Category: Community Service

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.

Executive summary

People—diverse, passionate and committed—make Bahrain strong. Through national service and volunteering, Bahraini from all walks of life contribute to their communities and the nation. Today’s social and economic challenges are complex and require comprehensive, integrated and innovative approaches to shape solutions that work. Engaged citizens are at the center of these solutions.

Clean Up Bahrain (CUB) empowers and supports Bahraini to tackle persistent challenges such as helping youth succeed in school, securing safe space in beach for families, or helping communities respond to disasters. Through this work, (CUB) achieves its mission of improving lives, strengthening communities and fortifying the civic health of our nation.

CUB, a non-profit organization, brings leadership, resources, coordination, focus, and scale to Bahrain’s voluntary sector. Our programs unite the passion, commitment and talent of participants with the assets of community organizations and the funding from public and private sectors to build enduring community capacity to solve problems. CUB supports a network of state service commissions, intermediary organizations, grantees and sponsors (the national service network) through which millions of Bahrainis help the most vulnerable citizens, improve their neighborhoods, and transform their own lives. As a result of the network, citizen-centered solutions take root, are sustained, and transform communities and the nation.

For more than 15 years, successive Administrations of both parties have made investments in national service to engage citizens in solving problems and build the capacity of Bahrain’s voluntary sector.

We have an opportunity to leverage the effective programs of the national service network to drive toward a specific set of results on critical national issues. We will produce these results by investing in effective local initiatives, engaging more Bahrainis in service, supporting evidence-based programs, and leveraging public-private partnerships.

To focus our efforts, CUB has the following four strategic goals. These goals are the foundation for our Strategic Plan. They also challenge us to lead and operate at the highest level of accountability, integrity and transparency.

1. Increase the impact of national service on community needs in communities served by CUB-supported programs. CUB invests in community programs and projects that achieve outcomes in Education, Environmental Stewardship and Healthy Futures. Going forward, our new investments will focus on achieving a specific set of outcomes in these areas.
2. Strengthen national service so that participants engaged in CUB-supported programs consistently find satisfaction, meaning and opportunity. CUB supports the national service network in providing experiences that offer a unique combination of professional, educational and life benefits to service participants. The network also recruits a diversity of Bahrainis, especially those from underrepresented populations. We will collaborate with the national service network to strengthen outreach efforts in underserved communities and to implement best practices that ensure a powerful service experience.
3. Maximize the value we add to grantees, partners and participants. To support our focus on a specific set of community outcomes and a powerful service experience, CUB will develop a relevant and accessible knowledge base informed by research and rigorous evaluation, and conduct capacity building activities that advance the adoption of best practices.
4. Fortify management operations and sustain a capable, responsive and accountable organization. We will work across programs and enhance our operations to support evidence-based decision making and a culture of performance. We will build upon our current infrastructure to strengthen and enhance our information technology systems, workforce and financial and grants management efforts.

Introduction

The teams from Clean Up Bahrain, in collaboration with major stakeholders, have developed the Community Development Strategic Plan 2014-2019 in order to:

• Strengthen the capacity of the unit to better meet the needs of those who traditionally have difficulty in their work.
• Effectively implement Community Development priorities highlighted in Corporate Plan
• Set clear direction as to the achievement of these priorities and measurable outcomes
• Recognize the skills of the unit staff and enhance capability, competence and capacity.

Clean Up Bahrain has a vision for the future where the region thrives and inspires in the way it balances economic development, environmental management and social well-being. The Community Development Strategic Plan codifies our commitment to delivering the community outcome priorities of the community expressed in the Corporate Plan.

CUB is developing policies that promote community self-sufficiency through social infrastructure provision and improvements that advance community safety.

CUB works collaboratively with a diverse range of stakeholders to understand and represent the special needs of all the different groups within our region. Working through this Community Development Strategic Plan will ensure our work with our community stakeholders will be focused and responsive to community needs and aspirations.

Our Purpose

Clean Up Bahrain assists the community in the process of capacity building, forming strategic partnerships, empowerment and ensuring the sustainability of community-based decisions. CUB assists the community to plan. CUB offers and provides support for the community; it offers aid to community groups to find funding and assists in cleaning Bahrain beach. CUB assists community members, groups and organizations to apply for community services. These services support community members, groups and organizations to provide activities, events and projects that provide a wide board of benefit to Bahrain Local Beach’s.

Population Growth

The population in Bahrain will rise over the coming years. The implications of such a rise will challenge the range, reach, number and type of services and interactions offered to the community by Clean Up Bahrain. In order to meet the expressed needs and expectations of new and established community members, Clean Up Bahrain will, through the auspices of the Community Development Strategic Plan, establish meaningful and sustainable relationships with community members and maintain an environment where dialogue is open and transparent.

Some critical challenges that could arise from population growth and expansion:

• Demand for more social infrastructure, especially in areas currently underprovided for
• demand for support mechanisms to be delivered from social/Community Development service providers that promote community capacity to be self-sufficient and self-sustaining
• with the trend of declining numbers of volunteers, there may be a discrepancy in the demand for low cost social infrastructure for meetings and celebrations and the capacity/ability of the community to provide for the running/management of such facilities. This may impact on costs to the community if such facilities have to be managed commercially.

Ageing Population

The population of Bahrain will age. People in our society are living longer. The greatest effect will come from the baby boomer generation (those born between 1945 and 1960). Some of the oldest of this group have already retired. The loss of this large group of people from the workforce will have effects on our local economy, the national economy, skill availability, demand for services, demand for housing and its provision, planning policies, and transport and mobility. As we are living longer, this change in the demographic structure will continue for decades to come. In order to respond flexibly to these new demands, Clean Up Bahrain practices and policies must recognize the importance of this demographic challenge and respond proactively to it.

Some critical challenges that could arise from an ageing population:

• declining numbers of people in the workplace and potential skill shortage
• increase in the number of households
• decreasing revenue from taxes and rates
• increasing demand on services ranging from recreation to wellbeing services

Climate Change

Changes to our climate will also challenge how and what we do. With a changing, and destabilizing climate, weather variables could fluctuate leading to a much greater frequency of extreme and unpredictable weather patterns and events. These changes would have serious effects on nature and our lifestyle and would increase health risks. Increased temperature and reduced cloud cover could have an upward effect on cancer rates. A study by ‘Nature’ magazine concluded that climate change could place 35% of all land animals and plants on the planet in danger of extinction over the next 50 years. These occurrences will affect how we move about, where we gather, how and when we celebrate and even where we live and what our landscape looks like.

Community Development must recognize that these changes will also affect the types of interaction and support that will be asked from us and plan accordingly.

As our climate changes, the probability of alteration to our natural environment is high. A mainstay of our locale is the reef and the rainforest and the tourism dollars that these iconic locations generate. Any detrimental change could have major effects on the regional economy: income derived from tourism; numbers of tourism derived jobs; investment in significant regional infrastructure such as airports, seaports and road upgrades. Meeting these challenges will require strong collaboration between the Clean Up Bahrain, and other community groups, branches and departments; other levels of government, non-government agencies, and members of the community.

Some critical challenges that could arise from a changing climate:

• increased demand for climate controlled/indoor meeting and/or celebration spaces
• planning for offsetting of costs for cooling (potentially through use of climate smart paint, solar panels and other materials on community buildings)
• increased response to disaster management
• increased response to airborne and/or water borne pests as they affect the community.

Clean Up Bahrain will play a critical role in meeting expressed and identified community needs.

Benefits of Cleaning Up Your Local Beach

Bahrain’s story is the story of service—people who step forward to change lives and strengthen our nation. The needs of communities are pressing and complex. They require comprehensive, integrated and innovative solutions. CUB and the national service network are important elements of community solutions. Our work has the following benefits to local community:

1. You save marine animals

Over the past few years, the world has woken up to horrifying headlines about sea life that has unfortunately died due to consuming or being trapped by the waste we throw in the oceans. When our garbage washes up on coastlines, it gives us an opportunity to be good people and remove it before the tide washes it back out. Removing litter that we finds on the beach guarantees that marine wildlife won’t come into contact with it and perhaps find itself imperiled in some way or another.

2. You preserve our natural treasures

Beaches are diverse, beautiful, natural treasures that are here for all of us to explore and enjoy together. Unfortunately, trash on our beaches disturbing these shared natural treasures. By cleaning up the beach, you ensure that tourists from all over the world can enjoy your beaches fully.

3. You keep toxic chemicals out of the water

Cigarette butts are the most frequently littered item on Earth. As you might expect, this litter is one of the most commonly found bits of trash found in the ocean. Cigarette butts are small, but they make a big impact on clean water. After just one hour of exposure, a cigarette butt can contaminate almost 8 liters of water with unhealthy and dangerous chemicals. If you picked just 15 cigarette butts up off the ground, you’re saving nearly 1000 liters of water from contamination!

4. You help the local economy

Seaside communities around the world are seeking to get a huge boost to their economies from tourism. When beaches are free of litter, tourists and visitors are much more likely to enjoy them and spend money at businesses near the beaches. If the water is clean, fishers as well as tourist-oriented businesses like scuba diving tours are more likely to be able to make a solid living for themselves. Your beach cleanup will help the local economy!

5. You create a safer environment

Litter isn’t just unsightly, but it can actually be dangerous. Metal with sharp edges and pieces of glass can create a public health hazard just as much as an aesthetic one. These sharp pieces of litter can easily hide in sand and cause injuries to kids! If you see items like this, be extra cautious when picking them up so not to injure yourself or your friends.

6. You can dispose of waste the right way

One of the good things about doing litter cleanups yourself is that you get the opportunity to dispose of the waste you find the right way. So many recyclable and compostable items find their way in the landfill where they can’t properly break down. When you’re cleaning up litter, take care to recycle what you can!

7. You make seafood safer

They say what goes in the ocean ends up inside of you, particularly if you love to eat seafood! According to one study conducted at United Kingdome University of Oxford, the average seafood eater is consuming 11,000 tiny fragments of plastic every year. The chemicals in these plastics can accumulate in our bodies over time and eventually cause a lot of health problems. So cleaning up your local beach means creating a healthier place for everyone.

8. You get to be outside

Sand under your foots, sunshine beaming down on you, and a fresh sea breeze is our idea of a good time! One of the best things about community services is that you get to be outside, see all the natural beauty of the sea and the beaches near you, and spend your day doing something wonderful in nature!

9. You meet tons of new people

Visit most beaches around the world and you’ll find you aren’t alone! There are usually lots of people enjoying the fresh ocean air and the sunshine. Picking up litter isn’t something everyone does, so you’re bound to attract a little bit of attention! People will want to talk to you about what you’re doing and maybe even get involved! Cleaning up Bahrain’s local beach means meeting lots of new and verity of people.

10. You get some good exercise

Walking on the beach is actually better for you than walking on paved, flat surfaces, as the sand makes it a little more challenging to move. You burn more calories and weight, engage your stabilizing muscles more, and even improve your coordination. Walking on sand even makes your feet stronger! Beach exercise is pretty much the best.

Conclusion

Bahrainis can effectively respond to challenges by getting involved in their local communities through service. To realize this potential and fulfill our mission, we will work together with the national service network to invest in local solutions, engage Bahrainis in service, support evidence-based programs and leverage public-private partnerships. In executing this Strategic Plan, CUB will help build enduring capacity to solve community problems at the local level.

