Where I'm FromI am from The Green Mountains and Lake Champlain
I am from a blue house in a close knit neighborhood I am from late night ice cream runs with my sister I am from long hours of cheerleading practice I am from back tucks, pointed toes, and stunts I am from a team that cared for one another immensely I am from summer dinners on the back deck I am from two loving and supportive parents I am from countless adventures with my best friend I am from the sound of Vivaldi coming from my violin I am from the nursing home where I discovered my passion for service I am from The Paper Peddler and countless laughs with my coworkers I am from lots of coffee and a Starbucks Gold Card I am from somewhere 780 miles from Virginia Tech I am from a place where I was always told to reach high I am from a house where we were told to never give up I am from cuddling with my pug on the couch I am from long, cold, winter nights by the fire I am from beautiful fall foliage, apple picking, and cider doughnuts |
Criticisms of Volunteering
Volunteering is not a perfect science, as every site and trip is unique, and there is always room for improvement. As is true with many things, the more you know about a topic the better you can convey it's message. With service, it can be found that the more you know and understand about your project, the area you'll be in, and the people you're working with, the better of a job you can do. Everything can be a learning experience, and recognizing service as a learning experience can lead to improved ideas and actions regarding service.
All types of volunteering are great, right? Taking time out of your day to help someone means you’re a good person, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, volunteering is not a “one-size-fits-all” activity. Volunteering comes in many different forms, some more helpful than others, and can cause problems along the way. While volunteers may aim to only create positive change, often times there are unforeseen circumstances that can cause issues, and sometimes more issues are created than resolved. Volunteers are all there for different reasons, different causes, and expect to get different things out of their experiences.
Many people choose to volunteer with organizations they’re part of, while others seek out trips or single events to partake in. One topic that comes up with these eager volunteers is whether or not all their service is completely for the good of those being served. One criticism from Kretzmann and McKnight’s paper was that volunteers had a negative effect on those they were serving. They suggest that the volunteers made those being served “…think of themselves and their neighbors are fundamentally deficient, victims incapable of of taking charge of their lives and their community’s future.”1 There is validity with this thought – if those in need always know there are people coming to help them, why would they try to help themselves? Why would they try to take charge when they know someone is going to come along and fix their problems, or at least improve them? Those being served are the natives, and those who come along to help are just temporary-they’re the tourists, the ones that will do as they will then go home. In the article “What We Don’t Talk About When We Don’t Talk About Service,” Davis says that there is a “…trend towards service, unlike many trends is generally praised, though often in imprecise terms.”2 He puts forth the idea that service always having a positive connotation is an invalid assumption, and that while some kinds are good, there are others that don’t deserve the praise they receive. Moreover, the praise they are receiving may not even be valid due to a lack of understanding of the situation, and the real value of the service.
Another criticism of volunteering falls along the lines of only volunteering for praise. In an article from the blog “The Guardian”, Cambodian children are mentioned, and it is discussed how they’re viewed as objects of bad luck and pity, rather than real, live people who just need some help. It seems as though we’re creating a romanticized version of volunteering when it’s stated that “…in Cambodia, as in other parts of the globe, orphanages are a booming business trading on guilt. Some are even said to be kept deliberately squalid. Westerners take pity on the children and end up creating a grotesque market that capitalizes on their concerns. This is the dark side of our desire to help the developing world.”3 People around the world, even in the US, see these people as less than people, proving Kretzmann and McKnight’s point about how volunteers can cause those they’re serving to feel inferior. The reality is that, generally, when we think of third world countries, we think of poverty and distress. We think of how sad those situations are, many think about what they could do, and the ambitious among us get out there and try to help. These ambitious persons are often motivated by guilt or feelings of obligation, while others just see an opportunity to change the world, however big a change they are capable of making. Furthermore, Cole writes about a similar, yet more domestic example of this type of critique. When discussing why high school kids tutor elementary level kids, one student replied that “He took pride in the childs thank you’s.”4 While it is still admirable to volunteer to tutor kids, the most prevalent reason for the service was self-admiration and approval, something that seems to drive so many to serve.
These criticisms may prove true, but they also offer an opportunity for reflection and learning. While we might just think of criticisms of volunteering as negative, we can instead view them as feedback and suggestions on how to improve. Like any other infrastructure or foundational idea, volunteering is not perfect and there is always room for improvement. By reading about the criticisms of volunteering and attempting to understand them, volunteers are improving the entirety of volunteering. Taking feedback and making plans to implement what is found to be helpful is the beginning of change, and from there improvement, and from there better planned volunteer organizations and trips, along with better equipped volunteers.
Illich writes about the hypocrisy of American volunteers in “To Hell with Good Intentions.” He writes about how, while many volunteers may have good intentions, those intentions do not always translate to meaningful and helpful volunteering. While good intentions are often what drives people to start volunteering, they don’t always translate to good volunteering, and as Illich wrote, “You will not help anybody by your good intentions. There is an Irish saying that the road to hell is paved with good intentions.”5 However critical this statement may seem, we can analyze it further and take something away from it: good intentions will not fix problems, but motivated volunteers whose work is driven by good intentions can make a difference.
Block writes of another criticism in a less critical way when he considers the idea of being more realistic about volunteering. He proposes this by saying, “If we can be more realistic about change, we might relax a little bit about change.”6 He also mentions how we believe we’re in a great social era of change, and while we might consider slowing down a little bit and looking more closely at the organization of volunteerism, continuing change is always good. Block encourages the reader to look critically at the situation, and reevaluate in a realistic manner. He also writes about the idea that “there is a tendency to confuse speed with transformation,”6 again implying the need to slow down a bit. This brought an idea to my mind that it’s possible, while short mission trips can be help and effective, more long-term service might have a greater community effect. Sure, if you go on many small trips you’ll see many parts of your community and hopefully other communities too, but if you have a consistent volunteering opportunity you can develop relationships. This would be beneficial for the community members in the sense that the wouldn’t be in the situation Kretzmann and McKnight suggest where those being served feel inferior. I find that my service at Virginia Tech Adult Day Service is valued more and more each time I go, because I’m becoming a more educated volunteer, and the participants are becoming more comfortable around me. Similarly, I recall talking to my family doctor about wanting to go to medical school, and asking her why she chose family medicine. She told me she valued getting to know families over the years rather than a job like an emergency room physician, who only sees people for short periods of time, and often only once. When you tie this to service, it’s evident that both kinds of service are needed, just like both kinds of doctors are needed. However, the long-term service strengthens the community and helps over time, rather than just fixing the current problem.
