Category: Community Service

My interest in doing community service developed after joining the Women in Search of Excellence after-school program. W.I.S.E. helped me understand that any circumstance should not hold me back from attaining the best version of myself. My first experience as a volunteer, was when I attended the Martin Luther King Service Day event, in which I sorted food from the inventory provided, and packaged plus distributed baby formula, and hygiene products for the communities that were underserved with my team members. This event stood out to me the most because I had the opportunity to meet some of the people from the communities who were also there helping out. My soul was touched in a way that I realized that anyone can lend a hand no matter what his or her status and capabilities are as long as the urge to do so was strong enough. I’d like to transfer to the University of Maryland to not only finish my undergraduate studies but to also continue to contribute to the community. Many Americans suffer from malnourishment, hunger, and homelessness since they are unable to afford nutritionally balanced meals and or have the ability to keep a place to call a home of their own. If admitted to UMD, I will join the “Terps for change” and advocate for more resources such as food for the less fortunate and help to fundraise some money for families in dire need. It provides an array of services to children in elementary, middle, and high school students with homework or studying and senior citizens with their daily needs with the aid of its community partners. This outreach program makes me thrilled about its impact on the communities that I also hope to be a part of.

Some people blame the youth that they are not contributing to support and engaging in social activities. I will take this opinion with “grain and salt” since I merely found as exaggerated and unfair. I believe that most of the young people are willing and already collaborated in community events. The basis of my opinion is educational and financial.

Educationally, these days there is a huge number of educational social endeavors based upon our teenager’s engagement. If the youth has not participated most of these operations will be canceled. In other words, our youth are already distinguished by being engaged as volunteers in such aspects, that would make their resumes look unique when they were graduated. By adding this sort of educational value to one’s resume one will be finds a suitable job as soon as he graduated. I have to admit my opinion has been profoundly influenced by my own experience. When I was in pharmacy school, in my country Libya, I used to participate in a lot of social actions, one of them being how to help elderly people in nursing houses. As a result, I learned how to follow up with one of my important studying subjects with them which were clinical pharmacy, my monitoring medication efficacy when I supervised all medication prescriptions with those patients. When I graduated, I instantly found a job as a clinical pharmacist. If I did not engage in that volunteer activity at the nursing home, I wouldn’t have had that sophisticated job immediately. Therefore, educationally speaking most youth recognized that participating in social events would be made them experienced and added value to their resumes.

Financially, Most community activities contributed to part-time job opportunities. Since it is the cornerstone of any enterprise if they well to hire people, they would’ve appreciated those who are involved in community programs. Therefore, students, these days follow up on any society’s programs and participated immediately. I would look as far as my sister to support this argument. She is in her final year of biology school, Last month the county where she is living announced their need for volunteers for rescue pets. She already submitted her application and started working hard with them. When her task is merely finished she receives an offer from the county to work with them as a part-time job. If she didn’t participate with them from the beginning she wouldn’t receive this opportunity which will help her to secure her financial obligations.

To sum up, from the reasons stated above, I believe the youth these days are very aware of how it is important to participate in many community activities. Since it is one of the best ways to gain experience and as a source of money.

First impressions

Nyumba ya Wazee managed and run by the Little Sisters of the Poor is where I set up camp for my community service as part of my community service program at USIU. Having grown up with my grandparents in the village till 2009 I felt an old people’s home would be a good fit for me and my understanding. Interacting with the elder generation felt like an initiative of immense attraction to me. I was curious to find out for myself how old people’s care homes assist the society we know and live in and whether they add to the greater humanitarian cause.

Background

Nyumba ya Wazee is an initiative from a mission called Little Sisters of the Poor that looks to help aging and elderly poor people within the community. They are also based in thirty-one other countries, where they carry out such humanitarian work. There are two profound establishments in Kenya for the old people run by the Little Sisters of the Poor one is the Ruaraka Kasarani and the other is in Tudor in Mombasa.

The course for serving the elderly was started by Jeanne Jugan in France. It is said that around 1839, she found an old woman in the winter season. Desolate, blind, and paralyzed. Jeanne, having felt compassion and empathy for the woman, took her, carried her to bed, and let her lay there. From that day onwards, Jeanne was moved to assist the poor elderly men and women, and her confines were forever open. As time went by the Little Sisters of the Poor grew.

As of the current setting, there are around three thousand well-ordained sisters in the world who are under the Little Sisters of the Poor mission, working tirelessly and hard to ensure that the elderly are taken care of on a regular basis in the places they are stationed.

In Kenya, the Nyumba ya Wazee mission in Nairobi was established in 1985. It started small and has evolved from when it was established. Despite being small it consists of 71 residents within its perimeter who are of different and diverse backgrounds ethnically and religiously. Run by nineteen “Little Sisters”, on the ground staff who are around forty who all contribute coherently collectively to ensure that the collective care of the elders is met. Cleaning the premises, keeping and maintaining the grounds, and cooking for the elderly is all part of their daily activity.

There is a doctor who is there to cater to the needs of some of the elderly needs health-wise. The institution depends on volunteers who come from schools and other corporations to help with the heavy workload present in the area.

Initial feelings

Monday morning, my initial attendance day for my first few hours in the institution was very confusing and exciting. I did not know what to expect. As I walked in the serene view and grasp of the place calmed me down and I felt peace. The elderly on their way to morning devotion gave me a sense of connection with God that was shared in the place.

The institution despite having limited financial support and resources on occasion manages to look amazingly good on eye view. It is colored green and the elderly clearly seem to be taken and in love with the tranquillity. There are seats on every corner of the place to provide rest and talk time for the elderly as movement around or staying in rooms all day isn’t all that nice and comforting for them.