More families will be appreciated, supported and continue to serve their communities; economically disadvantaged people will have improved economic well-being and security of economically disadvantaged people will be improved. Citizens engaged, motivated, supported and linked together through a national service network will be the solution.

References

1. Cairns Regional Council – Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan (2010-2015)
2. Cairns Regional Council – Our Place in the Sun (Draft Community Plan 2031)
3. City of Port Philip – Community Plan 2007-2017
4. http://www.socialinclusion.gov.au
5. Dixon Partnership Solutions Partnering Above and Below the LineMarmot Review 2010

Introduction.

What is Community Service? From ABCs when we first hear the term ‘community service’ the thought we get is that it must be something regarding giving back to society. Having a look at the proper definition, Community service is when individuals or groups of people come together to volunteer to help improve a community, with no hope of getting any reap from the community. It can also mean helping non-profit organizations or doing positive things that lead to a better society.

Learning institutions, especially institutions of elevated education such as universities tend to carry out community service as part of their course work. A reason for this initiative is that it trains the students to gain hands-on experience. How to deal with the outside society. It also helps in developing personal growth since one gets to learn positive qualities like being sovereign etc. In addition, one also ends up gaining skills such as problem-solving, communication, managing time, etc enabling the development of the social life. These are the reasons why educational institutions like universities include community service as part of their curriculum despite of the degree that the student pursues.

What I got to know differently about community service is that it is not only about giving back to society but also about learning a lot from it.

The organization assigned was ‘The Rescue Dada Center’. It is in Ngara, Nairobi Kenya. Who owns and manages this organization? This organization is owned and managed by ‘The Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi. The center takes good care of approximately 70 girls from ages ranging between 5 to 16 years, and to take good care for this center it has a good hardworking staff of 26 members who help in the rehabilitation of these girls.

What’s the main aim of the organization? The main aim of this center was to rescue the street children, more specifically the girls who have gone through human abuse and assault on the streets by rehabilitating them, therefore, changing their lives. In addition, they also tend to create equal rights and opportunities for these girls giving them importance and making them part of society.

The Rescue Dada Center has a strong mission, to reduce the number of children living on the street mainly focusing on girls by rescuing and rehabilitating them (The Rescue Dada Center, 2020).

Nature of the project.

The Rescue Dada center was home to 70 girl children who were rescued from the streets. Therefore, the aim was to improve their quality of life by assisting them in the ways we could.

As a team, we first came up with a problem statement. There are various challenges faced by this center, and financial constraints are among them. When we visited the center, we noticed that apart from aids and grants the principal source of income for the center was from cosmetology. However, this cosmetology had its own challenges since they were not able to set up a standard one. The cosmetology department did not have sufficient equipment, and the one that was available was not effective since it was not in good working condition. Secondly, we also perceived that the organization used to outsource the food from suppliers to feed the girls. As we continued having a look at the center’s surroundings, we noticed that they were much of the center’s space left unused. We came up with a plan, converting the unused place to a useful place by converting it into a garden where they could plant kale and spinach. This would save them from outsourcing the vegetables that would be used in their meals. It was a good initiative since they would be able to plant a good quantity of these vegetables and the surplus could be sold off to the market hence earning the center more income.

After having sat as a team, we decided to have two projects for the center that would help them in the long run too. One of the projects included the purchase of a beauty salon, which the center uses as vocational training as part of the rehabilitation. We decided to purchase the following for cosmetology.

As mentioned above, we then decided to come up with a garden within the center’s premises to grow a few vegetables that would help them cut off costs when they used to outsource the veggies from suppliers. In addition, we shall equip the center with a few pieces of garden equipment for the sustainability of the garden. This initiative would be able to assist the center in obtaining good financial terms.

Budget.

When carrying out a project, it is always effective to have a budget prepared. This is because the budget shows how the funds shall be raised, the approximate that will be raised, and how those funds shall used for the project. It also helps in ensuring that no funds are mislocated.

Our main source of funds was from internal means. Each group member was asked to raise a minimum of Ksh.3000 per person. Any other donations from the society were accepted too Unfortunately, we were not able to outsource any income. Since we were a team of 14 members, the amount we managed to raise was Ksh.42,000 (Ksh.3,000*14=Ksh.42,000).

S.W.O.T analysis.

This basically stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This analysis helps in understanding where the organization is at and knowing how it can improve itself for effective running and overall improvement where necessary.

Strength.

It is basically the power to outstand the forces that affect something. The Rescue Dada Center has the following strengths.

Committed personnel. The center has a dedicated staff of 26 persons who take care of the center. This is taking care of the girls, others teaching them the vocational training of cosmetics, some overlooking the hygienic conditions of the center, a few of them preparing good dietary meals, and others teaching them common skills such as communicating, etc.

Social media page. The organization has a well-developed and managed Facebook page. This page allows them to portray their image to the outside world of what they do and therefore, this assists the center in attracting more individuals towards the tremendous work they do. These individuals then assist the center by donating and doing other social work, which in turn assists the whole center overall.

Financial stability. When we had a background check of the organization, we saw that the center has never seen itself having financial constraints. This is because the center also receives funds from other countries to keep it running and from the local community as well.

Weaknesses.

The lack of manpower. The center itself runs on donations and grants and hence cannot afford skilled manpower for the center like in the case of training the girls on cosmetology training. It becomes difficult to outsource this skilled labor. The manpower that works in the center voluntarily agrees to work for the center at cut-off wages as they are too of the center’s situation.

Inefficient equipment. We see that the center doesn’t have good equipment that would be used to train the girls. Some of the equipment they have is either outdated not replaced for a long period of time or doesn’t work effectively hence also affecting the teaching methods.

Improper use of the facility. The center had a lot of unused surroundings until our team came up with a suggestion. This affects the center’s productivity.

Financial inadequacy. Even though the center raises funds from external sources it is only able to raise just enough and no surplus. This limits the organization to limited options. It cannot expand its facilities since it runs on a tight budget.

Opportunities.

Receive grants. The organization can receive grants for example from government bodies. The administration bodies can decide to supply good services at a discounted price. Or if the center proves that it’s a genuine organization whose aim is to help and protect society, it may be ruled out of paying taxes and other related administration fees. This saves the center on funds.

Building partnerships. The center can build partnerships with the local community e.g., with suppliers who supply them with the good services they use in their everyday activities.

Expand their social sites. The organization can expand its respective social sites by creating webpages on apps like Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn rather than only on Facebook which shall enable it to outreach to more people across the globe and attract them to the organization.

Threats.

Negativity from the people. It has been seen that such non-profit organizations tend to face a lot of negativities. For example, many people say that in the name of NGOs, people tend to carry out illegal activities like drug smuggling, money laundering, etc. However, they are bodies that follow up with such as NGOs by investigating whether they are all doing the correct thing in the name of NGOs by assisting the needy and not carrying out illegal activities by taking assistance from the law that has been put in place by the governing bodies.

Competition. Even though these organizations do not run as businesses whose aim is to make profits, they do face competition. An example of such competition is when they cannot be able to attract donors if their organization is not portraying good results, and the donors decide to donate to better-performing institutions.

Unpredictable circumstances. We know that unpredictable circumstances usually end up with unavoidable results. For example, Covid-19 has unexpectedly brought a lot of issues to the global. We see that some donors only end up donating 10% of what they used to donate initially, and others don’t even donate anything. This is because of all the financial crises that have been brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. This ends up the center in financial constraints as well.

Impact of the project on society.

Since the organization deals with the rescuing and rehabilitation of children from society especially the girls who have gone through or are about to go through human abuse assault, it in turn reduces the number of street children countrywide by rescuing the girls from the street and taking them to their respective rescue centers.

Another impact would be that it would attract more individuals to come and assist in doing community service. This is when the outside community sees what a certain organization is doing, and therefore, 3 or more persons may decide to come up with their own similar organization that would foresee the betterment of the community.

As we all know all the children are naïve and therefore, all these street children need to be taken care of and loved the same way. Hence, such organizations really impact society. This is because they rescue the children from society take care good care of them and show affection since they provide better standards of living for the children.

When the organization grows, it not only creates local job opportunities for society, but also it can be able to increase the capacity of children being taken care of. This comes about when the outside community sees the progress of a certain center and decides to assist in all ways either by donating funds for building a new block that will be able to house more children and equip the center with the necessary equipment for effective running.

A major impact would be that these children in the rescue center end up being educated like any other child outside in the society. These children are taken through vocational training, whereby when the children are left out of society, they can be able to try and become independent on themselves. For example, The Rescue Dada Center teaches the girls it hosts cosmetology and when these girls go out to society, they can help themselves by attaining a job in a cosmetic area. This in turn has improved their own overall lifestyle.

This specific center (The Rescue Dada Center), the center has since seen a great improvement due to the effective use of the available equipment. This was seen because due to the pandemic, the organization was not admitting any more street children except those that need the utmost care. In turn, they were no strain on the available equipment and hence the deliverance of the services being offered was at its best.

Personal learning experiences.

Community service is not only about giving back to society, but with it one gets to educate themselves a lot. As an individual below are some of the following personal experiences I gained.

Teamwork. I saw that when a team comes together to achieve a certain accomplishment, it can be achieved more effectively as compared to an individual. Since we were a 14-member team, we decided to group ourselves into manageable groups each group handling a specific area to deal with. I was able to develop team building, good management, and effective communication skills. I would proudly say if in the future I am given a project to handle, I can give my 100% and carry it out effectively without any disappointment.

Another experience I gained was that life is not always the same for everyone. Everyone has gone through something worse before they reach a good turn in their life. I understood that the less unfortunate suffer a lot if it were not for this organization, they would be living in the open and get affected by the harsh weather conditions, sicknesses, lack of dietary food, and in a nutshell poor standard of living. As an individual, I would like to thank God for giving me such a prosperous life and understanding that when I have a chance, it is always good to give back to society without any hesitation.

Another skill was time management. This was very important while carrying out the entire project. One had to allocate enough time to do all the activities. Therefore the time management factor was very crucial. Some of the activities during the project were inspecting the site, and having a regular visit to see how the center is doing in terms of performance.

Another experience was that you get to engage with new individuals. This is because they are people from different diversities and different backgrounds that you get to work with and on the way, you get to understand and appreciate each other.

I have never taken part in any type of charity work, and hence I found it that it was something that is difficult to do. However as I progressed ahead and with the involvement of the lecturer and my fellow team members, I found out that it was actually interesting work to do. With the help of the entire crew, it looked easy as everyone was involved.

These are not only the skills I gained but others also like patience, budgeting, understanding, communication, leadership management, time management skills, problem solving, connecting what we learn in class to the outside world, developing a good viewpoint on life.

Recommendations.

No doubt the organization performs well, but there is always room for improvement. The following would be some of my recommendations for the center. Firstly, they should involve the surrounding community heavily. The center heavily depends on donations, therefore, involving the community would be really helpful. When the community gets involved after the organization portrays the good deeds it does, the community gathering may then decide to donate to the organization assisting it financially or in any other way possible.

Secondly, the organization should work on its social media sites. The organization should use social sites to show the work it does for the community to the outside world. They should create posts and upload them to their social site occasionally. This would help them to be known by the outside world.