In an article from the University of California at San Diego, reasons for volunteering are discussed, and personal and professional reasoning arises7. Sustainability is also mentioned, something I would not have thought to be a reason for volunteers. They express that organizations use volunteers to cut costs, not just because they’re needy as I had previously presumed, and that volunteering is often frugal and fiscally consciencous7. Block touches on part of my answer to the “why do you serve” question when he mentions civic responsibility. He states that “[He] is distressed and anguished. It has become impossible for [him] to ignore the fact that the world we are creating does not come close to fulfilling it’s promise.”8 This, to me, shows the importance of community involvement in service, and further adds to how I believe continued service holds more value for the community. Continued support from volunteers can create a more functional environment and community for those who are being served and might need some help. He continues by saying “There is no need for more benchmarking for where the world is working.”8 When people who are eager and willing to volunteer see a problem they believe they can fix; they go after it. I serve because I am capable of changing situations I see as needing service. I had two working arms and two working legs, I go to a school with endless resources for volunteering, a school whose motto translates to “that I may serve.” I have so many opportunities, I’m in good health-so why shouldn’t I serve? Instead of asking those who serve “Why do you serve?” we should be asking those who don’t, “Why don’t you serve?” I see no reason to not go out and serve my community when I am fully capable and willing, not to mention my long-term service is in a field I want to go into. Like the UCSD article mentioned, there is gain for everyone in service, including professional development.
Baldwin writes that “every person is born into life as a blank page and…leaves as a full book…Our story is our life. Story is the narrative thread of our experience-not what literally happens, but what we make out of what happens.”9 When asked “why do you serve?” I think it’s helpful to reference Baldwin-instead of “why do you serve?” rather “what will the pages of your book be filled with?” “What stories will be written, and what did you make of those experiences?” Will you book contain countless hours playing video games, or helping your mom clean the house? Will it be filled with volunteering as an obligation, or volunteering because you genuinely want to? My book will, hopefully, include graduating from Virginia Tech, medical school, marriage, and kids. I want my book to be filled with love, friendship, and laughter, with experiences that change the way I look at the world and stories that show how I’ve grown from the first page to the last. Referencing the “What? So What? Now What?” article, when asked “What specific skills have you used at your community site?”10 and “How are your values expressed through your community work?”10 the book I’m continually writing will have all the answers. The skills I gained working at a nursing home in high school help me at Adult Day Services, volunteering I look forward to every week, with the ill, elderly people I love to see and spend time with. I bring the patience to try to understand slurred and muffled speech, the compassion when they talk about how full their lives used to be, and how their books are coming to an end, and I leave feeling grateful for the time that I have left. My values are expressed through my service when I give to those who haven’t been blessed with what I have, or give to those who’ve lost hold of their lives, when I love my neighbor as I love myself, and when, hopefully, I raise children who carry on these ideals and change the world in their own way.
Nothing and no one is perfect-and volunteerism is no exception. There will always be critiques, and they will always have something to say. But, what they have to say can be important and constructive, and lead to improvements and revelations. When we take into account the problems at hand, evaluate the effectiveness of our tactics, and personally assess why we serve, we can find the most effective and worthwhile way to serve others.
Many people choose to volunteer with organizations they’re part of, while others seek out trips or single events to partake in. One topic that comes up with these eager volunteers is whether or not all their service is completely for the good of those being served. One criticism from Kretzmann and McKnight’s paper was that volunteers had a negative effect on those they were serving. They suggest that the volunteers made those being served “…think of themselves and their neighbors are fundamentally deficient, victims incapable of of taking charge of their lives and their community’s future.”1 There is validity with this thought – if those in need always know there are people coming to help them, why would they try to help themselves? Why would they try to take charge when they know someone is going to come along and fix their problems, or at least improve them? Those being served are the natives, and those who come along to help are just temporary-they’re the tourists, the ones that will do as they will then go home. In the article “What We Don’t Talk About When We Don’t Talk About Service,” Davis says that there is a “…trend towards service, unlike many trends is generally praised, though often in imprecise terms.”2 He puts forth the idea that service always having a positive connotation is an invalid assumption, and that while some kinds are good, there are others that don’t deserve the praise they receive. Moreover, the praise they are receiving may not even be valid due to a lack of understanding of the situation, and the real value of the service.
Another criticism of volunteering falls along the lines of only volunteering for praise. In an article from the blog “The Guardian”, Cambodian children are mentioned, and it is discussed how they’re viewed as objects of bad luck and pity, rather than real, live people who just need some help. It seems as though we’re creating a romanticized version of volunteering when it’s stated that “…in Cambodia, as in other parts of the globe, orphanages are a booming business trading on guilt. Some are even said to be kept deliberately squalid. Westerners take pity on the children and end up creating a grotesque market that capitalizes on their concerns. This is the dark side of our desire to help the developing world.”3 People around the world, even in the US, see these people as less than people, proving Kretzmann and McKnight’s point about how volunteers can cause those they’re serving to feel inferior. The reality is that, generally, when we think of third world countries, we think of poverty and distress. We think of how sad those situations are, many think about what they could do, and the ambitious among us get out there and try to help. These ambitious persons are often motivated by guilt or feelings of obligation, while others just see an opportunity to change the world, however big a change they are capable of making. Furthermore, Cole writes about a similar, yet more domestic example of this type of critique. When discussing why high school kids tutor elementary level kids, one student replied that “He took pride in the childs thank you’s.”4 While it is still admirable to volunteer to tutor kids, the most prevalent reason for the service was self-admiration and approval, something that seems to drive so many to serve.