The hygiene standards maintained in the institution are beyond commendable. The work bestowed upon the Little Sisters is one of selfless giving and of great service to society. People often than not look down on the work that goes into caring for the elderly in society sad to say. Vision 2030 under the social pillar, has as one of its projects the establishment of a consolidated social fund that is to care for the elderly, orphans, and other vulnerable groups and I took it upon myself to research and find out if the institution in any way is supported by the government in the appeal to achieve its vision 2030 goal.

The calm deep expectations of wanting to know the thoughts crossing the minds of these individuals startled me pensive. The rich cultural diversity filled with heritage as I observed keenly on arrival took me aback and all my quirks were crushed seeing people of all tribes and religions working and co-existing well together as one. A big lot though I quickly noticed was of catholic association but co-existence was not a problem as far as I could see. The elderly went about their business and found no need or reason to dispute against each other whatsoever.

Challenges faced

Every beautiful story however goes not without a flipside and in the case of Nyumba ya Wazee it was no different. During the few weeks I have been there, I have observed and even faced a number of challenges myself.

One major challenge has so far to do with funding and full dependence on donations. Dependence on donations from well-wishers and other non-governmental organizations is predominantly the way to run the institution as no elderly individual physically pays for their stay, in contrast to elderly folk or Kenyan private nursing homes where people pay to stay and be taken care of.

Another challenge is the elderly going on to feel a little humiliated and dehumanized as they depend on people to help them do things. This leads to slow gradual psychological problems as the elderly tend to feel less like people and more like children. This further results in them lashing out at the staff that is supposed to take care of them.

Another challenge is the lack of enough activities for the elderly to engage in. They mostly sit around the whole day and do nothing that engages them in a productive but entertaining manner. They have no games to challenge them mentally unfortunately they get profoundly bored. This leads to a very monotonous and habitual lifestyle which in return spurs boredom.

Another challenge that as a volunteer I am facing is the lack of quality time to associate with the elderly. Work is hipped on us with no limit. Working around a cleaning routine and lack of a clear rotational program to associate with the elders does not make me feel in touch with them but more distant and feelings of far gaps and working around strangers are dominant. That shouldn’t be what this community service is about at all, the institutions both USIU and the home should do better at this integration.

Improvements I would make to the site

Helping out physically may look of little to no importance but makes a big huge difference. It provides the institution with an extra pair of hands to help further facilitate the cleaning of the institution and maintenance of its premises.

Second I would move to introduce board games to help with muscle memory so that their minds remain further active and sharp. This would help in providing alternative sources of entertainment other than radio and cards to the elderly. Showing them how to engage in such games would go far into helping me understand them better individually.

Another way to further improve the site is to be an ear for the elderly to have and let them know they have a hand to guide them and walk them through the current time in terms of technology and current affairs. They may learn a thing or two, hey, who knows?

Conclusion

The Standard Development Goals in terms of ending poverty everywhere and having good healthcare for all ages will really benefit such an institution if it ever comes to fruition. I however have been beyond humbled by some of the people I have met who selflessly go in on trying to help others even with no pay or compensation at all. It is unaccountably very inspiring.

When I was in grade school I was a troublemaker. I was very disrespectful toward the teachers and students. Constantly fighting and showing out in class. As a result of being a troublemaker, I was excluded from school. During school hours I found myself making unethical decisions on a daily basis. Growing up with these issues, programs for students who are excluded from school should be installed. This could be done through special schools, mandatory community service, and mandatory counseling.

Even though students are being excluded, they should be able to still receive an education. That is why special schools should be set in place for them. The special school will also keep them from off the streets, falling in with the wrong crowd, and becoming gang members. As we know hanging in the streets leads to problems like robbing stores, homes, and cars. Being a gang member leads u two places jail or the grave. As teachers and parents, we wouldn’t want that for our children.

Another program I feel would be helpful is mandatory community service, such as cleaning up neighborhoods, or volunteering at a community organization. Community service is something to keep them busy during and after school hours. It can also be a consequence of their actions. With this positive reinforcement, one can take it as a life lesson to decrease the possibility of future reoccurrence.

Last, students might have a reason for being a troublemaker. The situation could be going on at their homes, which causes changes in their behavior. Some students might know how to express their feelings through talking, so they act out. Mandatory counseling would be a great service to provide these students. Counselors would communicate with teachers, so they can have a better understanding of why students are being troublemakers.

This program could potentially provide troublemaking students who are excluded from school other options and opportunities for education. Regardless of the student’s behavior, they are our future. We as adults have to still reinforce education and that there is a consequence behind every action. The old saying goes “ It takes a village to raise a child”.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

As I am a fourth-year student, I am entitled to do community service as a course through United States International University (USIU-A). It was a very easy pick for me when I obtained the list of places you could do the community service, I immediately decided that I would be doing it at Lion’s Sight first Eye Hospital (LSEH). The hospital holds a unique place in the community because it is one of the very few hospitals which helps patients with all sorts of problems which may not be solved by general practitioners.

Vision and Mission

The vision of Lions Sightfirst Eye Hospital is to be the leading Eye Hospital in Africa. The mission of LSEH is to dispense with preventable and treatable visual impairment by offering impartial, proficient and thorough patient consideration, locate upgrade and restoration administrations including related chosen specific administrations.