Another thing would be for the center to come up with a strong board of management team. They should have a goal-oriented team that should drive the organization. These management team should come up with strategies that would lead to the survival and effective running of the center. For example, to cover the financial area they can organize harambees in the community to raise funds. A team with goals can always be successful.

I would recommend the center develop and maintain good partnerships with the externals especially the suppliers. This is because if they have a good relationship with the supplier, they can always ask for good, discounted rates for the things they are being supplied with. These would save on the expenses being incurred by the center. It is all for the benefit of the organization at the last.

Another thing is that the center should look at rescuing and rehabilitating all types of genders both male and female. This is because not only the girls are exposed to human abuse but also the boys, it is just in rare cases very unnoticeable. This would bring about diversity in the center which is a great step to be taken. Both genders would be able to share the different types of experiences which act as lessons to one another.

Lastly, the center to use its facilities effectively. The center has a lot of unused space which part of it we converted for them to be a garden to plant some of their vegies as per our budget. From here it’s the center’s responsibility to take good care of the garden and expand it so as to accumulate more vegies and hence buy less from the outside, and the excess could also be sold to the outside market and hence earn income revenue back to the center.

Conclusion.

In conclusion, I would really like to thank everyone who thought I would be a good person to take part in this project. Doing this community service project really educated me in various aspects of my life. It was not until that I knew that such small things in life would have great everlasting impacts on others’ lives. I also learned to appreciate everything in life. The things we have as an individual that others do not have and are struggling for such as a roof to stay under, good nutritious food, access to good medical facilities and many others not to mention.

The organization has such a powerful impact on society in that it tries its best to reduce the number of children who are living on the street by rescuing and rehabilitating them. They also teach them a few skills of cosmetics which would help them to get a good job in society. They would appreciate from where they have come back to where they are standing now.

Lastly, not forgetting the skills I learned.

References.

1. https: blog.prep scholar. somewhat-is-community-service
2. https:www.alleghenycourts.usdownloadsfamilyjuvenile sectionBrochuresCommunity Service.pdf
3. https:www.eacs.wa.edu.au201709top-5-benefits-of-community-service-activities

Introduction:

What is community service?

An additional general description of community service is, work done by a personal or a gaggle of people for the advantages of the community or establishments that serve that community. Community service sometimes would be provided by a corporation like a college or nonsecular establishment or a gaggle of people that square measure willing and ready to facilitate their communities or alternative communities that may want help. Volunteer work may also aim at serving non-profit organizations that are aimed toward humanitarian activities through providing services to assist them in reaching their goal. This could be done by either providing their services and experience or by providing funding and project work that allows the organization to operate effectively.

Community service could be a community organic process program that fights, poverty, aids education, cleans, and provides services or contributions to the betterment of a community. This parodies the volunteers to share their skills and build a distinction although a brief to long run volunteering work. Work will concentrate on areas of food security, water and sanitation, vulnerable youngsters, HIV/AIDS, smart governance, emergency relief, and improving the lives of the foremost vulnerable community members.

What is more, Community service isn’t forever performed on a voluntary basis for a range of reasons, like citizenship necessities, and necessities of a college, and in some cases, it’s conjointly used as a substitution of criminal justice sanctions that square measure issued by the court.

Community service will facilitate a variety of individuals in wants such as:

• Taking care and educating youngsters
• Taking care of Orphans and serving establishments like orphanages
• Taking care of the old
• Helping the homeless and therefore the poor with food, garments, or shelter.
• Taking care of the surroundings
• Wildlife protection
• Taking care of the sick and unwell
• Taking care of ladies, mothers, pregnant or parturient.

In the case of USIU, the community service is organized by the varsity that permits the scholars to be allotted at an explicit location. This provides the individual the flexibility to explore and appreciate the values gained by the type of volunteer work. As represented in our course “Community service is the learning partnership between the community, students, and therefore the university.” this permits students to produce their services supported a reciprocally arranged volunteer work. Community service doesn’t solely profit society; it also provides the scholar with profound information through eye gap, and hands-on expertise that would never be educated in any schoolroom.

From a private expertise being a part of a community service cluster, I feel it’s not solely serving the establishment however it’s conjointly serving to perceive a valuable long lesson regarding ourselves. The largest distinction I actually have detected from the volunteer work could be a feeling of self-accomplishment and fulfillment that I couldn’t have gotten anyplace else. I actually have created friends with the workers and intend to continue my relationship with them. What is more, it’s enabled me to become additional social and sympathetic to others while understanding the wants and needs of the opposite societies. I actually have conjointly accomplished that the folks that want the assistance the foremost don’t share it. We, as responsible participants of society ought to observe, perceive, and aid their issues and assure them that soliciting assistance is not a nasty factor.

Activities Performed

1. science lab Activities:

Activities within the science lab largely consisted of archiving, blood testing, urinalysis, cleaning, organizing files, and documentation. The laboratory is maintained and operated by 2 workers members from Westlands Health Centre. Since activities during this department square measure essential for the workflow of the hospital, it tends to induce engorged and busy every now and then. When a patient is tested for his or her pressure level and sugar level they’re then sent to the science lab to induce additional testing through blood, sputum, piss, and stool samples. When tests are finished in the science lab, lab technicians record results and counsel patients with medication and then send them to the pharmacy with their prescriptions.

2. chemical analyses

It’s the method performed of recording info of the samples taken from the patient, this includes working within the info of the patient and writing down the properties of the piss, whether or not it’s clear, dark, or cloudy. Additional examinations will then be taken to examine whether or not there’s blood within the piss. The laboratory workers were kind enough to show me a way to check and appearance for inconsistencies found in piss and what may cause it, as example, simply seeing the color of piss that features a saturated yellow color will indicate high levels of gall within the piss which could indicate that the patient has hepatitis or liver connected issues that require additional analysis to know the explanation for the discoloration.

I actually started to understand the work done by doctors and therefore the strategies they use to research what’s inflicting the patient these discomforts. What is more, chemical analysis and stool sample testing is mandatory for workers, and members of various hotels and building. That’s necessary for workers’ analysis that’s issued by the govt… All restaurants and hotels will be audited and they’ll be unable to renew their license while not having these evaluations done by country health centers.

Restaurants and hotels have a history of causing outbreaks of some sicknesses by dominating workers who don’t seem to be well this has triggered the government to take initiatives towards the cleanliness of the building and largely the security of the customers that move to these institutions. Finally, we have a tendency to check the piss acidity and appearance underneath the magnifier to examine any inconsistency with the white blood cells that may indicate any signs of diseases, like protozoa infection, or liver disease. Once all this info is logged and written down it’s then passed on to the technicians for additional diagnosing and analysis

3. Blood analysis:

This included blood staining, blood grouping, and internal secretion level checking. Whereas these activities usually are taken care of by the science lab technicians, we might facilitate them by sterilizing and analyzing blood slides. The laboratory workers gave me laboratory robes and gloves to operate with, as it was a necessity.

We had a short orientation of ways we must always handle bloodlines and the way to sterilize laboratory instrumentation once these were done they processed the slides.

Personally, I actually have learned loads regarding blood samples and observing different abnormalities underneath the magnifier. We were provided with staining liquids that would stain the blood to assist us in observing if the patient was infected with protozoa infection. The staining method would come with dipping the air-dried blood slide in the undiluted stain for fifteen to thirty seconds and change of state it again; once it’s dried we have a tendency to place the slide into the magnifier to detect any infections or inflammatory diseases. We also have a tendency to find out how to work out blood samples from patients, the method included:

1. We have a tendency to separate the blood in 3 respectful files whereas combining a patient’s blood with three totally different reagents
2. Then we have a tendency to take a glance at how the blood reacts to the reagents
3. Betting on how the blood reacts to the 3 totally different reagents we have a tendency to verify what problem the patient has. Learning these processes facilitated all of us to perceive loads regarding the anatomy and conjointly it has helped me appreciate the laboratory technicians by doing tedious work that enabled them to focus on the patients whereas we have a tendency to do the tests and sterilization.
4. Archiving and organizing laboratory documents and equipment:

Activities consisted of writing patient info in record books, changing results, getting ready files for audits, and actuation files of patients that had previous visits.

During the month of February, audits were being done to envision the log books while cross-checking inventory stock. Whereas loads of labor had to be wiped out in the record space of the laboratory and therefore the pharmacy, the workers were conjointly required to tend to the patient’s wants which was a troublesome task for them to try and do at a similar time. The activities enclosed sorting files since 2015 and any records found before that were thought of as “long term” and were sent to the storeroom to scale back cluttering within the tiny laboratory and pharmacy. What is more, the relevant documents were sorted and placed in alphabetical order. It was our work to help in organizing science lab instrumentation and furnishings, to form additional space for the files and science lab instrumentation, like the microscopes, centrifuge, fridges, etc. Everything within the science lab was taken out sterilized, and cleaned. Once the entire cleanup was done, all the files were logged into a soft copy within the science lab laptop for simple access and retrieval. Finally, all documentation, like the external documents, internal documents, and log books, were logged into a soft copy file for simple access and distribution because the text documents were equipped and placed away on shelves wherever it made it straightforward to access. Work surroundings

Experiences Learned:

Spending a lot of time within the laboratory and pharmacy has enabled me to be told loads regarding medical terminologies and processes of observing and preventing diseases, such are hindrance of protozoa infection through mistreatment, dipterous insect nets, and observing them at early stages. From info that I actually have gained regarding the hindrance or treatment of protozoa infection, I even have consulted a handful of patients on a way to do therefore, like burring puddles around places wherever they leave to scale back the count of mosquitoes around the house.

Straightforward consultations, like the one mentioned before, have enabled me to develop my social skills by providing insight. We have a tendency to use illustrated material provided by Westlands Health Centre to convey our plan and conjointly gain feedback on a way to improve the daily operation of the power. Although most of the problems they featured with the power were evident to me, we have a tendency to learn a way to communicate and reassure them that we have a tendency to be performing on them.

What is more, I actually have conjointly gained a deep understanding and knowledge on a way to handle folks that have bad temper, assuring them that we have a tendency to do our best and taking note of their problems. The patients who return to the power get treatment for complimentary and so every now and then become jammed, this causes restlessness since the doctors and workers are busy taking care of vital tasks; it’s our jobs to have patience, act consequently and decisions out their names once their time arrives. This kind of activity has given me some insights into ways to manage activities during a workspace and acquire activities to move on.

I have conjointly gained some vital info on a way to do a general checkup for patients, like taking their temperature or taking a little blood sample to determine their blood glucose levels. Additionally, we’ve been educated on some technical skills of examining and testing specimens given from the patients, this provided the doctors with additional info on springing up with a diagnosis for a patient. This has impelled me to be told additional regarding care and treatment on my very own and be enlightened in consulting patients with problems they face.

The usual specimen testing that I used to be ready to conduct on my very own included:

• Urinalysis: -consisted of work piss sample properties, like checking blood or any irregularities within the piss, work info of patients.
• Blood analysis: -taking samples from patients, distinctive people sorts, and -blood staining to research any abnormalities.

Social skills:

One of the foremost vital skills I have gained from operating in this facility is my social skills. I’m self-examining naturally and would rather work behind closed doors. However, operating in this facility has given me the incentive to assist folks that enabled Pine Tree State to have interaction and spoken communication with patients. I might conjointly determine patients who simply walked in and didn’t understand where to go; I would walk up to them and inquire if they required any help. The temperament of attempting to assist others has provided me with a way of breaking out of my cocoon and interacting with people who don’t even speak a similar language as mine, although gesturing what they required I might perceive and purpose them to the proper direction. Even reprehension of a gaggle of 4 folks makes me nervous every now and then. However, the constant interaction with folks on the routine has enabled me to speak with people smoothly.