These criticisms may prove true, but they also offer an opportunity for reflection and learning. While we might just think of criticisms of volunteering as negative, we can instead view them as feedback and suggestions on how to improve. Like any other infrastructure or foundational idea, volunteering is not perfect and there is always room for improvement. By reading about the criticisms of volunteering and attempting to understand them, volunteers are improving the entirety of volunteering. Taking feedback and making plans to implement what is found to be helpful is the beginning of change, and from there improvement, and from there better planned volunteer organizations and trips, along with better equipped volunteers.
Illich writes about the hypocrisy of American volunteers in “To Hell with Good Intentions.” He writes about how, while many volunteers may have good intentions, those intentions do not always translate to meaningful and helpful volunteering. While good intentions are often what drives people to start volunteering, they don’t always translate to good volunteering, and as Illich wrote, “You will not help anybody by your good intentions. There is an Irish saying that the road to hell is paved with good intentions.”5 However critical this statement may seem, we can analyze it further and take something away from it: good intentions will not fix problems, but motivated volunteers whose work is driven by good intentions can make a difference.
Block writes of another criticism in a less critical way when he considers the idea of being more realistic about volunteering. He proposes this by saying, “If we can be more realistic about change, we might relax a little bit about change.”6 He also mentions how we believe we’re in a great social era of change, and while we might consider slowing down a little bit and looking more closely at the organization of volunteerism, continuing change is always good. Block encourages the reader to look critically at the situation, and reevaluate in a realistic manner. He also writes about the idea that “there is a tendency to confuse speed with transformation,”6 again implying the need to slow down a bit. This brought an idea to my mind that it’s possible, while short mission trips can be help and effective, more long-term service might have a greater community effect. Sure, if you go on many small trips you’ll see many parts of your community and hopefully other communities too, but if you have a consistent volunteering opportunity you can develop relationships. This would be beneficial for the community members in the sense that the wouldn’t be in the situation Kretzmann and McKnight suggest where those being served feel inferior. I find that my service at Virginia Tech Adult Day Service is valued more and more each time I go, because I’m becoming a more educated volunteer, and the participants are becoming more comfortable around me. Similarly, I recall talking to my family doctor about wanting to go to medical school, and asking her why she chose family medicine. She told me she valued getting to know families over the years rather than a job like an emergency room physician, who only sees people for short periods of time, and often only once. When you tie this to service, it’s evident that both kinds of service are needed, just like both kinds of doctors are needed. However, the long-term service strengthens the community and helps over time, rather than just fixing the current problem.
In an article from the University of California at San Diego, reasons for volunteering are discussed, and personal and professional reasoning arises7. Sustainability is also mentioned, something I would not have thought to be a reason for volunteers. They express that organizations use volunteers to cut costs, not just because they’re needy as I had previously presumed, and that volunteering is often frugal and fiscally consciencous7. Block touches on part of my answer to the “why do you serve” question when he mentions civic responsibility. He states that “[He] is distressed and anguished. It has become impossible for [him] to ignore the fact that the world we are creating does not come close to fulfilling it’s promise.”8 This, to me, shows the importance of community involvement in service, and further adds to how I believe continued service holds more value for the community. Continued support from volunteers can create a more functional environment and community for those who are being served and might need some help. He continues by saying “There is no need for more benchmarking for where the world is working.”8 When people who are eager and willing to volunteer see a problem they believe they can fix; they go after it. I serve because I am capable of changing situations I see as needing service. I had two working arms and two working legs, I go to a school with endless resources for volunteering, a school whose motto translates to “that I may serve.” I have so many opportunities, I’m in good health-so why shouldn’t I serve? Instead of asking those who serve “Why do you serve?” we should be asking those who don’t, “Why don’t you serve?” I see no reason to not go out and serve my community when I am fully capable and willing, not to mention my long-term service is in a field I want to go into. Like the UCSD article mentioned, there is gain for everyone in service, including professional development.
Baldwin writes that “every person is born into life as a blank page and…leaves as a full book…Our story is our life. Story is the narrative thread of our experience-not what literally happens, but what we make out of what happens.”9 When asked “why do you serve?” I think it’s helpful to reference Baldwin-instead of “why do you serve?” rather “what will the pages of your book be filled with?” “What stories will be written, and what did you make of those experiences?” Will you book contain countless hours playing video games, or helping your mom clean the house? Will it be filled with volunteering as an obligation, or volunteering because you genuinely want to? My book will, hopefully, include graduating from Virginia Tech, medical school, marriage, and kids. I want my book to be filled with love, friendship, and laughter, with experiences that change the way I look at the world and stories that show how I’ve grown from the first page to the last. Referencing the “What? So What? Now What?” article, when asked “What specific skills have you used at your community site?”10 and “How are your values expressed through your community work?”10 the book I’m continually writing will have all the answers. The skills I gained working at a nursing home in high school help me at Adult Day Services, volunteering I look forward to every week, with the ill, elderly people I love to see and spend time with. I bring the patience to try to understand slurred and muffled speech, the compassion when they talk about how full their lives used to be, and how their books are coming to an end, and I leave feeling grateful for the time that I have left. My values are expressed through my service when I give to those who haven’t been blessed with what I have, or give to those who’ve lost hold of their lives, when I love my neighbor as I love myself, and when, hopefully, I raise children who carry on these ideals and change the world in their own way.
Nothing and no one is perfect-and volunteerism is no exception. There will always be critiques, and they will always have something to say. But, what they have to say can be important and constructive, and lead to improvements and revelations. When we take into account the problems at hand, evaluate the effectiveness of our tactics, and personally assess why we serve, we can find the most effective and worthwhile way to serve others.
