Week 7 Volunteer Profile

Posted on by KAY

 

                                                   Profile of a Volunteer

Recently, I was invited by my friend Jessica to volunteer at a local retirement community. Jessica volunteers about once a week; she is motivated to do so because her grandmother currently lives there. A retirement community differs from a nursing home in that most individuals living there are high functioning. At first, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I decided to go along for the experience.

The retirement community consists of individual apartments and a common area, where the residents will gather occasionally. When we arrived, several residents were occupying this area: two elderly women were sitting in the corner drinking tea, while a group of five others, both men, and women, were playing a card game of sorts. The first think I asked Jessica was what our tasks would be; I had imagined we would be doing little chores to make things easier for the residents. However, all she said we should do was spend time talking to some of the residents and ask if they needed anything. That was the only instruction she had given before we went our separate ways.

I first approached an elderly man who was sitting by himself in the corner. When I asked if he needed anything, he only told me to sit for a while. I did, and we started a conversation; it appeared he was just a bit lonely and wanted someone to talk with. He told me about his wife, recently deceased, including how they met; about his son who lived out of state and was attending college. I listened and began to tell him a bit about my own life as well. Before I knew it, the conversation had lasted about half an hour.

After the conversation, I ended up playing gin with two other women. The entire session didn’t feel like work, and I wasn’t sure if I was doing what I was supposed to be doing as a volunteer. However, I soon realized that only spending time with someone can have a valuable impact on people’s lives. What I believe the takeaway message to be, that I will employ in my volunteer efforts with people of any age, including children and families, is that what often helps is to only listen to someone, as communication is the most important element (Smith, 2001).

 

References

Smith, D. H. (2001). Altruism, volunteers, and volunteerism. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 10(1), 21-36

Thanks!

Best Wishes!

Week 6 Blog: Using Social Media to Get Connected

Posted on by KAY

                                             “Using Social Media to Get Connected”

Over the past several years, since the onslaught of social media, the personal impact it has had on my life has blossomed. In the past, much of my social media exposure was regulated by the age requirements to use social media sites. Some locations required the user being eighteen years old, or older, to sign up for an account, or even at least sixteen years old. If you were below these ages, there was the chance that it would require parent’s permission. Therefore, my past experience with social media has been somewhat regulated up until the past five or six years when I gained autonomy from my parents on social media. My previous experience left me sheltered to most of the bad, or inappropriate, posted, but exposed to the functions of social media. My present experience with social media has grown with the increasing amount of content that I am exposed to. I have found that people of all ages are a part of this increase of social media usage to voice their opinion on differing topics, from the most controversial to minutes. It has also created the world where those who indulge in social media, both posters and viewers, have broken down the barrier of privacy between themselves and the world.

Two social media tools that I feel lend themselves to effective advocacy are Facebook and Twitter. Facebook allows a cause to create pages, advertisements, interact with the followers on a larger scale, and so much more. Facebook creates a platform that breeds a community of people that have come together to work towards a greater cause. This is regardless of where they live in the world or if they know each other. It bridges a gap and brings people closer together. With Twitter, it allows for a simple concept, the hashtag, to trend and makes global news. It gathers the attention of the world and supplies a quick snippet of what the hashtag means. I would use these tools to provide information on my advocacy work to satisfy the instant gratification trend that society has. I will try to create campaigns that provide short, concise, but meaningful, content to allow the audience to understand what

Is going on without having to click around if they don’t want to. My colleagues agree with my tactic. However, some suggestions are trying to create an instant gratification campaign that still compels the viewers to click to see the issue I’m advocating for. Also, if using this tactic, researching shocking statistics that can be utilized for more dynamic visuals.

 

References

E-Advocate. (2011). Social media advocacy: Five influential steps. Retrieved from http://eadvocate.wordpress.com/social-media-advocacy-six-influential-steps/

Advocacy Messages

Posted on by KAY

                                                                  Advocacy Messages

The Ad Council strikes gold with three current health and family related campaigns.  Coming out of the holiday season, in which there is typically a lot of potential for stress and/or community and family interactions, these messages resonate soundly.  Touching on such relevant issues as addiction, refugees, and diversity/inclusion, these messages are unquestionably timely and will undoubtedly be well received.