Work environment:

Working within the facility has given us insight into ways organizations work with alternative organizations. As an example, Westlands Health Centre uses its storage rooms for pharmaceutical merchandise that is distributed to alternative county health Centers. This kind of dealings has given us some insight into how county-owned facilities work with one another.

Furthermore, I actually have gained loads of insight into ways miscellaneous activities regarding auditing and inventory checks were processed and brought in place. I actually have had some hands-on expertise in truth-checking documentation and book-checking for preparations of official audits, my previous information on this was all theoretical.

Incidents that occurred:

During the primary days of my service, there was an occurrence where the center was overflowing with loads of patients. This was the primary time that I had observed how staff were stretched thin because of loads of individuals waiting to be served. we were unable to serve all the patients in time as a result of the workers being inadequate, therefore we have a tendency to have to let the patients understand that we have a tendency to couldn’t serve all and had to schedule most of them for the succeeding morning. Several of them weren’t happy as a result, they came from far places and had no plans of going back and forth. Sadly we have a tendency to have no choice however to figure out as exhausting as attainable and check out to induce the maximum amount of patience processed, attainable. This created a backlog of patients that required to be rescheduled. Throughout the week most folks came to the hospital to assist the workers with the rear log that had taken more or less per week to prepare.

SWOT analysis of the organization:

Strengths:

One of the foremost vital strengths of Westlands Health Clinic that I have seen was how hospitable the staff was to us. They were forever by our aspect after we had queries or required help. Despite their entire existing drawback they usually created time to assist me with my problems. Additionally to the superb workers, the organization’s mission and vision have a shared character with alternative existing county health organizations. They work to share funds and services provided by the government and alternative monetary inputs provided by the public-private sector, partnerships, and inter-sectarian collaboration.

The standards maintained in health centers are usually evaluated by third-party governmental teams that provide an associate incentive for the workers to keep their standards at a high level. As an example, throughout the last audit for Westlands Health Centre, the power scored a 3.5 star rating which is an incredible score, considering that that facility is running on a decent budget and short workers.

Westlands Health Centre is located in a strategic region, which permits folks to induce free access to basic aid services for complimentary. Easy-to-access aid has given the center nice support from the community and numerous establishments and organizations from the personal sector.

Westlands Health Centre is the sole county hospital, in a densely urban area that gives 24/7 services at the maternity ward, with 22-24 obtainable beds provided to mothers. This provides a refuge for loads of mothers who are unable to afford medical treatment elsewhere.

The service provided by this facility features a score of 3.5 which could be a high rating. Even as compared to some personal sector health facilities, it’s scored higher than them. The standards show that despite all the low wages the staff are receiving, they’re providing their services to induce the most effective attainable treatment to their patients.

The strength is that the power could be a teaching institute wherever potential doctors return and do sensible work. This permits the center to induce extra hands to assist them with the load, nevertheless, a number of the varsity students return to facilitate the center with finances and provides.

Weaknesses:

One of the most important weaknesses I have determined regarding Westlands Health Centre is funding and monetary problems. Throughout the primary weeks of operating within the establishment, there was a problem where funding meant for the center, had gone missing. This resulted in third-party donors, refusing to fund the center which led to a shortage of resources. This cash was reported taken. The weakness of a public organization like this is often funding. there’s no consistent means for obtaining cash and once the money has been obtained there are not any assurances that the money is going to be placed in the proper hands.

Another weakness of the center is the shortage of workers and therefore the demand for services by the folks. Although the staff are operating overtime for such a small financial gain it’s still not enough to support the number of individuals inbounds within the hospital at a routine. This gives a weakness wherever the demand is additional that the service will provide.

Another weakness of the institution is the shortage of backup generators. Once the facility goes off, most of the laboratory work is stopped considering all the people who are waiting for the results. This creates a backlog of patients waiting to be seen and is rescheduled for the succeeding day hoping that the electricity can be back.

What is more, since this is a building that was built a long time ago, there are some electrical problems that require repairing at most sections of the power. This may require some major investments, to alter the recent wires and replace electrical elements, Shorts and darkness don’t seem to be out of the standard and pose a serious hazard. Westlands Health Centre is associated recent establishment that dates back to 1980; the data found regarding this facility is extremely thin and not well recorded. The history behind the founder who started it and the way it had been initially based isn’t famous even to the workers of the center. A correct analysis of the background of the center and record keeping is required. The web presence of the center isn’t well established, there’s a lot of want for online info that will inform the people.

Opportunities:

There are loads of infrastructural changes occurring around Westlands that had started early last year. The development includes the enlargement of roads around Westlands that additionally is as well as a replacement electrical grid. This might be a chance to upgrade the electrical infrastructure and supply additional stable electrical output. This could cut back any surprising blackouts and facilitate any surprising rescheduling.

With this inflow of investors and forthcoming successful organizations, there are additional opportunities for the power to receive additional investments from the personal sectors. Safari-com which is additionally close to the power provides additional opportunities for infrastructural upgrades to the road and electrical grid system that surrounds the power.

Westlands Hospital conjointly gets loads of opportunities from volunteers like us. Most of the volunteers I actually have seen within the facility are consultants in alternative fields like engineering science and advertising. I actually have seen a handful of scholars give WebPages on social media to push the institute et al. that will facilitate the net for most offices. I think community service given by numerous establishments facilitates not solely providing their services but conjointly improving the power through project work, like finance or obtaining further instrumentation that will build the center to operate better.

Threats:

The major threat I actually have witnessed is the one that has been occurring recently, with the razing of buildings and numerous outlets occurring around Westlands. Rumors are going around that the Westlands Hospital was conjointly targeted jointly of these buildings however these are still rumors. Another threat is one that comes from finances. There are no consistent means for a corporation like this to induce a gentle flow of financial gain. Since there are loads of individuals that consume and provide a gentle flow of probationary provides square measure is required.

Recommendations:

• Additional backup power offers produce a steady workflow
• Instructional info on better conduct among the center for volunteers
• Provision of safety manual once operating in the center
• Online resource that will attract additional volunteers and financiers to contribute to the establishment
• A bigger sign in the gate that spells out “Westlands Health Centre”
• Additional workers are additionally required to attend to the various patient’s wants and needs
• Increase of remuneration to the exhausted operating workers

Conclusion:

As a student of USIU, I notice that having a course that allows students to interact and commit their efforts towards the betterment of assorted communities isn’t solely moral but also a valuable life lesson. This provides not solely the welfare of society but also permits the scholars to achieve a wider perspective on problems that square measure sometimes unnoticed. it’s an important expertise to possess, not solely for people who wish to be involved in community service but also for the people who ought to see and acknowledge a unique perspective and environment to essentially perceive what’s happening in societies that are with the exception of them. This provides a push that permits folks to get out of their comfort zones and enables them to examine what the planet is basically like with the exception of their comfortability. Throughout my hands-on expertise I actually have to be compelled to understand loads of individuals with loads of problems, and having the chance to assist them a bit has authorized me with the information and initiative to try and do additional activities for not solely my community but also to communities that require it the foremost. The sensation of accomplishment that I feel at the end of my shift is solely based on altruistic acts of concern and kindness.

Being a dentist seems what I always dreamed about. It was my choice in all ways until my family called me “our little dentist”. This passion became bigger as I got older. My interest in orthodontics stemmed from personal experience. Began as a patient and then solidified into a career choice. The positive outcome of this aroused interest in me towards the specialty of Orthodontics so as to be able to give smiling faces and feelings to the people around me to the same degree as I felt post-orthodontic treatment. The ability to help people is the most appealing aspect though, and becoming a dentist would provide me with tremendous job satisfaction. Other interests of mine include leadership and community service as they have been gratifying opportunities to help others. Thus, dental school seemed to be the logical next step. Orthodontics drew me into its discipline with open arms, and fit my interests and goals precisely.

Ever since primary school, my path has been bestrewn with commendations, a pace I have maintained throughout my educational years. I used to be a hard worker; My dedication is evident from my record of accomplishment, and discipline. In looking back, I learned the FDI tooth numbering system by fifteen years old, while My friend and I were reading her father, a Pedodontist, dental books. I knew that any Dental professional holds a trusted role in the community. To this end, I have been actively involved in community service and leadership organizations, a sense of responsibility I have had since I was a teen. I am no stranger to research work, either, and have seen the applications of research to control or heal disease while contributing to clinical and academic work. After completing college and finishing the internship year I trained in the orthodontic field at a private institution. I was trained in the basics of orthodontic practical skills by the dean of our college and other doctors. Much more than this, though, I witnessed the level of gratification that drips from patients’ eyes post-treatment, which is simply beyond description. I became enthralled with the specialty and felt compelled to learn more. Thus, I sought out and took part in other orthodontic-related activities; I participated in organizing events, lectures, and workshops. For example, I was a member of that big event about ‘Orthodontic, more than a smile’, a speaker of the lecture and hands-on workshop “Basics of clinical Orthodontics”, and I was involved in the Orthodontic Residency program as an organizer, observer, and listener.

The sense of camaraderie and transfer of knowledge while working with others draw me to education. I joined the orthodontic department at King Khalid University, which has been a great center of higher learning and academics, as a teaching assistant. I had the opportunity to teach students, and helping them taught me the rewards of assisting others to achieve their goals. Being at government clinics makes me very fortunate to be involved in treating vast numbers of patients. It has allowed me to give back to the larger community with an immense range of dental problems, and orthodontics. Integrate with that large number of students, and the staff made me notice the good communication between us the successful patient care, and the higher educational level we got. These skills and experiences form the foundation upon which I intend to achieve my goal of being involved in the different fields of orthodontics. While working as a teaching assistant in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontic Sciences, I have been acquainted with a glittering circle of eminent specialists, academicians, researchers, and professionals. They have not only helped me to excel in performing the assigned clinical cases and research but have also been a minaret of inspiration. I found myself quite fortunate to have the opportunity to hone my professional know-how during this process of teaching.

For me, education, research, and patient care are the areas in which I want to become a leader. Thus, my interest has increased to the level of deep enthusiasm in me to pursue higher education through a post-graduation program in Orthodontics utilizing the ever-updated technology and quantum of knowledge, techniques, and professionalism. Additionally with my keen excitement to achieve higher landmarks in related research and developmental spheres in Orthodontics and also in the ever-increasing /demanding applicability thereof in Community services; through clinics and awareness programs on the ground so as to be a contributor in ushering a new era of advancement in Higher learning and Community welfare spheres, thus achieving intrinsic satiation for playing the desired role in enhanced academic- development, optimum Oral Health Care delivery system and in consequential social perfection of common people.

Now I become enthralled with the specialty and feel compelled to acquire more & more knowledge. I want to immerse myself in the finest Orthodontic program possible, exposed to a challenging caseload, culturally and socio-economically diverse patients, as well as the latest technologies, techniques, resources, stalwart faculty, and accomplished student body.

Abstract

It is an activity that is becoming a common practice by many individuals. Many institutions are also taking the opportunity of volunteers in order to save on costs while realizing their goals. This paper seeks to determine the factors that motivate volunteers in the leisure sector.