Citizenship
Being an active citizen is not a title one develops overnight. Active citizens work for their titles, but not because they want a title, because they care deeply about their community and the impact they can have. We must engage with our communities, rather than just stepping in when we feel appropriate. As Mark Zuckerberg & Priscilla Chan recently said in an open letter to their newborn daughter on their hopes for the world she lives in, "We must engage directly with the people we serve. We can't empower people if we don't understand the needs and desires of their communities." This semester I've seen myself engaging more than just being present, and thus I've seen myself shifting on the Active Citizen Continuum, in more ways than one. I've physically moved on the spectrum, as I've learned more and more about the underlying issues that the geriatric population faces. But I've also found myself mentally moving on the spectrum. While I haven't taken actions that would put me further along the spectrum, I've come to understand what it means to move along the spectrum, and have attained the knowledge needed to continue moving in the coming semesters here at Virginia Tech, and also later in life.
To be an active citizen is it not only reside within your community, but to actively engage in your community. To live in a community and be aware of your surroundings, but never act on issues, is being a resident. To understand and have opinions or emotions towards issues within your community is to be a citizen. To be an active citizen, you must take effective action towards changing or bettering the issues you see within your community. Virginia Tech is dedicated to helping their students be dedicated to Ut Prosim, and to creating active citizens both on campus and in the New River Valley. I see myself growing and changing through my volunteer service each time I volunteer, and feel a sense of pride and accomplishment when I actively live out Ut Prosim.
To be an active citizen is to be actively engaged in your community. To be an active citizen, one must care for and care about others, in a way that gives them the desire to help and serve those in their community. According to the Active Citizen Continuum, someone is an active citizen when the “community becomes a priority in values and life choices.” (Alastair) They are no longer just “well-intentioned” or “concerned,” they’re the ones dedicated to change. Active citizens must be “active in the public and private sector,” meaning they are not just citizens when asked or expected, but in every aspect of their lives (Sheard). To quote Block, “Citizenship is our agreement to receive rights and privileges from the community and, in so doing, to pay for them through our willingness to live within certain boundaries and act in the interest of the whole” (Block). According to the Social Change Model, there are “7 C’s” of leadership-seven core values of leadership that must be carried out to effectively create change. The seven C’s are: Consciousness of Self, Congruence, Commitment, Collaboration, Common Purpose, Controversy with Civility, and Citizenship (Social Change Model). An active citizen would demonstrate all these characteristics, especially when serving and working towards creating change, but one that really sticks out to me when discussing active citizenship is common purpose. It was stated that active citizens care for and care about their community and those in it, and when there is a common purpose I believe it is easier and more productive to work to create change. While part of a community is having different thoughts and opinions (controversy with civility), when there is a general consensus on what the group is working towards progress can be made more efficiently and effectively.
Being an active citizen is not always easy, and often while pursuing active citizenship we come across issues we didn’t know existed. We see problems within our communities we never could have dreamed up, and even, never would have been able to see. By actively engaging in our community we see new things, and we see old things in a new light. This, while often saddening and disturbing, is necessary for our growth as active citizens and for the growth and well-being of the community. Yes, we can all see that the food pantry needs donations as the holidays near, but what else? What can’t we see that’s begging for our attention? When describing reading a book about the environment and its changes, Pipher writes, “I couldn’t stop reading McKibben’s book, though I hated what I was learning…For a few days, all I could feel was despair” (Pipher). Pipher is describing something many volunteers, including myself, have come across-the issue you’re working on is worse than you had originally thought, and your work does not have as big of an impact as you presumed. This is a scary and disappointing thought, however, in this situation, the active citizen would not just back away, they would problem-solve and put in even more work. They would attempt to understand the issue to it’s fullest, and work towards preforming better and more effective service to further help fix the problem. The active citizen does not shy away from a challenge, the active citizen is fueled by the knowledge of a problem in their community, and the knowledge that they can have a positive impact.
The active citizen can have a greater impact on their community and community members if they are a leader. “Leadership development is self-development,” and the more time a leader spends developing them self as a citizen, the better of a leader they can be (Kouzes). To be an effective and strong leader, one must be willing to let go of what they think they know and be open to the thought that they have much still to learn. When Kouzes talks about leading yourself first, he states “Self-development is not about stuffing in a whole bunch of new information or trying out the latest technique…It’s about liberating the leader within you.” (Kouzes) This statement reminds us that the best leader we can be is yet to come, and that we can always be better leaders.
In the United Kingdom, there has been much talk of the importance of “active citizenship” and “civic competence” when talking about the reform of higher education (Marinetto). It is discussed that the development of a leader within a community is important, but the development of active citizens who are civically conscious is valued even higher. These leaders not only have a strong understanding of the problems facing the community, but are also aware of the entire community and how it functions as a whole (Marinetto). When we talk about “active citizenship in terms of the interrelationship between civic society and the political realm,” we can see that those more involved in their community have greater impacts (Astin). You can bring in leaders from other communities who may know a lot about the problem at hand, but if they don’t understand the community as a whole and how it functions, they won’t be able to solve the problem as well as someone from the community.
To create a new “social reality,” as Kouzes states, requires the involvement of the entire community (Kouzes). To create a new social reality the community must all be on the same page, and must all want to “co-create new social realities.” (Kouzes) To create new social norms is a difficult task, but often a necessary one when thinking about social change. Social change requires a lot of work, both from volunteers and the people the change will ultimately be effecting. As college students at Virginia Tech, we have the opportunity to actively engage in our community every day. There are numerous clubs and organizations we can join, and so many service opportunities. We can live out Ut Prosim by accepting these service opportunities and also actively engaging in them. To preform passive service can seem like just a waste of your time, but by attempting to engage in active service things can also be gained by the volunteer. By going into service opportunities with an open mind, and hoping to get something out of it, service can benefit those serving while they help to assist others. Tech encourages us as Hokies to be active citizens and to engage in active service, however the actual performance of service is left up to the student. You can have all the encouragement in the world, but if you don’t whole-heartedly believe in what you’re doing, you’ll never get anything out of it. Similarly, while one can claim Ut Prosim to be the motto of their institution, living out “That I May Serve” is a way of life, and something that requires work. Virginia Tech gives us all the tools and resources to live out Ut Prosim as a way of life, but it’s up to us to use them. It’s up to us to join organizations that involve service, it’s up to us to go to the VT Engage office to seek service opportunities, and it’s up to us to serve one another in our every day lives.