“Here to Listen” or only “Listen” is a highly effective campaign that places a face upon addition, while shattering stereotypes about who is supposed to be an addict.  There is no question that celebrity sobriety struggles make news and many have families have their own black sheep who may have stumbled, but the harsh reality is that addiction can strike from 8 to 80 and knows little to know boundaries regarding race, gender, or socio-economic status.

“Embrace Refugees” strikes a poignant and relevant chord today.  In a time when deportation, the border wall, and immigration are inescapable in the daily news, the notion of humanitarianism and the need to embrace those from outside our borders, rings loud and genuine.  This campaign cuts to the chase with its touching photos of the most vulnerable populations, encouraging us to be more tolerant and welcoming.

“Love has no labels” # We are America.  It would be hard to imagine a more timely message in the aftermath of a very contentious election season, where an excessive amount of energy was spent drawing lines in the sand and hurling labels at one set of people or another.  This campaign primarily promotes inclusion and diversity at the same time, celebrating all that is right with humanity. In trying times, this is an important and uplifting theme.

All three of these messages are current, relevant, and memorable. They reach out to every one of us as humans and powerfully communicate the message about our shared needs and bonds.

References

“Love has no labels” (n.d). The Ad Council. http://www.adcouncil.org/Our- Campaigns/Health/Addiction-Support

“Here to listen” (n.d). The Ad Council. http://www.adcouncil.org/Our-Campaigns/Family- Community/Diversity-Inclusion

“Embrace Refugees” (n.d). The Ad Council. http://www.adcouncil.org/Our-Campaigns/Family- Community/Welcoming-Refugees

 

Karen,

Good night!

Considering Your Capacity

Posted on by KAY

Advocacy: Capacity

The issues affecting all children at every stage throughout their development. The issues that fuel my passion are ensuring quality care, and education is available and accessible regarding cost, location, and curricula to all children. Another problem that I am passionate about is special education and making sure children with speech, language or other learning disabilities can have access to proper schools and materials to help them learn and compete alongside their peers. Third, I want children who live in low-income homes or poor communities to keep up with a child who lives in higher income communities and have all the resources they need to do so.

Outside of a deep passion for childhood issues, I am compassionate and caring. It bothers me when I see children not receiving the care and nurture they should, and it hurts my heart especially when I can’t do anything about. I am dedicated to finding solutions to problems. I am confident in my abilities to identify issues and do thorough, complete and collaborative research to uncover solutions. I am skilled in building consensus and getting people involved in a cause at both the state and local levels. I will incorporate my skills into my advocacy work by participating in community organization, giving speeches and making presentations before state and local officials, and sharing my personal experiences with parents and teachers to pass on the knowledge I have.

While I am studying and gaining a base education in this field, I would like to become more knowledgeable about early childhood education and how it arrived at this point where advocates will be needed  I would also like to learn from diverse groups and individuals about how they are addressing the issues children face. Further, I need to set solid goals, define success on my own terms, and gain more confidence in public speaking about the issues I feel are important.

References

ADVOCACY CAPACITY

Kieff, J. (2009). Informed advocacy in early childhood care and education. Upper Saddle River,

NJ: Pearson.

Karen,

Motivations, Strategies, Resources, Leadership, and Advice

Posted on by KAY

With children of my own, I am aware of many of the needs young children have and the external issues they face. My primary motivating factor is that I want to be able to ensure all children have a loving home, school, and community from the earliest stages of life. From my studies, I have come to understand that in order to ensure a positive future, the focus must be placed on what will do the most good for children. Advocacy is an area in which all people at all levels can get involved. At the macro level, government officials and agencies as well as state and local leaders can propose policies and laws to safeguard the rights of children. At the micro level, individuals, community agencies, teachers, and other people and institutions passionate about young children and their welfare can come together and form coalitions with the sole purpose of finding solutions to the problems young children face.

I have a passion for children’s issues and passion is one of the core factors needed to be a community leader. Many children are in educational environments for half of each day which makes a good portion of their young lives. It is important to connection with individuals such as parents, teachers, and daycare workers to establish a sense of community and partnership.