It also aims at providing some of the challenges faced during the management of volunteers and the succession planning that done for the volunteers in the sector.

As a means to develop an understanding of these topics, the paper will review previous research on volunteering and outline some of the motivating factors, challenges and importance of volunteering.

The review shows that individuals are motivated due to the benefits that come with volunteering in the sector and the nature of the activity. The main challenge outlined includes the process of recruitment and management of the volunteers.

This calls for proper succession planning by the institution and organizations. The visitor attraction operations have determined the volunteers to be of great importance due to various reasons including increase in workforce and reduction of costs.

Introduction

Volunteering is the provision of free service to an institution or organization. Due to reappraisal of the social policy in various areas, the voluntary groups have found new roles to play. Many areas including community development and other welfare issues are becoming more dependent on the intervention from volunteers.

The voluntary sector is increasing and in the UK, for example, almost half of the population is involved in voluntary services (Bussell and Forbes 3). The leisure sector is also becoming preferred by volunteers due to several motivating factors.

The institutions recruiting volunteers face several challenges in the management of the volunteers. The leisure sector is increasingly becoming dependent on the volunteers due to their importance in the sector.

Literature review

Volunteers are usually from diverse cultures and may work in various social, religious and social frameworks (Lockstone-Binney, Holmes, Smith, and Baum 3). Volunteering has been often associated with sustained and continuous form of commitment.

This is where by volunteers work for a particular company over a long period of time. This way, the employers and employees maintain a long-term working relationship. However, various changes in the demographics and certain social changes have increased the need for the volunteers.

Their commitment and their time have been considered of great importance in various settings in the leisure sector (Lockstone-Binney, Holmes, Smith, and Baum 3).

For example, other forms of volunteering are temporal and are opportunities that are provided due to high demand. They are usually provided on a one-time basis or only during specific occasions. In the leisure sector, volunteering takes place in various areas.

Examples of these areas include the sporting activities and events, visitor information centres, heritage cites, conservation areas and museums.

There are several motivational factors that encourage the volunteers to focus their attention to the leisure sectors (Boz and Palaz 645). One of the major factors that motivate volunteers to venture into the leisure sector is the perceived benefits.

It has been suggested that human beings perform activities that usually result in the exchange of costs for benefits. Some of the costs that a volunteer incurs include their time, energy and finances.

The perceived benefits may include rewards that the volunteer may receive after offering his or her time and energy. The exchange theory argues that a person is motivated to perform volunteer activities if the profits to be received exceed the costs incurred.

Other factors that motivate people to volunteer in the leisure sector are the conscious reasons. They may be divided into three categories. Firstly, they may be the reasons that are to do with the particular activity to be undertaken for volunteer or the location.

For example, many people like to volunteer during the Olympic Games. Approximately 47000 people volunteered for the 2000 Sydney Olympics and Paralympic Games (Holmes and Smith 5). The UEFS EURO 2012 event is highly anticipated and many volunteers will be willing to sacrifice their energy and time for the event.

Secondly, others decide to volunteer due to the client population. These include the altruistic responses. Thirdly, other reasons include those related to the volunteers themselves.

Managing volunteers may be challenging in many ways. Selecting the qualified persons to perform the particular task may be time consuming. For example, the pioneer volunteers of the 2000 Sydney Olympic and Paralympic Games had to be recruited four years before the event.

Succession planning for the volunteers in the leisure sector may include the recruitment of the persons with regards to their qualifications and depending on the roles to be played. Sometimes, age is a factor (Holmes and Smith 4).

Therefore, recruiting the specific age group is essential in order to ensure that the task will be effectively performed. This may include recruiting persons who are fluent in specific languages, those with medical qualifications, or those with technical know-how.

These volunteers are usually referred to as the specialist volunteers. There are also general volunteers who usually perform general activities. These may include acting as spectators, providing transport and various other activities.

The volunteers are also asked to familiarize themselves with the rules and regulations of the organizations. If the performance of the volunteers does not match the standards of the institution, they are withdrawn (Holmes and Smith 8).

Volunteers in visitor attraction operations are very important for many reasons. Firstly, they help the organizations to save a lot of money (opportunity cost) that they would have otherwise used to perform the particular task if the volunteers were not available (Holmes and Smith 6).

The volunteers also help to reduce the bulk of the task since some tasks require a huge number of personnel. Another benefit organizations get from the volunteers is the technical support that is provided by the volunteers (Holmes and Smith 7).

Methodology

For this assessment, the data was collected using secondary sources. This involved the consultation of academic and industrial reference sources. Peer reviewed journals were used in order to compare the works of various authors and come with a consolidated approach.

The searches were conducted for articles written between 2002 and 2011. The articles were in English and were searched using the key word ‘volunteering in leisure sector’. Articles that were more recent were given priority for inclusion.

The titles and abstracts of the sources were reviewed in order to determine their relevance to the particular topic of discussion. Those that touched on the four topics of discussion were selected as relevant material.

Due to the limited time allocated for the assessment study, four references were used for the study. There were four areas that were being studied. The first one was on the factors that motivated volunteers in the leisure sector. The second one was on the challenges that organizations and institutions faced while managing volunteers.

The third was on the succession planning that was prepared for the volunteers in the leisure sector. Lastly, the importance of the volunteers in the visitor attraction operations was also studied.

For analysis, the articles were reviewed in order to find the ideas that were common or related in the articles. The information that was related to the four areas of the study were outlined and presented.

Analysis and discussion

Several factors were provided as reasons why volunteers were motivated to venture into the leisure sector. The first factor was described as the perceived benefits from the volunteering work. This could be the opportunity that volunteering brings to the person. This may be due to the particular activity of the venue.

The person may be motivated to volunteer if, for example, the volunteering work would enable him or her to go to places that one could not normally go. Attending events such as the Olympic Games may be costly and volunteering would grant someone easy access.

Other people prefer to volunteer in the leisure sector due to the nature of activity. The activity may be enjoyable and fun.

Other reasons include the expected satisfaction (Edwards and Graham 22). Some experience satisfaction when they achieve their own goals while performing volunteer activity. Others find satisfaction when they see other people achieve their goals through their volunteer services.

Satisfaction in achieving one’s goals may be through receiving rewards and recognition at the end of the volunteer service. However, some are satisfied by the mere fact that they were able to benefit the society at large (Boz and Palaz 648).

There are several challenges that may face institutions and organizations while managing volunteers. This is because of the selection process that may be challenging. Despite providing volunteer services, the volunteers should have certain qualifications.

Some volunteers also may not take the work seriously due to the fact that they are not being paid for it. This proves challenging to the institutions.

The succession planning for volunteers involves several steps including the recruitment of individuals based on age and qualifications (depending on type of volunteer work). The institutions also ensure that the volunteers are conversant with the rules and regulation of the institution, and their roles as volunteers.

Institutions that deal in visitor attraction operations benefit greatly from the volunteers. This is because the volunteers help in easing some of the strenuous activities that the institutions have to perform.

Some of them provide technical help due to their expertise and this provides the institutions with a helping hand in realizing their goals within the set deadlines.

Conclusion and recommendations

Volunteering is the act of sacrificing time, energy or resources to an organization or institutions in order to get satisfaction in one way or another. Many people volunteer in various areas and sectors in the economy.

However, many volunteer in the leisure sector. This preference is due to various reasons that may include the satisfaction that comes with it or the rewards that are expected.

Due to the large numbers of volunteer in this sector, succession planning is necessary in order to select the right candidates for the job. This involves conducting a recruitment process.

Institutions recruiting volunteers are mostly faced with several challenges while managing the volunteers. This may be due to the recruitment process itself or their performance after recruitment.

Many institutions are resorting to the recruitment of volunteers due to the benefits that come with it. Volunteers increase the workforce and make work easier.

Volunteers may also have certain skills that may be helpful for the institution to realize their goals. Therefore, with proper management of volunteers, organizations may realize their goals while at the same time saving on costs.

Works Cited

Boz, Ismet, and Serap Palaz. “Factors influencing the motivation of Turkey’s community volunteers.” Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 36.4 (2007): 643-661.

Bussell, H, and D Forbes. “Understanding the volunteer market: The what, where, who and why of volunteering.” International Journal of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Marketing, 7.3 (2002): 244-257.

Edwards, Deborah, and Margaret Graham. “Museum volunteers: A discussion of challenges facing managers in the cultural heritage sectors.” Australian Journal on Volunteering, 11.1 (2006): 19-27.

Holmes, Kristen, and Karen Smith. Managing volunteers in tourism: Attractions, destinations and events. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann, 2009. Web.

Lockstone-Binney, Leonie, Kristen Holmes, Karen Smith, and Tom Baum. “Volunteers and volunteering in leisure: Social science perspectives.” Leisure Studies, 29.4 (2010): 435-455.

Introduction

Mondawmin Community Service Delivery and Evaluation Plan provides a framework for implementing service delivery programs and evaluation processes for such plans. The goal is to address major problems that face the community. Currently, the community in the Mondawmin region Baltimore city faced five major problems, which include juvenile crime, poverty, domestic violence, heart diseases, and cancer. Through the service delivery plan, the relevant authorities in the region will put in place the relevant measures for reducing or eliminating the above predicament in the region.

Summary of Community Needs Assessment

The community needs assessment revealed that Mondawmin region has a population of approximately 9770, which represents only 1.5% of the city’s inhabitants. The neighborhood is predominantly black, making up 96.7% of the whole population. Whites make up 1.2% while Asians and Latinos constitute 0.2% and 0.9% of the population respectively (Spencer, Petteway, Bacetti, & Barbot, 2015). The neighborhood has lower levels of educational achievement as compared to other regions in the city. For instance, only 14.3% of the population has a Bachelor’s Degree or higher as compared to the city’s average of 25.0%. About 61.6% of the population has a high school degree or less. Juvenile arrest in the region is among the highest crimes in the city.

For instance, 234.8 arrests are made per 1000 juveniles between 10 and 17 years as compared the city’s rate of 145.1 per 1000 (Baltimore City Health Department, 2011). The region also has higher rates of domestic violence incidents as compared to the city’s average. Poverty is also a major issue, with 12% of the neighborhood’s population living below the poverty line while 36.5% of the population has a household income of less than $25000. Health is a major issue in the community (Baltimore City Health Department, 2008). For instance, 25% of all deaths in the neighborhood are because of heart disease. In addition, 17% of the deaths are due to cancer.

Service Delivery Plan

Service delivery is a process, which involves key concepts. The first objective of service delivery process is to ensure user engagement and development of partnerships. In this case, the process involves the identification of relevant users and their respective needs and engaging the relevant authorities in the identification of the user requirements and strategies for addressing the identified needs. The second process is the service design and development of services to meet user needs. The third process is the delivery of services. In this concept, the focus is on producing, disseminating, and communicating services or information that is relevant in meeting the user needs. The last process is the evaluation and improvement where the focus is on the collection of user feedback and performance of the services to guarantee continuous evaluation and improvement of services.

The service delivery plan in the case of Mondawmin Neighborhood will be based on five objectives that address each of the five key problems that face the areas as identified in the community needs assessment. The objectives include reducing juvenile crime and arrests by 60% and reducing the number of people living below poverty line.

Reducing domestic violence in the neighborhood, putting in place health programs to address heart diseases, and initiating programs to reduce cancer in Mondawmin will also be part of the objectives.