Core Values

• Integrity
• Compassion
• Commitment
• Team Work
• Professionalism
• Openness
• Customer Focus
• Excellence
• Innovation
• Accountability

Board of Management

1. Lion Dr. Manilal Dodhia – Board Chairman
2. Lion Dr. Manoj Shah – Board Vice-Chairman
3. Lion Dr. B. D. Vasisht – Board Secretary
4. Lion Dhirendra K. Shah- Board Treasurer
5. Lion Dr. Michael Kakinda – Technical Advisor
6. Dr. Fayaz Khan – Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
7. Mrs Rizwana Peerbhoy – General Manager

Services Provided

Eye Care Services

• General Out Patient & Executive Clinic
• Vitreo-Retinal Clinic
• Glaucoma Clinic
• Refractive Surgery
• Optical Center
• Low Vision Clinic
• Pediatric Opthalmology
• Orbital Oculoplasty

Dental Unit

The Lions Eye Hospital’s Dental Care facility is strategically placed inside the Lions Service Center and offers a full scope of dental administrations for grown-ups and kids. These administrations go from routine dental consideration to the most recent techniques in helpful dentistry.

Hearing Unit

As a major aspect of the Lions SightFirst Eye Hospital, the Lions Hearing Center is prepared to give a balanced way to deal with your hearing medicinal services needs. They take pride in their patient treatment and really appreciate conveying quality consideration to the network.

Eye Bank

Here, they process, store, quality test and issue the ocular tissues for transplant and/or research purposes.

Community Eye Care

The clinic program began in 1997 with two camps.Over the years the medical clinic has contacted an ever increasing number of penniless individuals. The program currently covers a sweep of 250 KMs from Nairobi and acquires more than 5000 patients with the expectation of complimentary medical procedures consistently.

Popat Lions Medical Centre

This department of lions offers general medical conditions at affordable costs. Services include things such as:

• Doctor’s consultation.
• Vaccinations
• Minor surgeries
• Suturing/ dressing
• Burn care management
• Diabetes/hypertensive clinic.

Feelings

The first time I visited Lions Sightfirst Eye Hospital was right after I got the community service letter from Mr. Abdi Hussein which was on 8/01/19. I went to the General manager Mrs. Rizwana direct to confirm if it was possible for me to do community service in the hospital, she approved the request and I was asked to come the following day for orientation. The following day I went for the orientation and I was taken for a tour around the hospital showing each department of the hospital. I was explained about the rules of the hospital and the attire we had to be in for us to do the service. As soon as we were done with the orientation, I was asked about which department I would like to work in. I didn’t mind working in any department as they all sounded interesting. I was then asked if I want to start on the same day or on a later day. I chose to start the coming Monday. Before going home, I was given a volunteer form which had to be filled in and signed in with all the terms and conditions of carrying out the community service at the hospital.

On my first day of the service, when I arrived to the site I was taken to the site supervisor Mr. Bernard who provided me with a dust coat which had to be worn every time and with a name tag. He then took me to the Dental unit as it was the only department which didn’t have any volunteers. I was asked to assist in the reception of the Dental and ENT unit. When I got to the reception, I was introduced to the three receptionists ( Mrs. Sila, Mrs. Amy and Ms. Truphena). They were very welcoming and approachable. I was assigned a seat and was taken through the system of the hospital where they stored all the patients information/ details. The system they use is called Kranium. This system is very easy to learn and it didn’t take me long to get the hang of it. The system stores all the patients activity, appointments, debts or balance. The system can be used to order medicine for the patients from the pharmacy. After going through all the process, the first patient walked in and I was asked to register him and appoint him a dentist available. The patients first have to fill in forms and then we register them on the online system. This is a very tricky part where if I made a mistake, I would have to type in the information all over again. Being the first time handling such things, I was scared but once I got used to it by registering a couple of the patients, I was fine. Once the registration is completed, they are allocated a UHID number which is used every time they visit the hospital. This number is a reference code to the online entry. Then they are allocated to a dentist and billed using the same system. Once I was done registering the patients, I was told to give the forms to the dentists in their rooms. I was asked to handle the registration for the ENT unit as well which is like that of the Dental. The first day came to an end and it was very interesting as I learnt new things about how things are done in a hospital.

I reported to work the following day and continued the same job but every time they saw that I was comfortable with the work I did, they added new tasks for me to do. I was taught on how to give appointments to the patients and how to do the filling of the patients forms. This was a difficult part as any mistake would lead to a major issue in the loosing of a file or allocating a wrong time to the patient, but I made sure that I do it perfectly with the guidance of the other colleagues. They would assist me every time I was stuck in looking for the files and getting it from the right place. It was a very different and yet a very exciting job to do. On the same day, I was asked to translate from English to Hindi for a patient from India who was having difficulties in communicating, me being the only Indian in the department came in hand and it was a very different experience as I had never done this before. The patient was very pleased by what I had done for him and thanked me for that. At that moment I felt the best and felt a sense of achievement.

I continued to work in the same department for the 5 weeks at the reception, I mostly used to register new patients and activate the registration for old patients. but I was assigned with new tasks every week. The following weeks I was told to handle the Insurance forms and applying for the Pre- authorizations. This also included handling the NHIF account and making invoices for the patients. A few patients would only speak Swahili and I am not proficient in it but I took it as a challenge and I made sure that I would learn the basics so that I could speak to them and try to understand what they would like. A few patients walked in who weren’t able to write and I took the opportunity to fill in the forms for them. At that moment I felt like I am giving back to the community by helping them in this. At times I would assist the old age to the doctor’s room.

SWOT Analysis

Strength

• One of the strengths of Lions is that they have very skilled labors and very flexible where one does not just specialize in one thing
• They have invested in high quality and advanced technology which is used everyday
• The hospitals fees are very affordable and where patients are unable to pay, some negotiations are done with the doctor.
• Being an eye hospital, it also provides other services like Dental, Diabetes and ENT
• The hospital has many camps outside which offers free eye check ups
• The Kanubhai Babla Lions Eye Bank is the first eye bank in East and Central Africa which has access and circulates cornea tissues for donation.

