CESP Blog

Meeting a need or building a capacity at your community organization is, in my mind, a three step process.
The first step is in identifying needs within the organization that need to be met, which is integral because some programs often ignore the root necessities of a situation and work to fulfill their own agendas. Specificially in my case, at Fairview Medical Center the problem of language can often be a barrier to properly helping patients and patients' families, and so this is a need that has to be fulfilled. In order to ensure that my ICEP plan fulfills a need rather than simply creating a simple avenue for service, I will ensure that my ideas always come from a witnessed need, which is why I will ensure that my ICEP will be in an environment that I am familiar with and have worked in extensively.
The second part is to assess how I can contribute best to the need, because it is counterproductive to both the plan and my growth as a person if my ICEP work does not incorporate my strengths and abilities. Continuing with my previous example, while the ideal solution to the language barrier at Fairview would be to teach all the employees at Fairview a cursory understanding of multiple languages, that does not work with my strengths and abilities because I don't function well as a language teacher. I have a difficult time explaining how grammar makes sense to me and so would not communicate these things too well. I am, however, skilled with computer technology and research, and so I could work on making useful posters and interactive signs that help people get to know words and phrases that are most important and useful. I will know my ICEP plan does this because one way or another I will work to gear my plan so that my skills are being properly used and my interests are also being properly fueled while I fulfill the need.
Finally, I think it is integral that as part of meeting a need, we must create a long-lasting solution for a problem rather than a quick fix. While it would be easy for me to simply learn some basic words from other languages while I continue to volunteer at Fairview and use that in different places, it would be far more effective if I helped the employees learn these things so that they can perpetuate this initiative even after I am no longer a volunteer at Fairview. I will know that my ICEP plan does this when I can see how, even in my absence, the project I did is in effect and affecting people at the organization where I did it every day.
These are the goals that I see as integral to meeting a need or building a capacity at a community organization, and as long as I stay faithful to them, I believe I can truly make a difference with my project.

I think that meeting a need or building capacity has many meanings attached to it. Especially when looking at the organizations that I am volunteering at. First of all I think that when you think about the idea of meeting a need, you think of something that is not there that would be beneficial to the community or organization that you are working with. It is something that will impact that community or organization in a good way. It is something that they don’t already have, but would be a great necessity to that community or organization.
To me, building capacity has a slightly different meaning when you put it towards a community or an organization. It is what the community or organization already has, but can benefit from having more of it. For example, at the middle school I volunteer at the after school program has a tutor that helps the students in a variety of subjects, which would be me, but the middle school could definitely benefit from having more tutors, This would be how they could build capacity. There are so many students who are in the after school program that it gets tough just having one volunteer and one teacher to help out. The teacher is usually trying to make sure that the students are staying on task and doing what they are suppose to do as well as building a good trusting relationship with the students. While the teacher is doing this, I am there to help the students with any homework that they might have and need help with. It gets really tough because at times I am there helping five to six kids at a time. If I get lucky they are all working on the same or similar assignments, but that Is not always the case.
The first thing that I am going to do when I know exactly what I am going to do for my ICEP project is write a list on how it does either or both of these. First, I will think about what the organization has or does not have. For example, the middle school does have a tutor, but could use more. So, for my ICEP project it could be a possibility that I find a way to get more tutors to help out at this organization. It is not possible for the middle school to pay for these volunteers because the entire project is grant based. The grant pays for the teacher, snacks, and some supplies that might be needed after school. There is not much more left to pay any volunteers. It would be something that would be good for those who are in college because I know college students are usually looking for a place to volunteer. After making my list and making sure that my ICEP idea integrates everything I am looking for I will be all set and be able to start to put my plan into action.
Lastly, I would like for this RAP session to count as a ”B” for behavior because I feel that talking about this ICEP project has a lot to do with my academic background and what I have learned in school and at my organization. It also has a lot to do with the change in behavior in myself and in the community as well. By doing this project I will be able to see the change in the behavior of the students, the teacher, and the surroundings after the ICEP project has taken place. I will also be able to see the change in the community because it will have a great effect on it especially if there are college students who are helping out. They will be great role models for these middle students and hopefully they will want to follow the same path or get the idea that it is a good idea to always get good grades in school.

Meeting the need within an organization involves creating, completing, or revising something which will be a benefit to the organization. In order to meet a need at the organization in which I am volunteering, I plan to work with the staff and the parents to come up with the best solution. After already discussing with one of the staff, we came to the conclusion that one of the ideas I came up with during the rap session would be a perfect fit. Not only would it meet a desperate need within the organization, but it was an idea that covered all of my checkpoints. My project will be related to my major (kinesiology), be able to be completed within the time frame alotted, and be something that will be sustainable.