Objective 1: Reducing juvenile crime and arrests by 60%

The Main Expected Outcome

The first objective of the service delivery plan is to reduce the rate of juvenile crime and arrests in the region. As it stands, the area has one of the highest juvenile arrest rates in the city, with 234.8 per 1000 arrests as compared to 145.1 per 1000 the average of the city (Spencer et al., 2015). The main target for this objective is to reduce juvenile crime by 60%, which will consequently ensure that the rate is at par with the city’s average.

Strategic Activities

To achieve the objective, the main activities will include the involvement of parents and guardians in the initiation of programs aimed at preventing the involvement of the juveniles in crime. The second activity will involve the engagement of institutions of learning where children spend most of the time in implementing programs of identifying those at risk, thus taking the necessary measures. The third activity will involve the engagement of the police department in understanding the various crimes and reasons for the high rate of juvenile arrests in the region. These activities will be important in ensuring the development of relevant programs to reduce the rate of juvenile arrests in the areas.

Key Stakeholders and Timeline

The key stakeholders are parents, the police department, schools, rehabilitation centers, and Baltimore city department of social services. The program will take duration of five years.

Resources

The program will require financial resources to facilitate the development and implementation of the program’s activities.

Objective 2: Reduce the number of people living below poverty line

The Main Expected Outcome

The main expected outcome in this goal is to reduce poverty rate in the neighborhood. Currently, 12% of the neighborhood’s population lives below the poverty line (Baltimore City Health Department, 2011). Further, 36.5% of the households have less than $25000 total household income.

Strategic Activities

The main activities include the implementation of income generating ventures and opportunities to reduce the number of people living below the poverty line by 30%. Such activities will also lead to an increase in the household income, thus helping to achieve the objective of reducing poverty in the area. The above goal will be achieved through the promotion and increase in temporary and permanent jobs in the area. Providing preference of the local people in the city departments will also help to increase employment.

Key stakeholders and Timeline

The main stakeholders are the labor department, the private sector, and the state government. The program will take five years.

Resources

The resources will include financial backup to facilitate various programs in the implementation of the project.

Objective 3: Reduce domestic violence in the neighborhood

The Main Expected Outcome

The main expected outcome for the objective is to eliminate domestic violence in Mondawmin neighborhood. Currently, domestic violence is very high in the neighborhood. There is a need to implement proactive programs to reduce the trend.

Strategic Activities

The main activities, which will be implemented, include the improvement of family health services in the area. Family counseling services are inadequate in the region. This project will be an important addition to the family health services that are currently provided. The creation of rescue centers for victims of domestic violence will also be another important activity.

Key Stakeholders and Timeline

The main stakeholders in this activity will be the police department, the social health services department, and non-governmental organizations on gender-based violence in the area. The program will be ongoing with evaluation in every three years.

Resources

The resources that will be needed will include finances to recruit and train family healthy counselors in the areas. Further, resources will be required to establish and equip rescue centers for the victims of domestic violence in the area.

Objective 4: Put in place health programs to address heart diseases

The Main Expected Outcome

The main expected outcome is to reduce the number of deaths and incidents of health diseases by less than 15%. Currently, heart diseases account for more than 25% of all deaths in the region.

Strategic Activities

Heart problems are major lifestyle diseases, which can be controlled. Their incidence can also be reduced through early detention and lifestyle changes for all at-risk individuals. The first mission will involve the promotion of activities towards lifestyle change in the society. The second objective will address campaigns towards improved awareness of heart diseases in the neighborhoods. Lastly, increasing the capacity of local hospitals to address health diseases will be a major activity.

Key Stakeholders and Timeline

Key stakeholders of the program will include the local health departments and hospitals. The media will also be an important stakeholder in promoting the awareness programs in the area. Lastly, the whole community will also play an important role in the program. The program is projected to last five years.

Resources

The program will require substantial finances to facilitate the awareness campaigns, as well as improving the capacity of the local health facilities in the neighborhood.

Objective 5: Initiate programs to reduce cancer in Mondawmin

The Main Expected Outcome

The main expected outcome is a reduction in the cases of cancer in the region, which will lead to fewer deaths from the disease. Currently, cancer is attributed to more than 17% of all deaths in the neighborhood.

Strategic Activities

The main activities in this objective will major on increasing awareness on cancer in the community. The other major activity will focus on early detection of cancer in the community. Cancer is highly preventable and treatable with early detention. The third activity is the improvement of the local hospitals’ capacity to handle cancer-related complications.

Key Stakeholders and Timeline

The key stakeholders in this objective include the local and state health departments. Cancer is a nationwide problem, which requires collaboration between local, state, and national organizations. The other stakeholders will be the community, media, and the health advocacy organizations. The program will be ongoing and evaluated after every five years.

Resources

The program requires financial resources to finance various activities as identified above. For instance, improving the capacity of the local hospitals will require substantial financial resources.

Evaluation Plan

The evaluation plan aims at ensuring that the service delivery plan meets its objectives as expected in the neighborhood. The evaluation process will include the measurement of outcomes and program progress through well-identified milestones. Further, the program will be evaluated in terms of resource usage and the outcomes for the resources. Lastly, the evaluation will gauge the need for implementing a continuous improvement program to ensure that outcomes of ongoing evaluations are considered for the program to remain on its path to achieving the overalls goals of the service delivery plan.

Trauma and Response to April 27 Uprising

The April 27 Uprising event was marked by protests in response to questionable death of a 25-year-old African-American in the hands of police officers of the Baltimore Police Department (Fletcher, 2015). To respond well to the uprising, the Mondawmin community seeks to have a close working relationship with the local police departments to eliminate a repeat of such events that led to the death of the young man and the subsequent protests (McDaniels, 2015). It is also important to involve the various public health organizations to help in reducing the stress and trauma of the people of the city (Wen & Sharfstein, 2015).

Reference List

Baltimore City Health Department. (2008). Greater Mondawmin health profile 2008. Baltimore, ML: Baltimore City Department and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School.

Baltimore City Health Department. (2011). Greater Mondawmin health profile 2011. Baltimore, ML: Baltimore City Department and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School.

Fletcher, M. A. (2015). Freddie Gray and William Porter: Two Sons of Baltimore Whose Lives Collided. Web.

McDaniels, A. K. (2015). Stress of Baltimore Unrest Could Stay with Residents for a While. Web.

Spencer, M., Petteway, R., Bacetti, L., & Barbot, O. (2015). Healthy Baltimore 2015. Baltimore, ML: Baltimore City Health Department.

Wen, L. S., & Sharfstein, J. (2015). Unrest in Baltimore: The Role of Public Health. JAMA, 313(24), 2425-2426.

Introduction

Background Information

Community service as a concept has gained popularity throughout the world for various reasons. Perold & Rahmat (1997:14) are of the view that this concept is gaining popularity in discourses taking place throughout the world. This is especially the case in community development discussions.

Bryant & West (2011) views community service as service or activity that “…..is donated or performed by an individual or a group of individuals to benefit the community” (p. 82). The aim of community service is to benefit members of the public or the various institutions that are found in a contemporary society. It is noted that not every individual who provides community service can be referred to as a volunteer.

This is a common misconception among members of the public. It is not everyone who is contributing to the wellbeing of the community is doing so at their own free will. This is given the fact that the individual may be compelled to provide community service by various factors.

Such an individual cannot be conceptualised as a volunteer. However, those who provide community service on their own volition with the sole aim of benefiting members of the society and the various social institutions can be regarded as volunteers (Hustinx, 2005: 530).

So what are some of the reasons that compel someone to provide community service? According to Jones & Hill (2003: 539), there are various reasons why one may feel compelled to provide community service against their will. For example, the government may require some people to provide community service as a policy.

This is for example when military officers are required to provide humanitarian assistance to members of the public during war. Another reason may be an order from the court especially for those criminals who are serving their sentence on probation.

A school may also require the students to provide community service before they graduate. These are just some of the various reasons that may compel someone to provide community service against their will.

Jehan (2004: 297) opines that recent developments in the world today have greatly affected community service. For example, globalisation has made the community so complex such that several communities around the world are dependent on each other. This being the case, community service in one community may have impacts on another society in a different part of the world.

The issue of interdependence among communities is especially significant given the fact that globalisation has created a situation whereby limited resources have to be shared by the various communities around the world (Jehan, 2004: 297).

As a result of globalisation, it is noted that community service requires the engagement of various stakeholders in the society. This is given the fact that a single sector or a single segment of the society cannot effectively meet the requirements of community service in a given society (Hustinx, 2005: 526). Collaboration between various stakeholders such as businesses, schools and such others is needed to improve the welfare of the community.

So what are some of the benefits of community service? According to Vermeulen, Nawir & Mayers (2003: 12), both the community and the person providing the service stand to benefit from community service. For example as far as the individual is concerned, community service leads to a sense of pride and satisfaction after helping the needy (Dwayne & Palmer, 2006: 399).

The individual feels needed and feels that they have contributed to the wellbeing of the society. Community service also fosters a sense of responsibility on the part of the volunteer or the person providing the service (Bednarz et al., 2008: 92). The person feels indebted to the community and feels that they have a duty to perform. It is noted that community service strengthens the community benefiting from the service.

For example, a business enterprise providing free medical services to the members of the community improves the overall health of the whole community (Altman, 1995: 529).

As the volunteer gets to interact with other members of the community, a sense of tolerance develops between the members of the community and the volunteer. This is especially so in regions such as Africa where ethnic and tribal animosity is rife. A volunteer should ideally provide services to all members of the society without discriminating on the basis of ethnicity or other differences.

It is important to note that as much as the community and the individual stands to benefit from community service, there are various challenges facing the provision of this service in a given community (Bebbington & Farrington, 1993: 202). The challenges vary through time and space. This means that they vary from one community to the other and from one time or period to the other.

Such challenges may include the resistance on the part of the members of the community. The members of the community may resist help from outsiders even when it is obvious that such help is to their own benefit. For example, a country in Africa may decline humanitarian help from a Western nation claiming that such assistance may threaten the sovereignty of the country.

Another challenge may be resistance and lack of cooperation on the part of the community service providers. A case in point is when students resist providing community service when it is made mandatory by the school management.

It is also noted that community service may be threatened by lack of funds which will hamper the ability of the organisation or the individual to provide such services. A case in point is when there is lack of donor funding to support famine relief programs in Africa.

Problem Statement

As already noted in this paper, community service can be provided by different individuals and organisations from within and without the target community. This may include businesses providing community service as part of their corporate social responsibility program, faith based organisations as part of their outreach program or individuals interested in giving back to the community (Booth, 2006: 13).

A university is such an organisation that may find it necessary to provide community service as part of its academic and professional program. The university may require the students to participate in community service before they graduate.

This is for example when the department of dentistry requires the trainee dentists to participate in dental camps organised in the community to provide members of the community with free dental services. Other activities in which the students may participate include planting trees, cleaning, caring for the needy among others.

Perold & Rahmat (1997) are of the view that universities in Africa have embraced community service as a program and strategy aimed at addressing various problems facing such an institution.

For example, the universities may require the students to engage in community service in order to gain practical experience as far as working within the community is concerned (Cooke & Kothari, 2001: 13). The universities may also participate in community service as part of the institution’s efforts to give back to the community.