Weakness

• Even though almost all the work is computerized, there is still manual work that is done. This gets a bit hectic on a busy day. Example, writing down the registration of each and every patient in the daily counter book.
• The hospital uses advanced technology, like the system of taking tokens for queuing, this sometimes gets hard to handle as some people are not aware of what to do next and the place gets over crowded.
• The hospitals parking space is not enough for the amount of patients that come in a day. Patients sometimes have to park their cars outside.

Opportunities

• The eye camps they do are free of expense and they do in regions where it isn’t produced and where most of the general population can’t stand to go for eye checkups. Along these lines they are illuminating the network about them and furthermore about the eyes and treating the same number of individuals as they can.
• Some patients may require to visit the hospital after the free eye check up at the camps for their eye to be treated with the free surgeries offered at the hospital. The hospital doesn’t charge them for the surgeries and provide them with transport to the hospital.
• The hospital could add more services to the medical camps other than just eye check ups.

Threats

• The hospital may face competition from the upcoming eye hospital in Westlands

What I expect to do for the site

The experience I am getting at Lions SightFirst Eye Hospital is so unique then what I am used to. I need to work and help in every one of the divisions in order to pick up information and experience. As long as I have been here, I get the opportunity to adapt new things consistently. I would like to help organize the sitting arrangement in the department to reduce the over crowding and also put up signboards to guide the patients on where to go. I would like to help the patients as much as I can to make things easier for both the patients and the hospital.

I’d like to connect with the patients to diminish their pressure and make them feel progressively great while they are at the hospital and learn their culture and share mine with them. I would also really like to speak to the marketing department and IT coordinator in the second half of my community service to address the issues of the slow computers and speak to the marketing manager about the potential that the Dental Unit has and how it can benefit the hospital.

Before applying for this NHS position, I took the time to read and study the task description to make sure I had the required skills, qualities, and experiences to satisfy the expectations of the National Health Service.

Concerning the evidence that follows, I strongly feel I can quickly become a positive contributor to the NHS team and therefore the values everyone within the organization is required to stick to in their daily work.

The skills and qualities I possess include a capability to always put patients first in everything I do whilst providing safe, effective, and appropriate treatment and care. I’m somebody who will always follow my training whilst adhering to the NHS working practices and operational procedures.

Within the NHS role, I understand I’ll have an obligation to make sure both myself and my work colleagues are safe in the slightest degree times which I follow all regulatory guidelines and procedures, especially concerning maintaining confidence, safeguarding, equality and variety, health and safety and conducting risk assessments.

I possess excellent concentration skills and I have the flexibility to figure out challenging and ugly situations as and when required whilst maintaining a powerful resilient mindset. I will be able to always use effective communication skills that are tailored to the case I’m working in and I will use tact, empathy, and persuasion skills as and when required.

I can embrace change positively and adapt thereto daily as this ensures the NHS is ready to supply a consistently high standard of service throughout the year. Finally, I’ll always take responsibility within my role for maintaining competence through a process of continuous learning, improvement, and development.

Over the years, I’ve gained considerable work and life experiences that are a match for the work description. for instance, in my previous role, I had to speak and deal with people each day, often having to pay attention to them carefully, ask them appropriate questions, and think quickly to supply an appropriate solution to their needs.

During one particular interaction with a customer whose English wasn’t their natural language, I altered my form of communication, and I asked a series of inquiries to get to the underside of their issue which then enabled me to quickly meet their needs. Whilst concluding my duties at work I always follow my training and that I remain focused on the task at hand. During another recent situation, I used to be communicating with a customer who was becoming frustrated and irate. I remained calm; I listened to their concerns, and I then intervened at an appropriate time by explaining how I used to be visiting to resolve their issue promptly.

Throughout my work, I always specialize in putting people and customers first and I make sure that I represent the organization I’m employed by in a very positive manner. These transferable experiences will enable me to always provide a primary call level of services to NHS patients.

I am applying for this position within the NHS Because I feel the role may be a perfect match for my very own skills, qualities, experiences, and ambitions. I’m seeking long-term employment with an organization that encompasses a proud history of accomplishment, dedication, and commitment, and I want to figure alongside other like-minded resourceful professionals who are all striving to attain the same goal.

Working for the NHS is going to be both challenging and highly rewarding, and providing I do my work to exacting standards by always specializing in providing a primary class patient service, I will be able to have employment alongside an excellent team of individuals who genuinely want to form a difference within the work they’re doing.

The strengths I’ve got are many and varied, including a capability to figure hard besieged, a desire to produce a high-quality service, and a passion for delivering outstanding patient care. I’m extremely resourceful, and I am someone who enjoys working as a part of a team to attain a standard goal.

I am highly organized and might plan tasks effectively to make sure they’re successful. I even have the power to figure alone likewise as a part of a team. I’m a powerful communicator, both face-to-face and via telephone. I set myself high standards and feel I am often a competent employee for the NHS who will always follow rules and procedures and make patient care a priority.

There are numerous things I can do up the NHS that I think are of benefit to the organization. I’m a tough worker, and someone who enjoys working as a part of a team to attain a typical goal.

I enjoy being busy at work, and I have a versatile approach meaning I’m ready to cover extra shifts and support at short notice as when required. I’m a compassionate one who believes that everybody should receive an identical level of treatment and the same quality service, irrespective of who they are. I may also be trusted with wind and fully understand the external pressures healthcare organizations and hospitals are under.