The only thing Virginia Tech could really do to get students more engaged in service would be making it a graduation requirement or putting a grade on it. While I don’t fully support this idea, because I do believe the most valuable kind of service for all involved is when those serving genuinely want to be serving, a one credit hour pass/fail class regarding service could be very valuable. If it was a class freshman normally took, then it could also be an opportunity for students to learn about the university in general, and why Ut Prosim is our motto. As we talked about in class with leadership, sometimes when leaders explain their motives those they’re leading are more willing to do as they’re instructed. By teaching freshman why we are Virginia Tech, and what that really means, it is possible that they could be more excited about service, and thus more people would be living out Ut Prosim. Those in SERVE seem to enjoy their service and I believe we, as a class and larger group, have a better understanding of Ut Prosim than many of our classmates. By telling people that I’m in SERVE, and by showing interest in other organizations that involve service, I am helping myself to work to become an active citizen. When I tell others about SERVE and all the fun and important service trips we go on, I’m spreading the word about service opportunities and am showing positive support of these opportunities.
I believe that when I started volunteering at Virginia Tech Adult Day Services I was a “volunteer,” and I have been in the process of becoming a “conscientious citizen.” (Alastair) I knew I enjoyed working with the elderly population, but I didn’t quite understand all the issues that come along with elderly care. As with many service situations, each case is different. At ADS, they all have the same types of food for lunch, but some need it hotter, some want three different drinks instead of one, and some take twice as long as others to finish their food. I’m coming to realize that abuse of the elderly is a problem when family members become frustrated, and that often times the patients can slip through the cracks. Assisting people who have a difficult time moving can be hard, and sometimes it seems like you need endless patience. Treating them as the people they are, not the people they act as, is also a problem. It can be easy to forget that a few of these people are veterans, some are college educated and had full careers, and many are parents. The limitations they now have make it hard to see the kinds of people they really are, and the proper respect and treatment is not always given. As I’ve come to these realizations, I see myself moving closer to being a conscientious citizen. I now know and understand the problems and issues-maybe not fully, but much better than before-and am interested in the causes and the reasons “why.”
I have progressed this semester on the continuum and in turn have changed my views on volunteering. I’ve come to see the great importance of volunteering and have come to look forward to my work at ADS more and more each week. I’ve developed relationships with the participants and understand the program better. In this way, by becoming a more active citizen by being not only more involved but more invested in the program.
As for next semester, I will (hopefully) continue my work at ADS. Each time I go, I find that because I’ve learned more about the facility than the last time, I’m given more responsibility. Next semester I’ll be focusing on being the most active and engaged volunteer that I can, and hopefully be able to be given more responsibility and thus increase my impact on the elderly population.
To be an active citizen is to be actively engaged in your community. To be an active citizen, one must care for and care about others, in a way that gives them the desire to help and serve those in their community. According to the Active Citizen Continuum, someone is an active citizen when the “community becomes a priority in values and life choices.” (Alastair) They are no longer just “well-intentioned” or “concerned,” they’re the ones dedicated to change. Active citizens must be “active in the public and private sector,” meaning they are not just citizens when asked or expected, but in every aspect of their lives (Sheard). To quote Block, “Citizenship is our agreement to receive rights and privileges from the community and, in so doing, to pay for them through our willingness to live within certain boundaries and act in the interest of the whole” (Block). According to the Social Change Model, there are “7 C’s” of leadership-seven core values of leadership that must be carried out to effectively create change. The seven C’s are: Consciousness of Self, Congruence, Commitment, Collaboration, Common Purpose, Controversy with Civility, and Citizenship (Social Change Model). An active citizen would demonstrate all these characteristics, especially when serving and working towards creating change, but one that really sticks out to me when discussing active citizenship is common purpose. It was stated that active citizens care for and care about their community and those in it, and when there is a common purpose I believe it is easier and more productive to work to create change. While part of a community is having different thoughts and opinions (controversy with civility), when there is a general consensus on what the group is working towards progress can be made more efficiently and effectively.
Being an active citizen is not always easy, and often while pursuing active citizenship we come across issues we didn’t know existed. We see problems within our communities we never could have dreamed up, and even, never would have been able to see. By actively engaging in our community we see new things, and we see old things in a new light. This, while often saddening and disturbing, is necessary for our growth as active citizens and for the growth and well-being of the community. Yes, we can all see that the food pantry needs donations as the holidays near, but what else? What can’t we see that’s begging for our attention? When describing reading a book about the environment and its changes, Pipher writes, “I couldn’t stop reading McKibben’s book, though I hated what I was learning…For a few days, all I could feel was despair” (Pipher). Pipher is describing something many volunteers, including myself, have come across-the issue you’re working on is worse than you had originally thought, and your work does not have as big of an impact as you presumed. This is a scary and disappointing thought, however, in this situation, the active citizen would not just back away, they would problem-solve and put in even more work. They would attempt to understand the issue to it’s fullest, and work towards preforming better and more effective service to further help fix the problem. The active citizen does not shy away from a challenge, the active citizen is fueled by the knowledge of a problem in their community, and the knowledge that they can have a positive impact.
The active citizen can have a greater impact on their community and community members if they are a leader. “Leadership development is self-development,” and the more time a leader spends developing them self as a citizen, the better of a leader they can be (Kouzes). To be an effective and strong leader, one must be willing to let go of what they think they know and be open to the thought that they have much still to learn. When Kouzes talks about leading yourself first, he states “Self-development is not about stuffing in a whole bunch of new information or trying out the latest technique…It’s about liberating the leader within you.” (Kouzes) This statement reminds us that the best leader we can be is yet to come, and that we can always be better leaders.
