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

My Role as an Advocate

• What motivated you to start advocating for very young children?
• My whole life I was more concerned about whether or not things were fair than really finding a solution or answer to why this happened.  After getting involved in early childhood education, I realized the disadvantages that very young children have. 
• Why is it essential to acknowledge and foster advocacy efforts at the micro as well as the macro level?
• It takes more than just a child's immediate environment to give them the best possible opportunities in life.  So, involving the outside environments, including local and federal government bodies, can open up more doors and opportunities for children. 
• What does it take to be a community leader on early childhood issues?
• It takes committment, drive, passion, and the ability to connect with various people. 
• What resources does it take to be a state leader on early childhood issues?
• You have to be able to connect with all people, you must have the financial resources to implement new programs or efforts, and above all be passionate about truly doing what is best for young children. 
• What tactics or strategies do you use to mobilize others?
• You have to get people to see your vision and then follow through with your ideals.  I am a very outgoing and passionate person, I encourage people as I can but also provide constructive criticism with coaching. 
• What advice would you give to someone who was interested in taking a leadership role in advocating for young children and their families?
• Read, research, and go for it!  Tomorrow is too late!

Personal Advocacy Reflection

My father grew up in Camden, NJ where the majority of the children are not given the best foundation for success in life.  My grandparents noticed that there was something special about my father and began sending him to Catholic school even though they were not Catholic.  While in this environment, the nuns took my father under their wing, teaching him the value of hard work, being honest, and getting a good education.  The lessons and values they instilled in my father kept him off of the streets and away from the bad influences of the area.  Because of this he has experienced much success in his life. 

It really only takes one person to help you get on the right track in life.  I mentor a young girl and I try to be the best influence as I can for her.  Advocating and mentoring is something I am destined to do.  It gives me a reason to get out of bed in the morning and the strength to get through my toughest days. 

When I Reflect About My Collegial, Professional Learning Community

Three consequences of my experience being a part of a caring, collaborative learning community for my professional growth and development are:

• I am more educated and versed in public policy and advocacy avenues for the children and families in my care
• I am more motivated to make a difference in the lives of young children not only at my own center but across the state
• I have found an endless supply of support and resources that will help me in my own educational journey

One goal for using this collegial experience to enhance my advocacy, policy, and/or system development work on behalf of young children, families, and the early childhood community is:

• To eventually work for a early childhood accreditation agency where I can continue to hold professionals in the field to the highest standards, help in their development professional and personally, advocate for our smallest citizens, educate families on the health and development of their children, and hold everyone, including myself, accountable for providing the highest quality care and education. 

My Hypothetical Family Situation

 

**This is not a true story**

 

My husband and I are expecting our first child, a boy.  Spina bifinda runs in my husband’s family so we made sure to get a full panel of testing done to ease our worried minds.  We had our amniocentesis test and it was determined that our child will be born with Down Syndrome.  We are nervous and do not know much about Down Syndrome, so we have begun researching daily, absorbing all of the information we can so we are as prepared as we can be to welcome our baby boy.  According to BabyCenter.com, “DS is a chromosomal anomaly that occurs in about 1 out every 700 births…an inexplicable error in cell development results in 47 chromosomes (rather than the usual 46), and the extra gene material slightly changes the orderly development of the body and brain.”

 

My husband and I both work full time, I as an early childhood Center Director, and he is an electrical engineer.  We are comfortable financially, there’s enough money to pay the bills and extra each month for our varying interests and hobbies.  We own our home in a rural area and have been fortunate to not have been affected by economic downfalls like the rest of country.  As of right now, our growing family has not been impacted by current Sociocultural or politics/policy contexts. 

 

With this news, we have some decisions to make.  We currently live several hours from our families and have not established a close connection with other people that we could entrust with our new bundle of joy.  Fortunately, our jobs would allow us to move easily to be closer to friends and family, but at this point in my pregnancy would it be a smart decision to move?  The baby could come to work with me everyday, my teachers are trained to work with children with exceptionalities, but the idea of mixing my work with my personal life leaves me uneasy.  My husband travels weekly and I have a long commute to work everyday, this is another consideration we have to keep in mind. 

 

I am lucky to have a wealth of early childhood services available at my fingertips.  My company has an Inclusion Services team, designed to help families and early childhood providers with accommodating children with special needs in the classroom setting.  There is also support groups available that we can join that would give us a sense of community, understanding, and socialization for our child.  I read a beautiful story, written by a mother whose child has Down Syndrome.  It was raw, honest, had me in tears the whole time I read it, but in the end made me so excited to start this beautiful journey.  Kelle Hampton has an amazing blog with resources to help parents with their own personal journey. 

 

I am sure wherever we go that we will make the right choices for schools to help our baby grow and learn, with caring dedicated individuals that are educated life long learners that want to do what is best for my child day in and day out. 

 

Have I given a complete picture of my family, or are there details missing that I should include in order to complete the assignment successfully? If so, what are your suggestions?

Is this situation realistic?

Are there any specific websites I should be reviewing with regard to learning about quality services and programs for my child and family in this hypothetical family situation?

Does anyone have any thoughts, based on my specific family situation, that will affect the early childhood system I am creating?

Resources

Baby Center.  (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.babycenter.com/0_amniocentesis_327.bc

Kelle Hampton (January 2010).  Enjoying the small things; Nella Cordelia: A birth story.  http://www.kellehampton.com/2010/01/nella-cordelia-birth-story.html