Finally, I’m a loyal and committed one who will try to find out the role quickly to close my role with consistency, professionalism, and with attention to quality patient care. One of the things that sets me but others is that the fact my work is often focused entirely on meeting the values that are laid down by the healthcare trust I’m working for. I see the core values of respect and dignity, commitment to quality of care, compassion, improving lives, and working together for patients and everybody counts vital in my daily work.

I believe other factors that set me apart include my ability to stay entirely calm in difficult and stressful situations; my passion for continuous improvement, my ability to induce up and running within the role quickly, and my unwavering passion

Community service is not just a term, but a chance in life to devote one’s time to helping others and making a difference in society; and thus, a better place to live for all. There are millions of organizations around the world that connect and maintain millions of young people around the world. College students should be required to complete community service before graduation. By mandating all college students across the United States of America to apply community services to their studies, we will be able to strengthen our student’s educational experience, and better health, and provide them with the opportunity to gain skills and experience which are relevant to their future.

Community service is always a benefit in a variety of ways. The first factor why community service should be mandatory is that service has been closely correlated with educational achievement over the years. Most students participating in community service programs tend to perform significantly better in school than those who do not conduct any kind of educational program. “This is one benefit that many don’t realize, but is maybe one of the most important reasons to volunteer.”( Roose, David,2013) Community service provides students a chance to take what they do outside the classroom and learn what they do inside the classroom]”( Doing service work is a key route for students to test what they have learned and even add new information. Some would argue that community service is not associated with educational achievement because it brings additional work and responsibility to the student.” If community service were optional, many students might brush off the idea completely, thinking that service takes up too much time.” (Scholastic,2019) This is exactly what happens, students brush off Community service. Advocates of no required community service believe that the average student is already managing a brutal schedule. Most students have added responsibilities, such as sports, part-time work, and, most importantly schoolwork. Including community service in this would be counterproductive to the student’s progress. Many feel that the student should have a preference as to whether they would like to do community service, and it should be done outside of school and on their own time. Although Community service could be a hassle for some students, it can help you learn how to handle a busy schedule. Not all days are going to be easy in life, having a schedule that can be a little challenging can help you in the future.

Another factor why community service should be mandatory for students to graduate is by doing community work offers health benefits. The National and Community Service Corporation has conducted research that has connected volunteering to life satisfaction and good mental health among adults over 65 years of age.

Several studies showed a strong correlation between volunteering and health. These studies have demonstrated that individuals who participated in community service have greater physical and mental health than people who do not volunteer. This is specifically related to adults over 65 years old. At the end of the day, making community service mandatory establishes a lifelong commitment to society that can support the student’s well-being over his or her lifetime.

Ultimately, another factor why community service should be mandatory is that it offers life-long experiences that can be used later on the road. What are we going to gain by serving? Many people would think that volunteer service has no meaning other than self-fulfillment. Nonetheless, contrary to popular opinion, there is a direct connection between community service learning and academic learning, since the former offers a stage at which young people can apply the latter in real human contexts and transform knowledge into data that can be used beyond the circumstances in which learning has taken place. Simply put, as a student, I believe I will gain new information by pursuing classroom theories outside of a controlled environment. I can take what I learned in the classroom and apply it to real-world situations. You may find someone and learn about their aspects of life which can influence your view of life. Community service is a great way to learn and get to understand others and their needs.” Volunteering allows you to connect to your community and make it a better place.” (Segal, Ph.D. and Robinson,2019)

In conclusion, making community service mandatory will change many lives. Students can learn with a better educational experience, live a healthier life, and learn valuable lessons from others that they can, later on, apply in life. We all can make the world a better place if we just took the time to help others and understands the needs of a variety of individuals. By applying mandatory community service, we would be taking a huge step to make the world a better place.

Fireworks exploded in the sky. Coloring the sky in hues of red and blue. The temple was holding its annual Diwali celebrations. Everyone was invited to partake in the festivities, observe age-old traditions, and head down to the basement where I, along with several other volunteers, served food free of charge.

I glanced down at my watch to check the time read 8:30 P.M. I had been volunteering since noon and began to feel the strain on my body. Feeling drained, I made my way out, ready to call it a night until two kids ran and bumped into me. They could not have been more than eight years old. After giving me a flimsy apology, the children looked at each other, laughed, and ran away. After noticing how ecstatic they were, I took another look around at my surroundings. Parents were sitting in groups having discussions about their past, and their future. Kids were exuberant as they waved their sparklers, and for a moment everything seemed to feel like it was in bliss. At that moment I remembered why I was volunteering in the first place and went back to my serving station to continue helping the other volunteers.

Looking back, I would have always considered myself to be a creature of habit. My daily agenda never varied: I came home, ate a snack, watched some television, and then started working on my homework. Although I considered myself at this stage ‘fulfilled’ something was missing. I realized it wasn’t a material aspect I was devoid of, but a social one: community service.

Around middle school, however, that all changed. My dad introduced me to the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh organization, a nonprofit organization that is not only interested in preserving the Hindu culture but also in providing community service programs and creating relief programs for those in need. Through HSS, I had become instituted as a member of the youth board where we helped organize much larger scale events to promote the temple’s public image and raise awareness for issues such as mental health and drug abuse.

Aside from giving back to the community, I value volunteering and community service because it allows me to connect with others on a deeper level. Several months ago I had gone to the volunteer at the temple to go do some landscaping to improve the overall aesthetic of the temple. While I was pulling weeds from the front bed, another volunteer began to engage me in a conversation. At first, I was irritated, we were supposed to be working, but as time went by, I began to appreciate the interaction a lot more. His name was Haragopal Parsa, Director of the International Business major at the University of Denver. Dr. Parsa told me that he was in awe of what I was doing and that it was pleasant to see the youth outside contributing to society in their ways. Feeling more comfortable, I asked him a question, “Why? What are you here?”.It was rare how successful people like Dr. Parsa to partake in volunteer work without just sponsoring them instead. He responded with, “ It widens my network and most importantly it connects me to my community. See the conversation you and I are having right now would be very hard to have if done in a professional environment.”

