community service report

Csp project.

Assignment 1

What does volunteerism mean to me?

According to the oxford dictionary; volunteerism is offering of one’s self freely without being asked. In my opinion this is a fair definition. Personally I believe that true Volunteering is serving a cause greater than one’s self. The essential part of every successful individual or organisation, volunteering is the giving of yourself, your time and talents to help others and make someone else's life better in some way.

We are where we are as individuals and also as a nation because some external force offered to assist us on our journey; to guide when we have no clue where we are going. Volunteering is then; a way of showing my gratitude and appreciation for all the many blessings and courtesies that I have received, giving back to the community. It means taking the time to help someone who cannot help themselves, and it means providing for those who need just a little boost to get started climbing the ladder of success. It means a few minutes of my time, but to those who are struggling; it can make a world of difference, in addition wanting a better quality of life for others will eventually lead to a better quality of life for me and those I care about.

Volunteerism means an opportunity to provide hope, balance and consideration for those in need without the need for recognition or compensation in any shape or form. Giving  your time in order to make a difference for a group of people or even just one person; Knowing that your work is valued and in exchange getting paid by seeing happiness around you.

My Grandmother always encourages me and my cousins to be kind to each other by quoting this old Jamaican adage which states; “the good you do will fallow you” and the opposite is true. In contrast to what many think, there here are many benefits to volunteerism however they should never be the original intent that spurred the action or comes at the expense of the individual/s the action is done to or for. Looking at volunteerism from a historical and religious background, volunteerism dates back to the times of Jesus. Mathew 7:12 reads: Do unto others as you would want them do unto you, in other words putting yourself in someone else’s shoe. Volunteerism, because it brings people together for one cause, to help others, usually involve many people working in a group setting to complete specific tasks and this may teach group dynamics, which is an essential skill to master for especially school and work because one will learn how different personalities may contribute to the desired outcome and This is why I believe so strongly in volunteerism

.

Assignment 2

a.        The list of my objectives at my assigned agency.

Ø  To offer of myself freely – being a community service project I am expected to offer of myself/serve my community and those in it willingly; without giving thought to what I am loosing but to consider what others are gaining.

Ø  To effect a change through volunteering – everything we do whether negative or positive has some direct or indirect impact on the people around us. Therefore striving to do as much good and positives acts as I can, will possible create a good and positive environment and may even inspire someone else to do some good.

Ø  Motivate entertain and encourage – in most cases the individual or group most in need of voluntarism are those that have a lot more load in their baskets that they themselves can carry. Though we may not be able to offer direct assistance all the time; a word of encouragement works wonders. An inspirational story, a joke or even individual experience has the power to revitalise the hope and zest of some dormant spirits; causing a so called “lazy student” to start doing school work. Or some suicidal person to start believing in life again.

Ø  Create a bong with the individuals with which I interface – being present is not creating a bond. Creating a bond with people requires effort, to get to know them from a name stage to attributes and then personally I choose to bond with the children as well as adults because everyone likes to feel that they have friends on a higher level than they are.

This type of activity also enforces an important aspect of the English language and communication known as code switching; being able to express one’s self fluently to those below and above hieratically.

Ø  Play my part in advancing the welfare of Jamaica’s human resource taking into consideration Vision 2013 – the vision statement of “Jamaica’s vision 2030”  is that by year 2030 Jamaica will become the place of choice to live, work, raise families and do business. For this to become a reality it will require a collective effort of all Jamaicans and we all know that we don’t have the resources to pay everyone therefore a little volunteerism here and a little volunteerism there will definitely help us to get there.

b.      Describe what you are undertaking to accomplish those objectives.

Being at an institution for person with disabilities makes the need so much greater and being that this disability is deafness it makes communication that much more complex however where there is a will there is a way. I have begun learning to sign basic thing such as hello, good morning the alphabet and some name signs, as time progresses I am sure my signing skills will progress too.

Outside of communication I have been learning the names of the teachers and administrative staff as well as the names and name signs of students in the grade six class I have been assigned. Being a good role model means that I must behave wisely before them at all times thought during the break period we may play or I entertain them with jokes and riddles. Gaining the respect and adoration of the students will make it easier to instruct and get them to carry out instructions with little resistance.

My personal mission is to leave a lasting and resonating impression wherever I go. Being polite and having a commendable deportment will not only benefit me but also the institution which I represent. Asking questions is a smart way of starting conversations; knowing conversation is the key to bonding I ask a lot of questions and listen even when I already know the answers.

Jamaica has come far way since independence and we still have a lot further to go where vision 2030 is concerned. Though the people in society that volunteer are the minority it doesn’t mean they don’t have the power to impact a great change. What I can do is encourage the people in my circles to join in and do some activity to benefit the community and not just self.

I am of the opinion that if all Jamaicans volunteered at least once in their life to support a worthy cause, we as a people would be much more prosperous and productive, thus taking one giant step toward the realization of vision 2030. Our efforts will assist those who are poised for success, providing well needed resources and opportunities for them reap success and prove to be invaluable hope to the resuscitation of the Jamaican economy and society. Each individual effort being contributed somewhere, in some community in the country; the power of our volunteerism will definitely be a force that of inspiration and empowerment to those who will benefit. They will be convinced to be the best they can be and not only dare to dream but to pursue those dreams.

