Profile of a Volunteer

I have elected to profile my work as a volunteer.  My volunteer efforts started when I was younger.  I loved working with children and animals.  I was never old enough to volunteer at an animal shelter, so I started volunteering at a local hospital in my town.  I delivered meals to rooms, read books to sick children, sat and talked with patients and their families.  I also helped check in visitors to the hospital and learned so much about the hospital system and how important it is to be a volunteer.  In college, my sorority and I were active in volunteering and fundraising efforts.  This compelled me to continue giving back to the community.  I joined Big Brothers Big Sisters in 2011 and was matched with the most incredible little girl.  We are more alike then I could have imagined, she's my mini me.  I know that as a big sister, I would teach her a lot, but she has taught me more than I thought possible.  I bring her to every community event my center hosts or decides to participate in.  I think it is important for her to understand her role in giving back to the community and making a positive impact on others.  She enjoys these events just as much or even more than I do.  We often talk about other ways we could get involved and she is excited to start her role as an advocate and volunteer, once she is old enough to join. 
My role as a volunteer and the experiences I have had, influence others to get involved.  Several of my friends have started their own volunteer journeys, even my mom has become an active member of UNICEF, holding monthly meetings and fundraisers at her corporation.  My work as a volunteer has helped show my little sister that people out their care and has given her the strength, courage, and drive to continue to be a productive and good member of our society. 
The vital "take-away" message relative to this work in terms of my own volunteer efforts and advocacy work in the fostering the well-being of children and families is, it only takes one person to make a change.  One donation, one hour of your time, one hug, one encouraging word, to start the cycle of giving back to our communities. 

Using Social Media to Get Connected

I have been using social media for years, some experiences have been positive and others have been downright awful.  But, for the most part I can say that the majority of my experiences have been beneficial.  I have connected with lost friends and family, become more aware of things going on in the community, country, and world, and have had the chance to really educate myself on the inner workings of social media.  Social media tools like basic search engines, blogs, FaceBook, and certain apps have allowed advocacy efforts to strengthen and flourish.  I know that on FaceBook, I am able to get hourly updates from advocacy groups that I follow such as "Pre-K for PA".  The ability to access this and easily share this information with others has helped others get involved.  I am also able to show and share major accomplishments or issues affecting early childhood which then brings others into the world of early childhood. 
What are some other ways that would be effective in getting others involved through social media?

Advocacy Messages

I found the following ads that are effective in communicating their advocacy messages:


http://bcove.me/p9imoggq

This video is short and simple.  A mother is making a teachable moment while at the laudry mat with her infant.  The video shows that learning is not as complicated as most make it out to be. 

http://bcove.me/sb2p8r2i

I am sucker for military home comings, this video shows the importance of a father being involved in their child's life. 

http://bcove.me/53pdh287

And this video is just adorable.  Again a short and sweet PSA about the little moments of being an involved father!

Reference:National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD). (2009). Safe sleep for your baby: Reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Retrieved from http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/safe_sleep_gen.cfm