Usually, when people think about community service, they assume that volunteering is just ‘ hours we need to be able to graduate’. Community service is more than just hours; community service is based on the acts performed by an individual to help or bring benefits to his or her community. Community service is a vital life force to many communities as they depend on their aid to effectively expand. Every time I go and volunteer, I contribute a piece of my time and energy for the betterment of the community.

A Personal Reflection from a Novice Social Worker-Part Three

The profession of social work has changed tremendously over the years. From the profession’s primary beginning with the charity work of Jane Addams who focused on transforming people’s environment with the establishment of Hull House, to Mary Richmond’s emphasis on the individual person and how certain situational factors impact their life. It is these two extraordinary women and their advocacy for others that make the profession of social work what it is today. From their work, social work has come to be defined by three theories—Person-in-Environment, Ecological Systems, and Strengths Perspective. It is these three main principles that guide social workers today so that they can better understand the behavior of others and help them function more effectively in society. Regarding this, it is our generation’s duty to keep Jane Addams and Mary Richmond’s vision of empowering and advocating for others alive today. Overall, I will reflect back on my entire experience at St. Ignatius Food Pantry and how my work there has served as a catalyst for my future work in enhancing the well-being of others.

Type of Work

Since I wrote my last reflection paper, the kind of service-learning work that I have been doing is helping families or individuals select food that not only meets current nutritional values but also suffices any special dietary needs that they may have. Additionally, I have arrived early before the food pantry opens or stayed late after it closes a few times throughout the semester to sort through food donations to make sure that nothing we put out for people to select is expired. Furthermore, I have continued to process clients on the computer so that they can receive their monthly food. The role of intake has been fulfilling because I have been able to connect with clients and form a relationship with them such that the next time they see me at the pantry they say hello and we have a conversation. However, in my last weeks at the food pantry, I have really started to reflect on my experience and all the people that I have helped. What I have realized is that some people who come to the food pantry are ashamed or embarrassed to be there. The role that I recently have taken on is to greet them and ask them how they are doing. When clients come to the food pantry, it is my goal to make sure that they do not feel shame but rather to remind them of their own self-worth and dignity.

Looking Back on My Entire Experience. Satisfying and Positive Aspects

One recent satisfying aspect of my experience at St. Ignatius Food Pantry was when a woman came in with her caregiver to receive food. She saw that I was the youngest woman working there and she said, “It is so nice to see a young face who wants to help others.” After hearing her say this, I had the biggest smile on my face and I replied, “You’re welcome, and thank you for helping me feel a sense of purpose in my life.” Her appreciation and recognition of my work at the food pantry was a very rewarding experience.

A positive aspect of my experience at the food pantry was with this same woman. She saw that there was a one-half gallon of milk left and said that she did not want to take it if it was the last one because another person behind her probably wanted milk also. She only was going to take the milk if there was more in the back for the next person, and there was more milk. I saw this as a positive aspect during my experience because even though she cannot afford to buy food for herself or her family, she was still conscious of other people’s needs and not to take more food than she really needed. This is one aspect that really surprised me because I would think that people who do not have access to a basic necessity of life would be greedier, however, they are not. I found these two experiences with this woman very gratifying.

Challenging Aspects. I would say that the most challenging aspect of my service learning is when people ask for more food and I have to tell them that I cannot give them more food. This is challenging for me because I want to give them more food since I have never been deprived of food in my life. One recent example of this is when a woman asked if she could have more bags of shelled walnuts because she had five people in her family. I had to tell her that I could not provide her with more bags of shelled walnuts because they are very expensive to buy and the government only gives the food pantry a certain amount. Thus, I can only give each person or family one bag of shelled walnuts. This is a challenging aspect because I want to give her more bags of walnuts, however, the food pantry is limited in what it can give people because of the food supply we receive from the government.

Another challenging aspect is when people show up to the food pantry intoxicated and we have to ask them to leave because we know that they are not in the right state of mind to be here, especially around others. This is hard for me because then people who are intoxicated do not receive food at this time. I understand why we ask them to leave, but it would be good if the food pantry had a service or could refer these people to services where they could receive the help they need to cope properly with what they are going through instead of using alcohol as a coping mechanism.

Strategies for Managing Fears and Worries. One strategy that I have utilized to manage the fears and worries that I may have during my service-learning experience is to explain that larger families receive more food than smaller families. Additionally, if people do not eat meat, I check in the back to see if we have any fish for them. Another fear or worry that I have is that the government will shut down again and people who come to the food pantry will not be able to receive food because it is supplied by the government. Furthermore, if the government shuts down, then people will not receive their monthly food benefits (SNAP) because it is provided by the government. I do not know if there is a way that we can prepare for this in the future, but my best guess would be to extensively reevaluate our social welfare programs so that if the government does shut down, then these vulnerable people are taken care of so that they are not left to perish in this moment of crisis.

Strategies for Keeping an Open Mind. Before taking this course, I always blamed people who are homeless or people who go to soup kitchens or food pantries for the predicament they are in. However, after taking this course I have come to realize that it is not their fault for the situation they are in. They are doing the best that they can right now and utilizing as many resources as they can to get back on their feet. As for the strategy that has been most helpful in keeping an open mind when I noticed my assumptions or biases arising rather than blaming people, I should be blaming our unequal economic system. Those who are in power remain in power and at the top of the pyramid because they fail to see what social workers see. Social workers see the systemic inequality that those below the poverty threshold face and it is my responsibility to help improve people’s environment for the better.

