is in many of us. They don’t perceive greeting people and telling them about their day upon meeting them to be awkward and it is something I think we can learn from. Nowadays people are more focused on their gadgets than they are with the real world, this in turn causes people to redefine the norm and next thing we know, simple gestures such as smiling at a stranger will be the utmost awkward thing a person can do.

My advice to new service learners is to use this opportunity to challenge yourself and try something new. Since the it is such a small commitment, it is worth taking those 15 hours to do something you never thought you would do. And whether your time there there will be good or bad, and experience is an experienced.

As I near the end of my service learning at the Disability Services Center, I find it incredible how much I have learned in so little time. I have explored different points of view of the center from behind the scenes to the clients that are assisted: the director’s perspective, the accommodative and functionality perspective, a technical perspective, as well as the student’s perspective. I expected to work with the students, but from a distance; now that time has passed I have been given the chance to really get to enjoy eye to eye interaction with people who struggled their whole lives to become more than their disability. I have seen such great spirit and heart and genuine joy when these students, particularly the ones with social disabilities of whom I mainly work with, break out of their shell and smile and laugh and joke. In the beginning I expected to be given clerical or every day routine chores around the center and never really get to be involved with the students, but majority of the time I do get to help these students. I have been taught to not look at someone and define them as their disability, but rather a person that happens to have a disability. For example, it would be to correct to say “She has depression” rather than “She is depressed”. These students are far more than their disability. There is such sensitivity in this environment that I have grown to acknowledge, and through this realization I have matured. I have never worked with people with disabilities and it is very liberating to work outside my comfort zone. I have grown to love the students I have had the honor to work with, even if I don’t see them every week because they don’t show up, I know now that not everyone has the advantage of being social. And I also know that with or without a disability we all get loud, uncomfortable, shy, nervous, anxious, sad, et cetera. So why shall I separate myself from people I am so much alike to? This center has taught me so much in such a short time; abundant resources enveloped in a center hidden within big engineering buildings, knowledge that I will absorb and pass on. The advice I give to new service learners is to be open-minded and explore outside your usual box, you never know what wonderful experiences lay outside the boundaries you have drawn for yourself. Take advantage and be grateful for what you have, because you have the ability to make a difference in your life if you just take the chance, and through this you can make a difference in someone else’s life.

Although the class is coming to an end, I feel that my service learning is still in an ongoing process. I started tutoring with School on Wheels knowing that my students may not stay with me the entire year, but I didn’t necessarily expect it, so when my first student relocated to a shelter that provided a better living situation for him and his family I saw the gravity of homelessness in a new light. I missed him and was not able to say good bye, but I am glad that there is a broad network of shelters, organizations and caring people who work towards providing both children and their families with safe environments.
There was a gap of time when I did not have a student, so I emailed my volunteer coordinator and asked her if there was anything else that I could help her with and, sure enough, she told me there was. Lilian, my coordinator, gave me a lot of liberty to take on projects of my own which I was really excited about: I am currently working on a resource pamphlet for families and also working on getting shoes for children in the Orange County area for Christmas.
When I’ve volunteered at other organizations, it would initially start off slow; the first time I volunteered at the Y, I was doing a lot of filing and that made me restless, but now I realize that doing something and getting involved can start from asking and from seeing what you yourself can do.
I’ve also gotten a new student since my last student left, and we started a duo reading group to help her enjoy reading and also get a better grasp on reading comprehension–we’re reading the Hunger Games!
I would tell future service learners that connecting with the children requires attentiveness and interest in the things that they like. Becoming involved with the organization that you volunteer with provides great opportunities to learn and become more informed about the issues in the community. I would also say that if you want to do more, you can. Talking to your site coordinators while you volunteer will help you get to know the organization and their cause and will be very helpful in the long run. It is almost always the case that the kids become your teacher, too.

As I am approaching the end of my service-learning program, there have been many things that have changed my experience as a volunteer. Some things that stood out the most to me was the contrast between people who were really grateful to come in and accept the supplemental food and some who walked in feeling embarrassed and wanted to leave as soon as they could. Times are difficult and sometimes it is okay to receive aid. Because the Foodbank is so sincere and full of wonderful, nice and welcoming people, I feel that it makes it a warmer environment for others to feel at ease when they have to come in once a month.
Most people are actually excited to come in because the people are so helpful and generous. My project throughout this program was to get to know the recipients on a personal level. Although with most clients, they only have a brief moment to answer a few questions I still get a few notes to understand their situation and something’s about them. What I have absorbed from all of them is that they are very grateful to have a program like this and that it is local. What makes them eager to come in every time knows that there are friendly volunteers there to help them. After coming in every week for almost an entire quarter, my own behavior changed throughout the quarter because it made me feel more appreciative of the simple things I have such as water and basic foods. In addition, a smile can change a life even if it is just for a brief moment. Every morning that I am there, when I do have the opportunity, I get to welcome them in the a warm smile and a good bye. My advice for the next service learner is to never judge a person by their cover especially at the foodbank. Just because they dress better than others or drive better cars does not mean they do not need help. Some recipients borrow cars from relatives to pick up their monthly rations of food or have a proxy pick it up and deliver it to them. Also, always be caring and approachable, most people there are having a rough time and it is nice to welcome them in with joy.

I expected I could interact with many people. However, job in second time was walking around apartment by myself and put door hungers. And a staff said there were not so many jobs except door hunger. I was disappointed because I thought I could not learn many things from the experience.
I tried to do two things. First, I changed my way of thinking. Volunteer is similar with working not like hanging out. I thought volunteer is fun and interesting. But I learn volunteer is sometimes boring. These kinds of jobs are also very important. Volunteer is not for me but for others. Thus, I should do tasks which I don’t like so much. It’s similar with work. Second, I tried to go many times and find tasks which I can do with other people. Even tasks itself is boring, I enjoyed talking with other volunteers.
My advice is keeping in mind volunteer is not always fun and interesting. Even it is boring sometime, you should try to go many times. Then, you can find interesting tasks and time, too. In addition, interactions with other volunteers are very interesting. I recommend places which you can meet different age. It’s very interesting to learn from old people.

I expected the children at Kidworks to be much shyer with me. In fact, I was able to make the least social kids open up and interact with their peers. It took some work and persistence to be able to make them trust me but I was able to do it. One little girl in particular blushed immensely when I wanted to play with her the first few times. She would even hide. But as the weeks went on, she opened up to me and even looked for me for us to play together. Moving on to a different point, it did take me a while to be able to approach the children in command form. Some of them were quite rebellious and I was not quite sure of how or in what way they would listen to me without defying me. Sometimes their mothers would look at me like thinking “Who are you to tell my child what to do?” but little by little I won them over and was able to make both, the kids listen to men and the parents accept my role in the preschool program. I have changed my behavior after this experience in the sense that I have become a more understanding and patient person. With the more rebellious or shy kids I learned to approach them and helped them become a better person- socially and academically. I would advise future service learners to come into the program very open-minded and prepared to expose their own values and morals. In any program, it will be up to the service learning recruits to make a difference in the organization they will be filing their hours on. From showing a five-year-old to wash their hands to showing them to share and wait for their turn in any given aspect, these children need consistent and quality teaching. You will be the mentor you wish you had or be the person that taught you how to curse in front of elders. Expect to be challenged, but do not take on a haughty attitude. Rather, guide them through their mistake and point out what would be ethically and academically correct.