My group and I volunteer at the Catholic Community Services. We helped refugees to learn how to use the transportation from their homes to the close’s grocery shop and to the office. We worked with two out of five people and taught them how to use the Transit App to facilitate transportation. Language was a significant barrier, but we overcame it by using a translator app called Tarjimily, which was the only app available with translators who spoke Kinyarwanda. When we didn't have a translator, we resorted to pointing at objects and using simple words to communicate. It took us four hours to complete the trip, but they were patient and enjoyed it.

My learning connection through this service was that I had the opportunity to help people navigate in their new community and understand their needs. Teaching them to use the app required some problem-solving skills and guide them with simple steps and words facilitate the understanding between them and us.

One of the SLCC’s learning objectives is that students would develop civic literacy and the capacity to be community-engaged learners who act in mutually beneficial ways with community partners. Volunteering at CCS was a rewarding experience because we assisted the community by providing them information on how to use the app for using public transportation and creating pamphlets in multiple languages to aid in its utilization. We make pamphlets so they can be used with future people that are new in the country and need to learn how to use the transportation.

This experience will help me grow personally and professionally by enhancing my ability to communicate with clients who don't speak the language, understand their cultures, and treat them equally. It also though me that even if language could be a barrier, learning how to read facial expressions and shortening words it is important to create that connection with the client. As a future Occupational Therapist Assistant is important to adapt to meet each client’s needs and how important empathy, patience, and understanding in building good relationships with clients and not letting language to be a barrier.