I can definitely assist in realizing the goal of having students empowered to achieve their fullest potential. Through my volunteerism I would encourage each individual who I may work with, that they can achieve whatever goal they may seek to realize. I would instill in them the qualities which possess the keys to success; demonstrating those keys in the process of performing my community service.

 A teacher can never tell how far his influences will go, me teaching and encouraging them that they can be whatever they want will have limitless potential as it relates to development of their confidence, self-esteem, determination and resilience. This would create a stepping stone for my beneficiaries to excel at their optimum potential in order to make invaluable contribution to society and perhaps be in a position to volunteer for a worthy cause in return.

Assignment 3

            The agency I have selected to do my community service was the Danny Williams School for the Deaf located at Hope Estate, Papine, Kingston 6.  The mission statement of the school is - ‘To provide an educational program that will maximize the potential of our deaf and hard of hearing learners so that they may become literate at their highest levels in addition to being optimally rounded individuals with a deep sense of civic pride in a safe and secure environment.

            The Danny Williams School for the Deaf and hearing impaired was founded in 1970 as a preparatory department of the Lister Mair/Gilby School as a result of the large number of children that were born deaf from the Rubella outbreak in 1965 and 1973.

It gained autonomy in 1978 as the Danny Williams School for the deaf and was named after the hon. R. Danny Williams in recognition of his work with the deaf in Jamaica.

In relation to two of Vision 2030 goals:

1. Jamaicans are empowered to achieve their fullest potential

2. The Jamaican society is secure, cohesive and just

There are several objectives that I would like to achieve to contribute to my country and Vision 2030.  These objectives include:

•To assist the deaf and hearing impaired to hear knowing that are unable to do this for themselves

•To help students with assignments  

•Help students to fulfill their fullest potential

•Assist students in studying for exams

•Assist some students develop strong moral and ethical values

•Help students to become patriotic and develop their self-esteem and self-worth

To achieve these objectives, I would have to visit the institution as much as I possibly can especially when help is needed.  I would also have to be willing and make myself available for these students so that they can be empowered to fulfill their fullest potential.

b.      What is meant by Sociology and psychology?

Sociology is about the "social structure and class, culture, social mobility, religion, secularization, law, and deviance. Whiles psychology deals with the study of how humans relate to these sociological factors and how it affects their mental states.

The curriculum is about the experiences that learners gain under the influence of the school as institution, teachers, and curriculum resources.

The traditional focus of sociology and psychology include all spheres of human activity, including these that we call the curriculum, as defined above, that is the experiences.... So the elements of sociology and psychology, that is the social structure, culture, class, and individual agency, affects directly or indirectly, the development of  scientific (both natural and social) knowledge, skills,  and attitudes, beliefs, perceptions (what we call human subjectivities).

According to psychology and sociology the goal or mission of humans existence is self-actualization; finding one’s self through word, deed and thoughts.
From a sociological perspective, the notion of community refers to a group of people united by at least one common characteristic. Such characteristics could include geography, shared interests, values, experiences, or traditions. For example, schools focus on student education.                        For the Danny Williams school community to be successful each sector has its role to perform and failure to perform that role in relationship to the institution’s operation will diminish success.  The community service project and its volunteers assist in making; healthy communities/agencies that have well-integrated, interdependent sectors that share responsibility to resolve problems and enhance the well-being of the community (teachers students and other stakeholders). It is increasingly recognized that to successfully address a community’s complex problems and quality of life issues, it is necessary to promote better integration, collaboration, and coordination of resources from these  community service programs.                  Psychology is fundamentally concerned with the relationship between social systems and individual well-being in the community context (institution/agency)t. Thus, psychology in community service grapples with an array of social and mental health problems that may exist and their possible cause and effects. This is done through research and interventions in both academic and private life settings.One of the most exciting aspects of community service as it relates to psychology is that, community service and psychology simultaneously emphasize both (applied) service delivery to the community and (theory-based) research on social environmental processes.                         Community services and psychology aims to promote human welfare. But community service volunteers that do psychology are more likely to see threats to mental health in the social environment, or in lack of fit between individuals and their environment. They typically advocate social rather than individual change. They focus on the positive rather than on the negative, and on enhancing individual and community competencies. That is, they try to prevent problems before they start, rather than waiting for them to become serious and debilitating, hence does whatever is possible to maintain or better present conditions.

.

Assignment 4

Community service is done at a hearing impaired school and there are several issues that I have noticed while at this school.  Working with the hearing impaired can be very challenging especially helping them with subjects such as Mathematics.  Another problem that the students experience is that there are not enough persons to assist them with assignments and studying.

            Working at this agency help me to realize the challenges and issues that the hearing impaired of our society faces and they are just a small number of the many that exist.  Volunteering at this agency also reveals that there are not enough persons in our society that are willing to volunteer their time to help someone in need especially those that has great potential.  To see the skills and talents that these students has it’s just amazing, and they would be even better if more members of our society care for the disabled people in our country. 