It is important to understand that the needs of early childhood issues are not common knowledge among state leaders. Outside of knowledge and passion, becoming a state leader involves money. Securing and maintaining funding is not an easy task but it is imperative to ensuring positive work is done in childcare. A large part of gaining funding is having an initiative that people can get behind that focuses on quality progress and community mobilization. Establishing strong leadership, developing a formal structure, and educating the community are important parts of the agenda for an advocate. My advice for child advocates is to provide valuable insight and bring something to the table in terms of major policy changes and positive outcomes that can affect children and their families.

References

ADVOCACY

Kieff, J. (2009). Informed advocacy in early childhood care and education. Upper Saddle River,

NJ: Pearson.

Motivations, Strategies, Resources, Leadership, and Advice

Posted on by KAY

Image result for advocacy images

 

              Advocacy: Motivations, Strategies, Resources, Leadership, and Advice

  1. Too many unfortunate incidents have occurred in which children are booted from neglectful or unhealthy situations. Putting the issues of young children on the agenda and developing solutions to problems young children, I feel, is an ethical responsibility.  
  2. At the macro level, rules and regulations are put in place at a higher level and can change an organization internally or overhaul an entire system. At the micro level, individuals can get involved in their own decision-making, lobbying, and community organizing.   
  3. A community leader on early childhood issues must be knowledgeable about the population and demographics within a given community. He or she must be willing to defend the rights of other people and speak up on proper directions and solutions.
  4. It is important to understand that the needs of early childhood issues are not common knowledge among state leaders. To be a state leader, it is important to self-educate on the issues and communicate with teachers and parents alike who must deal with the said issues each day.
  5. Some tactics or strategies to mobilizing others include establishing strong leadership. A formal structure should be established to provide direction, encourage dialogue, handle communication, and facilitate funding. Fundraising goals must also be strategically met.
  6. Advocates for young children can provide valuable insight into major policy issues that affect children. To be suited to work with lawmakers and experts responsible for producing outcomes for children and the families, one must make the effort to self-educate and keep up with the latest developments in child care.   

References

Goffin, S. G., & Lombardi, J. (1988). Speaking out: Early childhood advocacy. Washington, DC:

NAEYC.

SARA/AED Advocacy Training Guide. [PDF]. “What is advocacy?”

Karen,

Messages for Families

Posted on by KAY

Personal Advocacy Reflection

People from all walks of life have been impacted positively by the support of someone else. Whether it is for better universal healthcare, lower tuition costs for higher education, a reduction in carbon emissions, mitigating the impact of climate change, or more professionally facilitated buildings for the mentally ill, any ordinary citizen can be an advocate, fighting for a cause for those who are most affected.

One such person is Ben K. Ben is a high school teacher who willingly teaches in a rather dangerous inner-city high school. He never complains about the conditions or about the students. Instead, he has petitioned the school board and the U.S. Department of Education to provide more funding and make that funding readily available to restore the high school he teaches in. Further, he puts up his own money to buy books and school supplies for students who need it every year. And, he personally checks on the well-being of each student outside of the classroom.

Ben believes that students have the best possible chance to succeed when individuals like himself step up and help to give it to them. He also encourages more teachers to get engaged in teaching inner-city students so they can be set on the right path of going to college and obtaining a good and steady job. Ben doesn’t get paid a lot of money but loves what the students do. However, he has advocated for higher pay for teachers at all levels in his district.

Evidence of advocacy is all around us. Many times, we wait for government officials to do something or for laws to get passed when in reality, we can use our voices and resources to make a different in the world we live in. At this stage in my career, I want to be an advocate for better early childhood education with safer facilities, equal worker-child ratio, higher pay and more qualified teachers. Senator Robert F. Kennedy was right, “Each time a man stands up for an ideal or acts to improve a lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”

Reference

ThinkExist.com. (2011). Robert Francis Kennedy quotes. Retrieved from

http://thinkexist.com/quotation/each-time-a-man-stands-for-an-ideal-or-acts-to/354710.html.