My volunteer Experience by Nice

My volunteer Experience by Nice - May 2018 Scholarship Essay

Northwest Nazarene University’s social work program requires its students to complete community service hours each academic year. Students are expected to complete 30 hours as a freshman, 50 as a sophomore, 120 as a junior, and 400 as a senior. I started freshman year of college with four college credits I earned in high school from advanced placement and college level courses. As a student in the university’s honors program, I was also able to fly through general education requirements during freshman year. This is because each honors course is considered advanced; therefore, one honors course can cover up to three general education courses. Due to these circumstances, I am considered a junior by class but a senior by credits. This dual-class status has permitted me to start my senior hours during my junior year. Once I complete the required four hundred hours, I will be set to graduate a semester ahead of my class. Volunteering at Catholic Charities of Idaho has given me all the reassurance I will ever need to confirm that social work is my calling.
Catholic Charities of Idaho is an agency that specializes in counseling, legal immigration, and refugee services. I became aware of the agency three years ago when my parents enrolled in a citizenship class and collaborated with CCI until the very day they received their certificates and were granted full American citizenship. I have been volunteering for the agency since August of 2017, and I never plan to leave. As a student intern, my responsibilities have included but have not been limited to serving as the reception personnel, an outreach agent, and a service distributor. Whether performing phone referrals, outreach for upcoming educational programs or translating for clients, it has been an absolute honor to serve this wonderful agency. I have witnessed the agency serving clients such as single and low-income parents by providing their children with a monthly supply of diapers, refugees and immigrants with citizenship classes, and troubled youths with our mentoring program. Whether through in-person sessions or phone referrals, this agency offers its services to individuals and families with various needs.
Despite the evident diversity in the population we serve, we do not have any resources or services for military personnel or their families.I recently became acquainted with a military member who has experienced both being a child of an active duty member and being one themselves. This individual has told me countless unforgettable stories about the experiences they have had as a result of the military lifestyle. As our relationship has grown, I have come to realize that one particular experience has stood out to me more than others. This individual often talks about how difficult it was to constantly move to new areas in which they did not have any friends or families to help them adjust to the move. They have also shared with me how big of a significance simply having people outside of the military community to talk to made in the process of adjusting to their new homes. This military personnel often emphasizes that it was having these relationships with the people from the local areas they settled in that greatly helped them adjust to their new homes.
I would like for Catholic Charities of Idaho to extend its services to military families and individuals. We have countless student volunteers who contact us concerning ways we can help them meet their required volunteer hours. Whether it be through babysitting, tutoring, house chores or playing board games, these simple acts can hold great significance to this population. As I complete my senior hours this summer, I will also be formulating a proposal to present to my supervisor on this issue. If approved, I will recruit volunteers, seek interested military persons, and initiate relationships between the two parties. I want to do this because I pride myself on always striving to be a positive presence in the lives of everyone I meet. I do not want this to be limited to only people I am comfortable with. I hope this project will teach others to do the same.