Strengths and Unique Attributes. One strength that has contributed to my service-learning is patience. This personal attribute is crucial when working at the food pantry because I need to be patient when people are selecting what food they want or even when they change their mind about what they first chose as opposed to what they would like now. For example, after I help some clients select their food, they may state that they would like to exchange the wheat spaghetti they originally selected for mac n cheese. With this in mind, it is important not to rush people out of the pantry because then it creates an environment where they may feel that their needs are not being truly attended to or cared for. Additionally, another strength is my ability to actively listen to clients whether it be about the food they are selecting or about their day. I think it is important to actively engage with clients at the food pantry because this could be their only social interaction for the day. A unique attribute is that I have great assessment skills. At the food pantry, I am able to recognize what a client needs and the concerns they may have about what food is nutritional for them. My attentiveness and perceptiveness are two key skills to exemplify as a social worker, especially at the food pantry because I need to pay close attention to each individual’s needs and be understanding of any special dietary concerns.

Class Readings. Connection

The connection between my service-learning experience and class readings that I would like to focus on is trauma. Trauma is an issue that people of every class, gender, and race face. It permeates all aspects of life. However, every person deals with trauma differently. Firstly, trauma can be defined as an emotionally arousing event or disturbance that impairs people’s academic, social, interpersonal, or occupational functioning and causes them significant distress. Trauma is an interesting topic because how an individual handles a traumatic event is based on their previous life experiences.

The topic of trauma connects to the story of Lori Skolnik in LeCroy’s book because as a social worker she not only has to help people overcome traumatic experiences, such as when she had to tell a family that their daughter had leukemia, but she also has to manage her own feelings when dealing with difficult issues. I think the idea of social workers managing their own feelings and taking time for themselves is very important because the career can become very overwhelming. This relates to our discussion on the importance of self-care and mental health.

The connection I want to make between Skolnik’s story and my experience at my service learning sight is that, like her, I am helping people get through a difficult period in their life by providing them with the most basic necessity of life—food. By providing them with food, I not only am enhancing their physical well-being, but I also may be supplying them with better ways to cope with stressful situations. For example, rather than turning to alcohol or drugs to cope with their difficult issues, I am providing them with food that is nutritional and healthy for their body, mind, and spirit. Specifically, as LeCroy (2011, p. 86) states, I am providing “them the tools necessary to deal with life every day.”

According to Segal, Gerdes, and Steiner (2018), long-lasting poverty is considered a trauma for people who come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds because they experience more societal stressors than people who come from higher socioeconomic backgrounds. Based on this, people who come to the food pantry likely come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and have been experiencing chronic poverty. As a volunteer at the food pantry, it is my job to help alleviate the trauma and societal stressors people have been facing due to chronic poverty by providing them not only with food but also with social support.

In essence, my service learning experience has shaped my future goal of wanting to volunteer more in my community because I have first handedly seen how much of an impact I have made in people’s lives at the food pantry. I hope to take with me all of my experiences from the food pantry and apply it to my future career. Therefore, an aspiration of mine is to further my social work education, and although I am not pursuing a career in this profession, that I still act as a change agent for others.

References

1. LeCroy, C. W. (2011). The call to social work: Life stories. Sage.
2. Segal, E. A., Gerdes, K. E., & Steiner, S. (2018). Empowerment series: An introduction to the profession of social work. Cengage Learning.

The breakthroughs I have experienced so far in life happened as a result of my involvement and commitment to community service, teamwork, and the welfare of others. As a high school student, I engaged in several community service projects, many of which were supervised by incredibly awesome people who made a significant impact on my life. Most of these people helped shape my career choice as a Dentist. One such person was my high school Creative Arts teacher, Mr. Femi. He made us work in teams to complete assigned tasks and encouraged us to learn from one another. He made me realize, at a tender age, that a lot is achievable by working with a great team. Mr. Femi identified me as an excellent science student who had an incredible knack for the Arts. Out of curiosity, he asked me what I wanted to become, and I told him I wanted to become a Doctor and a Sculptor. He smiled and advised me to pursue Dentistry. I researched Dentistry and found out that not only can I become a Doctor and a Sculptor, but I can also create healthy smiles for people and help them in meaningful ways.

While in dental school, I studied hard and was always enthusiastic about the opportunity to alleviate pain and restore the patient’s smile. I became very passionate about the field of Prosthodontics because it closely aligns with my clinical interests, and affords me the privilege of combining my artistic, clinical, and basic science skills. The feeling I get after making a functional and esthetically pleasing prosthesis for a patient who has not smiled in years is highly gratifying. Prosthodontics taught me how to restore and replace hard and soft oral tissues and made me find ways to connect with my community. I hope to become an authority in Prosthodontics and contribute significantly to its growth and development by engaging in fascinating scientific research, performing outstanding clinical work, training the next generation of Prosthodontists, and participating in impactful service to the community.

The incredible opportunity to engage in cutting-edge research in dental school and at Harvard University allowed me to develop novel skills and methodology in study design, data analysis, and critical appraisal of scientific studies. During my master’s at Harvard School of Public Health, I researched the longitudinal association between chronic periodontitis and the risk of hypertension. I found this study to be interesting because the success of most prostheses relies heavily on having a healthy periodontium, and it is imperative to adequately reduce or eliminate periodontal inflammation for a prosthesis to be functionally acceptable. It also made me better understand the relationship between periodontal diseases and systemic illnesses. I learned a lot from independently conducting this study, including grant proposal writing, performing a comprehensive review of the literature, data management and analysis, interpretation of results, and presenting study findings to a scientific audience. Currently, I am working as a Lecturer at Princeton University and a research associate at Rutgers University. Two of my colleagues and I are writing a research protocol for a systematic review that will evaluate the attitudes of clinicians to the concept of the shortened dental arch (SDA). We expect that this review will provide better insight into the Dentist’s perception of the SDA, and provide guidance for further research.