According to Perold & Rahmat (1997: 15), advocates of community service are of the view that such a program can be used by the university to address various issues facing higher learning. To this end, advocates of such a program are of the view that community service benefits not only the community but also the student and the institution as a whole.

The community benefits by having its welfare and wellbeing of its members improved while the student benefits by gaining working experience among other benefits. The university on its side is able to establish and sustain working relationship with the members of such a community as a result of the community service (Wilson, 2011: 19).

One is able to identify the various stakeholders involved in community service in Africa by analyzing the benefits that community service provided by a university has. The stakeholders in such a case may include the students, the university, the government and the community as alluded to above (Mobley, 2007: 129).

Out of all these stakeholders, it is noted that the university students who are participating in community service are perhaps the main beneficiaries of such a program.

As already indicated in this paper, the students acquire professional skills as a result of their participation and they may also be earning in the process (Perold & Rahmat, 1997: 15). This is for example when the students are financed by various donor agencies to participate in community service.

It is noted that youths actively advocate for community service programs in African universities. This is perhaps given the fact that they have come to realise that they are the main beneficiaries of such programs.

Authors cite the example of the annual South African Students’ Congress (also referred to as Sasco) held in 1996 which passed a resolution supporting compulsory community work for all students in institutions of higher learning (Perold & Rahmat, 1997: 16).

According to the resolution passed by the students, community work should be in line with what the student is studying in the university. For example, a Social Work student may be involved in the provision of free social services to street children in the cities.

The South African National Youth Commission also advocates for a program targeting university students in the country. The commission is of the view that such a program can be used as a creative strategy to finance higher education in South Africa (Hellebrandt, 2008: 222). The commission proposes that students who cannot meet their higher education expenses can collect credits by providing their services to the community.

The discourse above illustrates a university-community development partnership in Africa. This is where the university and the community come together to improve the welfare of the members of the society. This paper is going to address the university-community partnership in Africa.

The author is going to specifically address the impacts of undergraduates’ engagement in community service on stakeholders as far as Africa is concerned. The researcher will adopt a literature review methodology which will involve a critical review of literature that found in this field.

The aim of such a critical literature review is to organise the knowledge base that is found in this field by identifying the various agreements and disagreements among authors and scholars. The literature review will also identify knowledge gaps in the field and propose areas for future studies.

Research Objectives

This study will have one main research objective and several specific objectives. The main objective is the overall aim and goal of the study. The main objective will be attained by addressing the various specific objectives. The main and specific objectives are as listed below:

Main Objective

To address the impacts of undergraduate engagement in community service on stakeholders as far as university-community partnership in Africa is concerned.

Specific Objectives

• Analyse the various stakeholders in university-community partnership in Africa
• Analyse the various impacts of undergraduates’ engagement in community service on the various stakeholders in Africa
• Analyse the various strategies adopted by universities in providing community service in Africa
• Analyse the various benefits of community service provided by universities in Africa
• Analyse the various challenges affecting the impacts of undergraduates’ engagement in community service in Africa
• Analyse the various strategies that can be used to improve the quality of community service provided by universities in Africa
• Provide recommendations for universities in Africa regarding university-community development partnerships in the continent

Research Questions

Like research objectives, this study will have a major research question and various specific research questions. It is important to note that the research questions are related to the research objectives. This is given the fact that by answering the research questions, the researcher will have addressed the objectives of the research.

Major Research Question

What are the various impacts of undergraduates’ engagement in community service on the stakeholders as far as university-community partnership in Africa is concerned?

Specific Research Questions

• Who are the various stakeholders in university-community partnership in Africa?
• What are the impacts of undergraduates’ engagement in community service in Africa?
• What strategies are used by African universities to provide community service?
• What are the benefits of community service provided by universities in Africa?
• What are some of the challenges facing community service provided by universities in Africa?
• How can universities in Africa improve the quality of community service provided?
• Which areas of university-community partnerships in Africa can benefit from future research?

Thesis Statement

Undergraduates’ engagement in community service has various impacts on stakeholders as far as university-community partnership in Africa is concerned

Methodology

As already indicated in this paper, the author is going to use critical literature review as a research methodology. To this end, the researcher is going to identify the findings of various studies in this field and try to identify the various agreements and disagreements between the various authors.

One major advantage of critical literature review as a methodology is the fact that the study benefits from the various perspectives of different authors in the field. A major weakness of the methodology is the fact that it generates no new knowledge in the field. All the researcher does in critical literature review is reorganise the knowledge that already exists in a given field.

The researcher will identify articles from journals, books and such other academic sources that address the issue of university-community development partnership. Several criteria will be used to select articles that will be included as sources in this study. For example, all the articles must come from academic or professional journals that are peer reviewed or from books.

This criterion is aimed at providing credible sources for the study. Another criterion has to do with the fact that all the articles must address the issue of community service in the society.

This criterion is aimed at providing this author with articles that are relevant to the topic of the research. All the articles should also be written in English. However, this criterion does not exclude those articles that were originally written in another language but translated later to English.

Scope and Limitations of the Study

Overview

It is noted that it is not possible to carry out a single study that is capable of addressing all the aspects of a given research topic. This being the case, it is important for the researcher to identify the boundaries within which the study will be conducted. Delineation of such a boundary helps the researcher in focusing the study.

The issues that will be covered by the study are separated from those that will not be addressed. This reduces ambiguity and lack of clarity in a given study.

This study is not different. It is noted that the study has various limitations that may affect the quality of the findings if not addressed. The limitations can emanate from within and from outside the study. Following is a list of the scope and limitations of the study. The researcher will provide strategies to address the limitations where necessary.

Scope and Limitations of the Study

• The study will be limited to community service provided by universities in Africa. Community service from other agencies such as businesses will not be considered
• The study will be limited to university-community partnerships in Africa. Such partnerships in other countries outside Africa will not be considered for the study
• It is also noted that the study will be limited to the participation of undergraduate students in community service. Participation from other stakeholders in the university such as lecturers and the university administration will not be the main focus of this paper
• The study will use information from other studies conducted in the field before. This means that the study will not generate primary data. To uphold the integrity and quality of the study, the researcher will use stringent measures in selecting the literature that will be used for the study

Significance of the Study

At any given time, there are a number of studies which are being conducted in a given field. This being the case, any new research or study that is being conducted in the field has to be justified. The study can be justified on the basis of the value that it is going to add to the field. Following is an outline of the significance of this study in this field:

• The findings of this study will help African universities in identifying the benefits of community service and the challenges facing such programs. This will help them improve such programs in the future
• The findings of this study will also help universities in other parts of the world to improve their partnership with the communities by learning from the African experience
• The findings of the study will help policy makers such as government agencies, community based organisations and such other agencies interested in community development identify the importance of university-community partnerships in Africa. This will help the policy makers come up with policies that will support such partnerships in the future

Summary

In this section, the author introduced the reader to the various aspects of the study that will be conducted later in the paper. Major aspects of the study were highlighted. The researcher started by providing background information on the topic. This was followed by problem statement, research questions and research objectives, methodology of the study, scope and limitations of the study and finally the significance of the study.

The following section will provide information on the theoretical framework that will be used.

Theoretical Framework

In this section, the writer will provide information on the theoretical framework that will be used for this study. The researcher will use the participatory theory to critically analyse undergraduates’ engagement in community service in Africa.

It is noted that there are various models or theories of participation that are to be found in this field. Most of these theories are borrowed from political participation literature and adapted for participation in the context of community development. The researcher will highlight some of these theories and provide the main assumptions and arguments of the theories.

Theoretical framework is an important aspect in any given research. This is given the fact that the assumptions of the theory guide the researcher in conducting the study. By analyzing the various provisions and assumptions of a theoretical framework in the field, the researcher is able to explain and analyse what they observe when conducting the study.

Theories are also important since they are used in organising knowledge in a given field in a coherent manner. This makes it easier to retrieve and access the knowledge stored in such a field.

Participation in Community Development: Theoretical Models

According to Andrea (2000: 28), participation is a very important aspect of community development. Given the fact that university-community participations are aimed at developing the community, it is noted that community development theories are applicable in such a case. Such a community development theory is the one addressing participation in development activities in such a community.

According to Chambers (2007: 23), there are various factors that affect participation of various stakeholders in community development activities. These may include the form of motivation that such individuals are receiving, the socio-psychological orientation of the participants among others (Hartslief, 2005: 12).

Community Development Participatory Models

As already indicated earlier in this paper, there are several participatory models explaining the level and intensity of participation among stakeholders. These models can be borrowed and adapted from political participatory models found in political science literature. Following are the major participatory models that can be applied in the field of community development specifically university-community partnerships in Africa:

The Mobilisation Model of Community Development Participation

According to this participation model, it is assumed that stakeholders in community development participate in the activities as a result of the availability of opportunities in their surroundings (D’Exelle & Riedl, 2008: 12). As far as political participation is concerned, individuals can only participate in political activities such as elections if they are presented with opportunities to do so.

In the context of community development, mobilisation participation model holds that an individual will participate in community development if such an opportunity is made available to that individual (Edmunds & Wollenberg, 2002: 244). For example, a student will only participate in community service activities if they are provided with the opportunity to do so.

To this end, universities should ensure that they provide the student with the chance and opportunity to participate in community development through community service.

This is perhaps the motivation behind the Congress for South African Students cited earlier when members proposed that community service programs should be mandatory in all institutions of higher learning. By making community service mandatory, the university will effectively provide the student with an opportunity to participate in community development (Perold & Rahmat, 1997: 100).

Mobilisation model theory also stipulates that individuals participate as a result of stimuli from other persons around them (Colby et al., 2011: 55). As far as political participation is concerned, it is noted that people will participate in politics as a result of persuasion and influence from other people around them.

The same can apply to community development participation. Individuals may participate in community service as a result of influence from other people. In other words, students in African universities can participate in community service if they are motivated by other people around them. The university can provide such motivators to the students.

Community Development and the Social Psychological Model of Participation

According to Hellison (2009: 28), stakeholders such as the youth can resist community service for various reasons. It is also noted that there are various strategies that can be used to resist community service or participation in community development activities. This is for example individual rebellion, collective action such as demonstrations among others.

Social psychological model of participation can be used to explain such extreme behaviours. In politics, the model can be used to explain political uprising and mass actions such as the ones experienced in Egypt, Libya and other African countries.

This theory provides that individuals are utilitarian actors who are able to analyse the costs and benefits of various actions (Ugochi, 2007: 27). They can analyse the benefits and costs that are associated with their participation in community service activities and they will act based on this analysis.

If the student feels that they will not benefit from community service, they are bound to resist and rebel against efforts made to compel them to participate in such activities (Horm & Warford, 2003: 144). It is also noted that the individual is an actor who subscribes to a network of social norms and beliefs (Ferraiolo, 2011: 100).

It is this network which provides the individual with internal and external motivations to act in a given manner. It is the reason why a student will support calls to make community service mandatory to all students in higher learning institutions in South Africa given the fact that they are tied to such students’ bodies.

Participation in Community Service and The General Incentives Model of Participation

According to Gillette (1985: 373), there are people who participate in community development with a lot of intensity than others. This is for example those students who will organise community service activities and lobby their teachers and students to join them.

The general incentive model can be used to explain such observations. In the context of politics, the theory can be used to shed light on high- intensity forms of participation in political activities. This is for example running for office, campaigning, canvassing and such other activities.