In the United Kingdom, there has been much talk of the importance of “active citizenship” and “civic competence” when talking about the reform of higher education (Marinetto). It is discussed that the development of a leader within a community is important, but the development of active citizens who are civically conscious is valued even higher. These leaders not only have a strong understanding of the problems facing the community, but are also aware of the entire community and how it functions as a whole (Marinetto). When we talk about “active citizenship in terms of the interrelationship between civic society and the political realm,” we can see that those more involved in their community have greater impacts (Astin). You can bring in leaders from other communities who may know a lot about the problem at hand, but if they don’t understand the community as a whole and how it functions, they won’t be able to solve the problem as well as someone from the community.
To create a new “social reality,” as Kouzes states, requires the involvement of the entire community (Kouzes). To create a new social reality the community must all be on the same page, and must all want to “co-create new social realities.” (Kouzes) To create new social norms is a difficult task, but often a necessary one when thinking about social change. Social change requires a lot of work, both from volunteers and the people the change will ultimately be effecting. As college students at Virginia Tech, we have the opportunity to actively engage in our community every day. There are numerous clubs and organizations we can join, and so many service opportunities. We can live out Ut Prosim by accepting these service opportunities and also actively engaging in them. To preform passive service can seem like just a waste of your time, but by attempting to engage in active service things can also be gained by the volunteer. By going into service opportunities with an open mind, and hoping to get something out of it, service can benefit those serving while they help to assist others. Tech encourages us as Hokies to be active citizens and to engage in active service, however the actual performance of service is left up to the student. You can have all the encouragement in the world, but if you don’t whole-heartedly believe in what you’re doing, you’ll never get anything out of it. Similarly, while one can claim Ut Prosim to be the motto of their institution, living out “That I May Serve” is a way of life, and something that requires work. Virginia Tech gives us all the tools and resources to live out Ut Prosim as a way of life, but it’s up to us to use them. It’s up to us to join organizations that involve service, it’s up to us to go to the VT Engage office to seek service opportunities, and it’s up to us to serve one another in our every day lives.
The only thing Virginia Tech could really do to get students more engaged in service would be making it a graduation requirement or putting a grade on it. While I don’t fully support this idea, because I do believe the most valuable kind of service for all involved is when those serving genuinely want to be serving, a one credit hour pass/fail class regarding service could be very valuable. If it was a class freshman normally took, then it could also be an opportunity for students to learn about the university in general, and why Ut Prosim is our motto. As we talked about in class with leadership, sometimes when leaders explain their motives those they’re leading are more willing to do as they’re instructed. By teaching freshman why we are Virginia Tech, and what that really means, it is possible that they could be more excited about service, and thus more people would be living out Ut Prosim. Those in SERVE seem to enjoy their service and I believe we, as a class and larger group, have a better understanding of Ut Prosim than many of our classmates. By telling people that I’m in SERVE, and by showing interest in other organizations that involve service, I am helping myself to work to become an active citizen. When I tell others about SERVE and all the fun and important service trips we go on, I’m spreading the word about service opportunities and am showing positive support of these opportunities.
I believe that when I started volunteering at Virginia Tech Adult Day Services I was a “volunteer,” and I have been in the process of becoming a “conscientious citizen.” (Alastair) I knew I enjoyed working with the elderly population, but I didn’t quite understand all the issues that come along with elderly care. As with many service situations, each case is different. At ADS, they all have the same types of food for lunch, but some need it hotter, some want three different drinks instead of one, and some take twice as long as others to finish their food. I’m coming to realize that abuse of the elderly is a problem when family members become frustrated, and that often times the patients can slip through the cracks. Assisting people who have a difficult time moving can be hard, and sometimes it seems like you need endless patience. Treating them as the people they are, not the people they act as, is also a problem. It can be easy to forget that a few of these people are veterans, some are college educated and had full careers, and many are parents. The limitations they now have make it hard to see the kinds of people they really are, and the proper respect and treatment is not always given. As I’ve come to these realizations, I see myself moving closer to being a conscientious citizen. I now know and understand the problems and issues-maybe not fully, but much better than before-and am interested in the causes and the reasons “why.”
I have progressed this semester on the continuum and in turn have changed my views on volunteering. I’ve come to see the great importance of volunteering and have come to look forward to my work at ADS more and more each week. I’ve developed relationships with the participants and understand the program better. In this way, by becoming a more active citizen by being not only more involved but more invested in the program.
As for next semester, I will (hopefully) continue my work at ADS. Each time I go, I find that because I’ve learned more about the facility than the last time, I’m given more responsibility. Next semester I’ll be focusing on being the most active and engaged volunteer that I can, and hopefully be able to be given more responsibility and thus increase my impact on the elderly population.
A Time I've Felt "Alive"
As cliché as this may sound, I feel most alive when I’m helping other people. Being in SERVE, I’m sure I’m not the only person who can say this, but it really is very true. I feel most alive when I’m doing something for someone that they can’t do for themselves due to physical or mental disability, or emotional distress. I love being the “shoulder people cry on” and the one people come to for help with schoolwork. I have two times that I can really say I’ve felt “alive,” and both show different sides to my love of helping people.