Apart of Vision 2030 states: ‘”Jamaicans are empowered to achieve their fullest potential”.  This school is there to assist students to fulfill their fullness potential, but the issue still remains with people; if persons are really out there who care about the disabled to hire them for jobs and to help them to integrate into the society and to create lives for themselves.  It is challenging for them but it takes more members of the society to care for them.

There are students at this institution up to the GSAT level and not all persons are able to assist them in their respective fields.  Not all volunteers may have knowledge of respective subject areas to be effective in their assistance but despite all that, I have to use the knowledge and skills I have and dig deep to ensure that I can be of help to these students.  Assisting these students is a lot of work, but it is worth it, when you are finish assisting them. 

I chose to volunteer at the Danny Williams School for the deaf because of previous experiences I have had with deaf individuals. The lady I board with while attending school here in Kinston has a daughter that is hearing impaired. My initial attempts to communicate with her have proven futile until I was taught basic sign and expressive communication skills hence I can now hold basic conversation with her.

At this institution it is my goal to do my part in providing a solution to the problem of lack of sufficient involvement from the wider Jamaica in the students’ academic life. My objective is to be offer of myself, my talent and skill freely for the benefit of the institution and its stakeholders but most importantly to the students. I was assigned a grade six class I took pride in completing my duties; assisting the teacher (Mrs. Dillon). Being a grade six class means GSAT preparations, so when everyone was making the most of their heroes holiday, school was in full swing for Ms. Dillon and her grade six students and I made every effort to be there with them.

 The single problem I encountered at this institution happened to be the one thing I have always been good at; communication. Communicating, instruction, ideas and rebuke was quite challenging especially if the individual is not looking or paying attention. This situation forced me to adopt and learn how to speak in their language.

Assignment 5

a)                  The deaf community of Jamaica strives to be as independent as everyone else in fact they have and association that looks after their interests. Children that are found to be deaf at birth require special attention which includes specialized education and learning. The Danny Williams School for the deaf is a fairly efficient school; without volunteers this institution would not cease to exist however more support from volunteers involved in community service projects will only make operations more efficient by taking at least some of the burden off administrator and teachers for the duration of the project. I believe that I have fulfilled the objectives that I have set for myself.  I have assisted students with their assignments, created charts for them, help them in studying and even assist them in preparing for their exams.  The only issue was that I was not able to be there every week to assist based on time constrain.

b)               For me there is no greater joy than to know that my actions have influenced or inspired someone and this is why I am choose the career path to become a teacher, it shall be my duty to nurture young, immature and lost souls and to inspire them to become more than These students have benefit from the assistance given to them and would be even benefit from having more persons to assist them.  This agency would benefit a whole lot with more volunteers to assist these students.  They do need help and having a lot of assistance as possible would be worthwhile to them.  The students would benefit with more human resources; that is persons that can assist these students in progressing with their courses especially for GSAT.

c)               Volunteering at the Danny Williams School for the Blind and hearing Impaired was very interesting.  I have never thought that there were so many individuals with hearing problems especially at young age.  I also never thought that so many of these persons are in school… learning.  It is inspirational to see how these persons despite their challenges, are determine to make something in life.  One of my alarming experience is to know that some of these children do subjects such as Mathematics and Reading Comprehension and English Language and some of these subjects are subjects that many fully abled children have great difficulty doing.        There were persons there to support me both directly and indirectly and this influence the outcome of my existence. My greatest achievement during this project was really bonding with the students of the school and learning to communicate in their language as only a few could speak mine. One more experience is just another reason to change my perspective. .  I enjoy working with these students and assisting the teacher in making charts and drawing diagrams for them and in whatever ways they need assistance as long I can help.  One of my best moments is interacting with some of these persons.  I even got the opportunity to see them in concert/performance setting and the talents they have are just amazing.  My objectives were: To assist the deaf and hearing impaired to prepare for their final examinations (GSAT) knowing that they are unable to do this by themselves.

Ø  To help students with assignments

Ø  Help students to fulfill their fullest potential

Ø  Assist students in preparing for exams

Ø  Assist teachers and administrators in by making charts for students to read.

d)               I believe that community service activities are an excellent way of paying our dues to society. It is good and should continue to be mandatory because it certainly benefits our society and touch the lives of many people.  One of the issues is that I do not believe that students must pay to do community service when you are actually volunteering your time to help the lives of others.  This act seems ridiculous and seems like robbery to the students who are doing community service.  Community Service is a good thing and must be continued to instil some level of morals but this must not be at the expense of students.  Another issue is the amount of time that is required to be completed within the semester.  For me personally I have classes every day and ends late in the evening, and then there are a whole lot of assignments to do, and so it is difficult in using the time that you sometimes don’t have to do community service to be completed in time.  One suggestion I have is to make community service mandatory and allocate time for such activity. Student should be required to complete less hours provided, the students could decide to do extra hours to contribute to the society; developing the spirit of  free will to offer themselves for service and may also feel the need to continue this into the future.