Scratching the Surface..
Volunteer Reflection #1
Well I’m about halfway through my volunteering at CommonBond Communities hours-wise, but still just scratching the surface. I signed up to volunteer here through the Service Learning component required in the Arch 1281 course that I took last fall. When I began last semester I chose to work in the computer lab and fulfill my bi-weekly time requirement. I found this experience to be nice and rewarding however not quite living up to its potential. I felt that my personal attributes and work ethic didn’t fit this type of volunteer work. Because I wasn’t there on a weekly basis, I didn’t feel a very strong attachment to the residents at CommonBond nor was I able to help them to my fullest ability, or so I thought. I felt a little out of place and I could sense that those who attended the computer lab and needed help didn’t reach out as much as I thought they would due to the unfamiliarity of the situation. My experience started and ended that semester much the same. I didn’t take much from the experience and didn’t look ahead with excitement knowing that I would have to fulfill more requirements for Arch 1701 this spring.
Well, I was wrong. I chose to continue volunteering at CommonBond but because of my class schedule, I switched from working in the computer lab to working with and tutoring elementary aged kids. This was an enormous change and I took upon it very enthusiastically. I could tell right away that this was way more in my direction. First off, when I worked in the computer lab, I mainly worked with adults helping them with basic computing skills. Now, I was working with kids and was able to laugh and share learning experiences. I was able to relate to them and I felt like this position made a much bigger difference with the kids. Instead of attending bi-weekly, I am now attending 2 hours weekly. This has made a big difference as most of the kids show up on a weekly basis and it is therefore much easier to make a difference when a relationship is established. It is usually the same group of volunteers and kids that work together and provides a very good learning and growing environment for the kids. I feel as though I learn just as much from the kids as they do from me.
One of the biggest obstacle for me to overcome during this experience is race. CommonBond Communities in Minneapolis consists almost entirely of Somali’s. Coming from a predominately white, Christian neighborhood, I had much to learn about culture. I was always taught at a young age to respect different cultures and their beliefs. Growing up I was exposed to the hardships, barriers and conflicts between different ethnic groups. I attended a training session prior to volunteering there which helped me to come into the volunteering experience with an open mind. I thought going into this that there would’ve been a barrier that prevented me from connecting with the residents. This thought however was quickly tossed by the wayside after about two weeks. I gained a certain connection with some of the kids and I think that I had just as much fun as they did most of the time.
Thus far I have learned a lot but like I said I think I have only just scratched the surface. This experience has led me to join Community Engagement Scholars Program and has shed light on an experience that I think is very rewarding.