The first situation comes from a time when I provided physical help. For my First Year Experience Biochemistry class, we had to sign up for and go on lab tours. There were about ten people in a tour group, and in my group was one of my friends. We aren’t very close, I’d say, but we have many mutual friends and sit together in class. As we were leaving our lab tour, everyone but my friend, myself, and two other people had left the lab to go home when I noticed my friend looked very pale. I asked her if she was OK, and she decided to sit down, so we put her in a chair and I stood facing her. As soon as she sat down, she passed out and fell forward. The three of us held her up and tried to talk to her, and she woke up several seconds later. As soon as she did, she began throwing up. She had her legs pressed together and I pushed them apart so she was throwing up on the floor, not her pants, and held her hair. We called VT Rescue and she ended up being fine after a trip to the hospital. As strange as this may sound, the second she passed out it was like someone flipped a switch in my brain and all I was focused on was helping her. When she threw up I reacted immediately, and I could feel adrenaline rushing. I was so focused, so enthralled, and so absorbed in the whole experience. It’s kind of odd, I’ll admit, that one of my friends throwing up is a time that made me feel alive, but its true. She couldn’t do anything for herself, and she absolutely needed my help and the help of the other two people.
The second example comes from a time when I offered emotional support to one of the participants at Virginia Tech Adult Day Services. She’s one of the more noticeable people, being in that she talks more than most of the other participants and she isn’t afraid to speak her mind. However, one day when I was volunteering, she was very quiet. It was recent, about a month ago I’d say, and was the last time I saw her before her family permanently put her in a nursing home because her dementia had gotten so bad. She was sitting at the table with two other participants, but she had pushed her chair back from the table slightly, and was looking down as she was nervously wringing her hands together. I asked her what was wrong and she told me she was “scared.” I asked her of what and she said she was just very confused and disoriented. I can’t imagine how scary it would be to forget where you are and who you’re with, and that happens to her everyday. I started talking to her to try to make her feel more comfortable, and after about thirty minutes she seemed more like her usual self. She was talking and laughing and didn’t seem upset at all. At the time, I wouldn’t say that I noticed feeling “alive,” but as I left ADS that day I began to. I thought about the difference I’d made and the way I had helped her, and this realization made me feel alive.
The first situation comes from a time when I provided physical help. For my First Year Experience Biochemistry class, we had to sign up for and go on lab tours. There were about ten people in a tour group, and in my group was one of my friends. We aren’t very close, I’d say, but we have many mutual friends and sit together in class. As we were leaving our lab tour, everyone but my friend, myself, and two other people had left the lab to go home when I noticed my friend looked very pale. I asked her if she was OK, and she decided to sit down, so we put her in a chair and I stood facing her. As soon as she sat down, she passed out and fell forward. The three of us held her up and tried to talk to her, and she woke up several seconds later. As soon as she did, she began throwing up. She had her legs pressed together and I pushed them apart so she was throwing up on the floor, not her pants, and held her hair. We called VT Rescue and she ended up being fine after a trip to the hospital. As strange as this may sound, the second she passed out it was like someone flipped a switch in my brain and all I was focused on was helping her. When she threw up I reacted immediately, and I could feel adrenaline rushing. I was so focused, so enthralled, and so absorbed in the whole experience. It’s kind of odd, I’ll admit, that one of my friends throwing up is a time that made me feel alive, but its true. She couldn’t do anything for herself, and she absolutely needed my help and the help of the other two people.
The second example comes from a time when I offered emotional support to one of the participants at Virginia Tech Adult Day Services. She’s one of the more noticeable people, being in that she talks more than most of the other participants and she isn’t afraid to speak her mind. However, one day when I was volunteering, she was very quiet. It was recent, about a month ago I’d say, and was the last time I saw her before her family permanently put her in a nursing home because her dementia had gotten so bad. She was sitting at the table with two other participants, but she had pushed her chair back from the table slightly, and was looking down as she was nervously wringing her hands together. I asked her what was wrong and she told me she was “scared.” I asked her of what and she said she was just very confused and disoriented. I can’t imagine how scary it would be to forget where you are and who you’re with, and that happens to her everyday. I started talking to her to try to make her feel more comfortable, and after about thirty minutes she seemed more like her usual self. She was talking and laughing and didn’t seem upset at all. At the time, I wouldn’t say that I noticed feeling “alive,” but as I left ADS that day I began to. I thought about the difference I’d made and the way I had helped her, and this realization made me feel alive.
Call To Service
Some people are born into and are blessed with privileged lives, while others are born into unideal circumstances. For the most part, I’d say I’m part of the first group. I grew up with two parents who loved me, a sister I treasure, a roof over my head, and I attend an amazing college. I feel so lucky to have been given all of these things, especially knowing that there are people out there that have so much less than everything that was handed to me.
In the area I grew up in, there was my town, Essex, and Essex Junction, essentially a different town but technically the same land. “The Town” was known to be more spread out, bigger houses, some in the woods (all the really nice houses in my area usually are), and most neighborhoods are great. “The Junction” was more compact, generally smaller houses, and the kids were generally less fortunate. My county is pretty even socioeconomically, but there was poverty in the Junction. It’s the kind of poverty that no one hears about or talks about, the kind that can go unnoticed if you aren’t looking. Knowing that I grew up so close to kids with reduced lunch prices and kids whose parents were on food stamps is astonishing. What’s more, when we talked about privilege in class yesterday I couldn’t help but think of the Junction kids when analyzing Paula and Richard’s situations. The Paulas and the Richards all look the same at school, but knowing what goes on at home seems to be rare in the Paula situations.
My town is blessed with great schools, but with great schools come high taxes. Parents in our community choose to live in an expensive town rather than a lesser one just so their kids have better schools. They work overtime and have a small house so their children get better educations. It’s pure luck that I got the awesome parents I did, when I could have just easily been raised across town. For this reason, I am compelled to serve those in my community who have less than I do.
