10 BHAV 138 Field Practicum I: Community Social Service Volunteer Work

Community Social Service Volunteer Work

Learning Materials:

1. Companionship Training PP: (see attached) (contributed by Rex Rempel and the BHAV 138 course)

1. Volunteering with Kayla short video  ( contributed by Rex Rempel and the BHAV 138 course) https://lwtech.instructure.com/courses/2450778/files/245732848/download?download_frd=1

1. Article – From the Street to Stability (contributed by Rex Rempel and the BHAV 138 course) https://lwtech.instructure.com/courses/2450778/files/250402620/download?download_frd=1

1. How to Volunteer (article from Indeed, courtesy of Wendi Nancarrow-Carter and BHAV 138 course) https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-volunteer

1. Volunteering and Its Surprising Benefits https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/wellbeing/volunteering-and-its-surprising-benefits (courtesy of Wendi Nancarrow-Carter and BHAV 138 course)

1. Short News video on Benefits of Volunteering and your Mental Health https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnVLzfhetL0

Learning Assignments/ Assessments:

1. We use a weekly Discussion assignment where a prompt is given each week to help guide the student to thinking about the agency where they volunteer and many aspects of that agency and their experience. Here are the weekly Discussion Topics and they scaffold on concepts observed, experienced and learned from week to week. (contributed by Wendi Nancarrow-Carter and the BHAV 138 course):

Week 1: Beginnings –

Purpose:

This is your first of 10 Reflections (kind of like a journal entry) where you will write your thoughts, questions, or observations, and insights pertaining to your volunteer experience. These will provide content for our whole-class discussion. These writings can be anything you observe or experience at your placement including questions that you have or issues you would like to discuss in a group format.

Instructions:

Journal entries should be between 200 and 350 words per week. They should be written using proper grammar and writing conventions, but no formal style is required. Consider reading your colleagues’ posts, too and responding to them.

Topic for this Week:

Consider writing about your anticipations and any fears or concerns you have starting in this new volunteer role

Perhaps reflect on the on-boarding process – formal, informal, loose, strict, confusing…?

Also you may want to reflect upon the process in connecting with a supervisor at your placement (was it simple, difficult, were they responsive or not…?

AI use is impossible for this assignment: This assignment CANNOT be completed using generative artificial intelligence (AI) in any form. The instructor believe that the nature of the necessary tasks precludes using AI. If you believe that AI could be used to support your work on this assignment, please contact the instructor to discuss the possibility and seek permission. The instructor may then change the instructions for this assignment for all students. Until that happens, however, you must complete this assignment yourself without any use of AI.

Grading: Students can earn up to 30 points each week for their journal entry, seminar attendance, and active participation (listening and contributing thoughts) in seminar discussion.

Week 2: Making Connections  (note: the purpose and instructions are the same as all previous Reflections)

Topic for this Week:

• Consider writing about your experience connecting with clients or staff. What have you learned about building rapport? What has it been like starting conversations with clients or staff?

• Did you find yourself using rapport building skills? If so which ones?

Week 3: Staff Roles –

Topic this Week:

• Consider writing about the staff roles at your agency. Who are they? What do they do? What are they like?

• Or, write about what’s important to you right now, related to your internship experience.

Week 4: What  You Like-

Topic this Week:

•  Consider writing about what is going well. OR

• What is your favorite part about this volunteer work thus far? People? Duties?

Topic for this Week:

Consider writing about the reasons for your progress (or lack of progress) toward learning from your experience.

Week 6: Client

Topic for this Week:

Take time to think about one particular client. Without revealing their identity, describe them. What are they like? What are their circumstances? What are they seeking? What strengths and weaknesses do they bring? How is your relationship with them?

Week 7: Agency Staff

Topic for this Week:

• Consider writing about your experience with agency staff – did you make any particular connections?

• Was there someone you connected and collaborated well with? Why?

• Was there someone you found more challenging to work with? Why?

Week 8: Coming to a Close

Topic for this Week:

 Consider writing about leaving the clients, staff, and agency. How will you feel? Reflect on any internal feelings or behavioral observations of the clientele you are working with.

Week 9: Closure

Topic for this Week:

• Consider writing about what you have learned (about yourself, about social services, about the staff or clients) through this process.

• You could include possible reflections on: leadership and supervision of the agency; work completed; population served; challenges you faced; what skills and self-growth you learned in this setting; what more you would have liked to do at this agency; strengths and weaknesses of the agency, etc.