I have always been intrigued by the opportunity to translate sound scientific research into quality patient care. During my professional training, I devoted quality time to my academics and the acquisition of excellent clinical skills. My hard work paid off at the end of dental school; I won the prestigious award of the Best Graduating Student in Dentistry, as well as the Pro-Chancellor’s award for outstanding academic performance. Additionally, I got accepted to Harvard University, where I earned an advanced degree in Epidemiology and Biostatistics. My past academic preparations have helped enhance my clinical abilities, especially in Prosthodontics. I have been privileged to practice clinical dentistry for almost eight years in both private, public, and academic health institutions. I find it quite rewarding to alleviate the patient’s pain and restore their lost dental tissues. Furthermore, I shadowed Prosthodontists in the United States, assisted residents, and learned the latest advances and technology in removable, fixed, and implant Prosthodontics.

In my entire career, community service has always been dear to my heart. As a dental student, I worked with my classmates and professors to engage in several projects that brought hope to underserved populations. I was the chairman of the community dental health education program in my school. During this time, I led my colleagues to schools, markets, religious, and other public institutions in rural areas where we performed oral and general health screenings, and distributed oral healthcare products. My active participation in community life earned me the Provost award when I graduated. As the provost marshal of the Nigerian Red Cross Society in the hospital where I trained, my colleagues and I distributed relief materials like food, clothing items, and dentifrices to internally displaced persons in Nigeria. In the United States, I joined a group of volunteer tutors in Boston to teach Mathematics to middle school students of color who are economically disadvantaged.

As I began exploring residency programs in Prosthodontics, I knew I wanted to become equipped with the latest knowledge in digital dentistry, and Implantology, and make a significant impact on people. I hope to advance my clinical and laboratory skills in Prosthodontics and learn to become an independent clinical researcher and scholar. I ultimately aspire to become a Prosthodontist in an academic setting where I would be involved in teaching, research, and clinical practice. I am looking for a program that is committed to excellent clinical training, teamwork, and cutting-edge technology. The University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio is a perfect fit for me, and I am excited about the opportunity to be a part of such a great team.

Community service is not just a term, but a chance in life to devote one’s time to helping others and making a difference in society; and thus, a better place to live for all. There are millions of organizations around the world that connect and maintain millions of young people around the world. College students should be required to complete community service before graduation. By mandating all college students across the United States of America to apply community services to their studies, we will be able to strengthen our student’s educational experience, and better health, and provide them with the opportunity to gain skills and experience which are relevant to their future.

Community service is always a benefit in a variety of ways. The first factor why community service should be mandatory is that service has been closely correlated with educational achievement over the years. Most students participating in community service programs tend to perform significantly better in school than those who do not conduct any kind of educational program. “This is one benefit that many don’t realize, but is maybe one of the most important reasons to volunteer.”( Roose, David,2013) Community service provides students a chance to take what they do outside the classroom and learn what they do inside the classroom]”( Doing service work is a key route for students to test what they have learned and even add new information. Some would argue that community service is not associated with educational achievement because it brings additional work and responsibility to the student.” If community service were optional, many students might brush off the idea completely, thinking that service takes up too much time.” (Scholastic,2019) This is exactly what happens, students brush off Community service. Advocates of no required community service believe that the average student is already managing a brutal schedule. Most students have added responsibilities, such as sports, part-time work, and, most importantly schoolwork. Including community service in this would be counterproductive to the student’s progress. Many feel that the student should have a preference as to whether they would like to do community service, and it should be done outside of school and on their own time. Although Community service could be a hassle for some students, it can help you learn how to handle a busy schedule. Not all days are going to be easy in life, having a schedule that can be a little challenging can help you in the future.

Another factor why community service should be mandatory for students to graduate is by doing community work offers health benefits. The National and Community Service Corporation has conducted research that has connected volunteering to life satisfaction and good mental health among adults over 65 years of age.

Several studies showed a strong correlation between volunteering and health. These studies have demonstrated that individuals who participated in community service have greater physical and mental health than people who do not volunteer. This is specifically related to adults over 65 years old. At the end of the day, making community service mandatory establishes a lifelong commitment to society that can support the student’s well-being over his or her lifetime.

Ultimately, another factor why community service should be mandatory is that it offers life-long experiences that can be used later on the road. What are we going to gain by serving? Many people would think that volunteer service has no meaning other than self-fulfillment. Nonetheless, contrary to popular opinion, there is a direct connection between community service learning and academic learning, since the former offers a stage at which young people can apply the latter in real human contexts and transform knowledge into data that can be used beyond the circumstances in which learning has taken place. Simply put, as a student, I believe I will gain new information by pursuing classroom theories outside of a controlled environment. I can take what I learned in the classroom and apply it to real-world situations. You may find someone and learn about their aspects of life which can influence your view of life. Community service is a great way to learn and get to understand others and their needs.” Volunteering allows you to connect to your community and make it a better place.” (Segal, Ph.D. and Robinson,2019)

In conclusion, making community service mandatory will change many lives. Students can learn with a better educational experience, live a healthier life, and learn valuable lessons from others that they can, later on, apply in life. We all can make the world a better place if we just took the time to help others and understands the needs of a variety of individuals. By applying mandatory community service, we would be taking a huge step to make the world a better place.