It’s pure luck that we were born into the lives we were, and its pure bad luck when someone is born into a bad situation. If you’re well off and capable, why wouldn’t you help? You didn’t pay for your parent’s house, you aren’t paying property taxes, you’re just living there. You didn’t earn the things that your parents gave you, which is enforced even more when you think of those who have hardly anything. Maybe this is more focused on who I am now, not who I’ll be when I’m (hopefully) married with kids and have my own house and my own money, but as of right now, most of my good fortune has been handed to me. Yes, I worked so hard to get into Virginia Tech, but I can only afford to be here with my parent’s help. There are kids who work just as hard as me but can’t afford an out-of-state school, and because of those kids, I serve. I serve because there are people who were handed nothing, and I’ve been given so much that it’s just plain inconsiderate for me to not help in any way I can. Maybe I’m not doing service that immediately effects kids I went to school with, but I’m doing what I can with what I’ve been given and what I’ve worked for to help others. One of the quotes posted with the assignment perfectly sums up may call to service: “Service is the rent we pay for living.” -Marian Wright Edelman. We pay rent on houses, apartments, locations for our businesses, but this rent is handled with money. The rent that so many people chose not to pay is the service and compassion needed to make this society, locally and globally, work best.
Lastly, without getting too emotional, I feel like I was put on this planet to serve others. I’m happiest when I’m taking care of someone who needs my help. Whether that be at VT Adult Day Services, sick friends, or friends who have been having a little too much fun on the weekends, I love being the one they can lean on. Even in the times when these things can get a little messy, knowing that someone is better off because I’m around is what drives me. This initiative, combined with my passion for science, has lead me to pursue a career in medicine. I haven’t quite figured out if that means nurse, physician’s assistant, doctor, or even a researcher, but I know that I not only want, but need, to spend the rest of my life doing good for others.
In the area I grew up in, there was my town, Essex, and Essex Junction, essentially a different town but technically the same land. “The Town” was known to be more spread out, bigger houses, some in the woods (all the really nice houses in my area usually are), and most neighborhoods are great. “The Junction” was more compact, generally smaller houses, and the kids were generally less fortunate. My county is pretty even socioeconomically, but there was poverty in the Junction. It’s the kind of poverty that no one hears about or talks about, the kind that can go unnoticed if you aren’t looking. Knowing that I grew up so close to kids with reduced lunch prices and kids whose parents were on food stamps is astonishing. What’s more, when we talked about privilege in class yesterday I couldn’t help but think of the Junction kids when analyzing Paula and Richard’s situations. The Paulas and the Richards all look the same at school, but knowing what goes on at home seems to be rare in the Paula situations.
My town is blessed with great schools, but with great schools come high taxes. Parents in our community choose to live in an expensive town rather than a lesser one just so their kids have better schools. They work overtime and have a small house so their children get better educations. It’s pure luck that I got the awesome parents I did, when I could have just easily been raised across town. For this reason, I am compelled to serve those in my community who have less than I do.
It’s pure luck that we were born into the lives we were, and its pure bad luck when someone is born into a bad situation. If you’re well off and capable, why wouldn’t you help? You didn’t pay for your parent’s house, you aren’t paying property taxes, you’re just living there. You didn’t earn the things that your parents gave you, which is enforced even more when you think of those who have hardly anything. Maybe this is more focused on who I am now, not who I’ll be when I’m (hopefully) married with kids and have my own house and my own money, but as of right now, most of my good fortune has been handed to me. Yes, I worked so hard to get into Virginia Tech, but I can only afford to be here with my parent’s help. There are kids who work just as hard as me but can’t afford an out-of-state school, and because of those kids, I serve. I serve because there are people who were handed nothing, and I’ve been given so much that it’s just plain inconsiderate for me to not help in any way I can. Maybe I’m not doing service that immediately effects kids I went to school with, but I’m doing what I can with what I’ve been given and what I’ve worked for to help others. One of the quotes posted with the assignment perfectly sums up may call to service: “Service is the rent we pay for living.” -Marian Wright Edelman. We pay rent on houses, apartments, locations for our businesses, but this rent is handled with money. The rent that so many people chose not to pay is the service and compassion needed to make this society, locally and globally, work best.
Lastly, without getting too emotional, I feel like I was put on this planet to serve others. I’m happiest when I’m taking care of someone who needs my help. Whether that be at VT Adult Day Services, sick friends, or friends who have been having a little too much fun on the weekends, I love being the one they can lean on. Even in the times when these things can get a little messy, knowing that someone is better off because I’m around is what drives me. This initiative, combined with my passion for science, has lead me to pursue a career in medicine. I haven’t quite figured out if that means nurse, physician’s assistant, doctor, or even a researcher, but I know that I not only want, but need, to spend the rest of my life doing good for others.
What I Bring to the Table
In my opinion, the most important thing you can bring to the table is passion. Whatever your passions may be, a person’s internal drive and excitement for a project is what drives progress and change. Personally, I’m passionate about using my own abilities to serve others that are physically or financially struggling. I’m most passionate about working with people who have medically driven disabilities, and this passion is what drove me to join SERVE, what brought me to Virginia Tech (“Ut Prosim”), and what is inspiring me to pursue a career in medicine.
I bring passion, experience, compassion and determination to the table. My passion for aiding others drove me to work in a nursing home, where I learned more about service than any single other experience I’ve had. I came to realize the boundaries between being helpful an being too helpful, and how some people want a personal connection with you, while others just want your help. I’ve learned the importance of trying your very best to understand the person’s situation, and acting in the most accommodating fashion. Helping someone can mean so much more when you pour your heart into it (yes that sounds cheesy but its true), and is vital in establishing connections. Lastly, I’ve learned that many people you go out to serve are not driven to make their situation better, and sometimes your extra effort and enthusiasm to serve them and help them improve their lives can make all the difference.
I bring passion, experience, compassion and determination to the table. My passion for aiding others drove me to work in a nursing home, where I learned more about service than any single other experience I’ve had. I came to realize the boundaries between being helpful an being too helpful, and how some people want a personal connection with you, while others just want your help. I’ve learned the importance of trying your very best to understand the person’s situation, and acting in the most accommodating fashion. Helping someone can mean so much more when you pour your heart into it (yes that sounds cheesy but its true), and is vital in establishing connections. Lastly, I’ve learned that many people you go out to serve are not driven to make their situation better, and sometimes your extra effort and enthusiasm to serve them and help them improve their lives can make all the difference.