In the context of participation in community development and specifically through community service, it is noted that stakeholders need incentives to participate in such activities (Vermeulen, 2005: 34).

However, it is noted that we should consider a wider array of such incentives as opposed to limiting ourselves to individual incentives that motivate the stakeholder (Vermeulen et al., 2003: 12). This model is somehow similar to the motivation model given the fact that the stakeholder needs a push to participate in community service.

There are various forms of incentives that will motivate a stakeholder to participate in community service (Goulding, 2009: 38). A university should be aware of such incentives to ensure that they are put in place where necessary to encourage students’ participation in community development.

Such incentives may include the satisfaction that the stakeholder derives from such participation, the recognition that they get among others (Osvaldo & Gustavo, 2011: 29).

Addressing Impacts of Undergraduates’ Engagement in Community Service in Africa

In this section, the researcher will critically analyse issues surrounding the impacts of undergraduates’ participation or engagement in community service in Africa. Among the issues that will be covered include the impacts of such an engagement on stakeholders, the challenges facing such an engagement and strategies used by universities in community development among others.

Stakeholders in University-Community Partnerships in Africa

Before looking at the various benefits of community service by university students, it is important to first identify the various stakeholders that are involved in university-community partnerships in Africa. It is after identifying such stakeholders that we can then look at what each of them stands to gain from undergraduates’ engagement in community service. The following are some of the stakeholders:

The Student

This is perhaps the most important stakeholder in university-community development partnerships (Timms et al., 2005: 9). It is the students enrolled in various departments in the university who are involved in community service most of the time.

For example, Perold & Rahmat (1997: 102) cites the case of the South African Students’ Congress which was advocating for mandatory community service for all students in institutions of higher learning in South Africa. From this analysis, we can conclude that the student has a very important role to play in university-community partnership. The student is the link between the university and the community in this partnership.

The University

As much as one would like to argue that the undergraduate is the most important stakeholder in university-community partnerships in Africa, it is important to note that the student cannot exist or carry out their duties without the support of the university. It is the university which gives such a student the mandate and the authority to provide community service in the society (Hewson et al., 2010: 12).

When the members of the community interact with the student during community service sessions, they see the student as a representative of the particular university that they are coming from. This being the case, it can be argued that the university is an equally important stakeholder in the university-community partnership in Africa.

It is the university administration which provides the students with transport, finance and other facilities that are needed in carrying out community service. It is also the university which is tasked with the duty of equipping the student with the skills that are necessary in carrying out community service (Long, 1999: 23).

The Community

It is noted that the community is the major beneficiary of community service provided by the university through the students (Platteau & Gaspart, 2008: 34). The participation of the community is very important in community service. It is important to ensure that the members of the community are involved in the process of identifying their needs and coming up with possible solutions to their problems (Shortall, 2004: 120).

According to Chambers (2007: 41), it is important to ensure that community service activities are not imposed on the community by the university and the students or any other agency involved in community service.

This is given the fact that when that happens, the community is likely to resist such efforts in effect neutralising the intended benefits. This is despite the fact that the community service endeavours may have been tailored to benefit the community and not the student or the university.

Impacts of Students’ Participation in Community Service in Africa on Stakeholders

As already indicated earlier in this paper, there are several impacts of students’ participation in community service in Africa and elsewhere in the world. It is noted that the impacts may vary from one stakeholder to the other depending on the form of community service that is being offered.

One thing that has not being noted is the fact that the participation of students in community service can have both negative and positive impacts on the various stakeholders (Madzivhandila, 2005: 3). The impacts on the various stakeholders will be analysed in detail here:

Impacts on Students

• One of the positive impacts of community service on students is the fact that they gain professional experience from their participation (Ribot, 1999: 34). Take the case of a medical student who is about to graduate. Going to the village and providing medical services gives them an idea of what it is like to work in a real life situation
• It is also noted that participation in such endeavours leads to a sense of satisfaction on the part of the student. The student feels that they have done something useful for the community and this increases their sense of responsibility (Ribot, 2005: 89)
• It is noted that participation in community service may have financial benefits for the student. This is for example when the student gets paid to perform extra community service or when they perform community service in exchange for credits to finance their higher education
• However, it is also important to note that participation in community service may have various negative impacts on the student in Africa. For example, participation may take a lot of the student’s time. This is time that could have been used in other activities such as reading for an exam (Arnstein, 1969: 222)
• At times community service may be irrelevant to the student. This is especially so if the student is involved in community service in an area that is not related to what they are studying in school. This may also happen when the student is compelled to perform community service in order to graduate (Sithole, 2005: 177)

Impacts on the University

• Participation in community service has several impacts on the university as an institution of higher learning in Africa. One of the major positive impacts is the establishment of links between the university and the community within which it is located (Andrea, 2000: 18)
• However, the participation of undergraduates in community service may be expensive on the part of the university. This is especially so if the type of community service the university is involved in is capital intensive (Timms et al., 2005: 2). This is significant given that most of the universities in Africa are underfunded
• Student participation in community service may also enhance the quality of education that is offered by the university. This is given the fact that the education is not only theoretical but also practical. This being the case, the status of the university as far as potential employers are concerned is enhanced

Impacts on the Community

• The welfare of the community is enhanced when the university engages such a community in a university-community partnership initiative. For example, the health of the members of the community improves when the university provides free or affordable medical services to them (Durham, 2004: 600)
• Participation of undergraduates in community service may lead to what Platteau & Gaspart (2008: 1) refer to as ‘elite capture’. This happens when a few members of the community hijack the services provided by the university and excludes other members of the society. This will in effect lead to community development that is skewed in favour of a few members of the society or the elite

Improving University-Community Partnerships in Africa

Having looked at some of the benefits and costs of community service as far as university-community partnership in Africa is concerned, it is now important to look at various strategies that may be used by the various stakeholders to improve the partnership in Africa.

We can analyse this by looking at some of the key features of a successful university-community partnership in Africa and elsewhere in the world. The following are some of the features:

Using Faculty Work to Improve the Welfare of the Community

According to Wilson (2011: 21), higher learning institutions using university-community partnerships to engage the community must start by analyzing the importance of such a partnership in achieving the mission and objective of the university.

To this end, it does not benefit the university or the community for that matter to engage in community service activities that are seen as ‘dumbing down’ the agenda of the institution (Wilson, 2011: 21).

As one step towards improving the quality of community service offered by their faculty members and students in general, the university should review the intended community service activities and how they are related to the objectives and mission of the university.

Understanding and Respecting the Community

A unique feature of students’ participation in community service is the fact that the activities bring together students and members of the community drawn from different racial and ethnic backgrounds (Vermeulen, 2005: 65).

This being the case, there is need for the university and the students to respect and appreciate the unique culture of the community within which they are providing community services. A successful community service program is marked by this respect and understanding.

It is noted that more often than not, universities make their way into the community and start imposing programs on that society. This is especially the case when universities from the western nations are involved in a university-community partnership with communities from the African continent.

Such a university may enter such an African community with what Wilson (2011: 23) refers to as a “know-it-all” attitude. Such a university will practically force the community to adopt the policies that are proposed by the so called ‘know- it- all’ partner.

Wilson (2011: 22) provides the university wishing to improve the quality of community service with a strategy calculated to gain acceptance from the target community. The author is of the view that the university should first immerse itself fully into the target community before initiating engagement. This will make the community accept the university and thus support the activities of such an institution.

Africa may be regarded as a backward and primitive continent by many students who are not aware of the diversity of communities in this continent. Such students may be stereotypical when engaged in community service in African communities. This will compromise the community service activities initiated by universities in this continent.

Establish Long-Term and Sustainable Partnerships with the Community

Wilson (2011: 24) notes that a successful university-community partnership is not an “episodic phenomenon”. It is not something that develops overnight. On the contrary, such an engagement is “….programmatic, research-based and more often than not long term” (Wilson, 2011: 24).

Most communities in Africa are plagued by challenges and problems that have accumulated over the years as a result of negligence from the rest of the world. This is for example problems brought about by colonisation and exploitation of resources by the western nations (Colby et al., 2011: 56).

These are some of the challenges that are addressed by university-community partnership initiatives in Africa. For example, such an initiative may be addressing rampant poverty in Africa which has been brought about by interplay of factors such as bad governance, exploitation, illiteracy among others.

To better address such challenges in Africa, the universities should adopt a long term strategy as opposed to a short term form of intervention (Bednarz et al., 2008: 88). As already noted, the problems did not develop overnight. This being the case, a strategy aimed at addressing these challenges should also be long term just like the challenges themselves (Dwayne & Palmer, 2006: 400).

As a step towards building long term engagements with the community, it is noted that the university should seek the collaboration of other agencies in community development. These are agencies such as the government, faith based organisations and other non-governmental organisations (Osvaldo & Gustavo, 2011: 25).

It was mentioned earlier in this paper that recent developments in the word such as globalisation and the rise of technology has changed the community completely. This is especially so for African communities which were under the rule of colonialists for a very long time.

This being the case, the challenges that are facing these communities cannot be effectively tackled by one agency alone. This is the reason why the university requires other strategic stakeholders to ensure that the university-community development partnership is sustainable (Booth, 2006: 13).

Types of Community Service Programs Initiated by University-Community Partnerships in Africa

Community service programs take various forms in Africa. The following are just some of these forms of community service programs:

Volunteer Service Programs

According to Perold & Rahmat (1997), a volunteer is a person who takes community service as a form of extra-curricular activity. The volunteer is involved in community service during holidays or when they are not having classes in the case of a university student.

In volunteer programs, the student is expected to perform general tasks and not necessarily tasks that are related to their academic field. This means that volunteer programs are not taken as part of class work by the university.

The student engaged in volunteer community service is not paid. However, it is noted that the university may fund the activities of the volunteer but this should not be taken as payment on the part of the volunteer student (Bryant & West, 2011: 85).

Work-Study Programs

According to Hustinx (2005: 530), this is a form of program that combines studies and working at the same time. For example, the student may be involved in assisting their lecturers in conducting research, teaching other students among other things.

A major aim of work-study program in African universities and other universities around the world is to support the student financially. This is especially so if the administration feels that the student is bright but is needy and cannot afford the tuition fees. This is one way of giving back to the community on the part of the university.

Placements

A well known form of placement program is internship. Internship has become part of the curriculum in many universities in Africa and in the world in general. However, it is important to note that placement is not strictly structured to give back to the community on the part of the university (Perold & Rahmat, 1997: 100).

On the contrary, the major aim of placement is to provide the student with a link between theory and practice in learning. However, a critical analysis of the program will reveal that it has some aspects of community service in it. This is especially so when the student is attached to community based organisations such as NGOs which are providing free social services to the public.

Conclusion

This study critically looked at the impacts of undergraduate students’ engagement in community service in Africa. The researcher started by defining what community service is and what it entails. Some of the benefits and costs of community service to various stakeholders were analysed. The various forms of community service were also analysed as well as the various strategies that can be used by the universities in Africa to improve their community service programs.

Recommendations for Future Research

Future studies should make an effort to analyse how universities can improve their development partnerships with the communities. This is given the fact that there is very little data in this field touching on this topic

Future studies should also try to analyse the impacts of other students apart from undergraduates as far as their engagement in community service in Africa is concerned. This is as a result of the realisation that other groups of students such as post-graduates are also involved in community service

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