Embedded Files
Concept Cue:
What do you know about a social issue being addressed and how has it affected a particular community? What would be a direct service action that could relieve some connected symptoms to the issue? Please write a brief plan that underscores the "how" of the direct service. Please upload appropriate multimedia onto your e-portfolio along with your responses.
Being that I have worked within homeless services for about 5 years now, I often think about how we are working to address this issue in our community. Homelessness affects all walks of life, regardless of age, race, gender, or ability but racial and gender demographics are an especially important aspect of the American Homelessness story because BIPOC and members of the LGBTQ+ community are disproportionately affected. Some methods of direct service that are most common at the facility that I work at are assisting with meal preparation and service for the clients staying in shelter or helping to sort, wash, and distribute donations. I have been completing some of my service hours by volunteering for the dinner service at our shelter and it has deepened my connection with several of the women staying with us. There is always such an uplifting, light-hearted energy in the kitchen and I look forward to singing along to music while we prep sack lunches and getting to laugh and joke with the women as they move through the food line.
Community Organization Report:
What is the name of the community organization?
Ability Inclusion Services
What is the organization's mission?
Ability Inclusion Service's central aim is to "Enrich the lives of people with disabilities." Their website explains, "At Ability Inclusion Services, we're committed to fostering independence and self-reliance among adults
with disabilities. Our tailored offerings span residential living, career development, community access and essential daily living skills, all designed with the individual at the heart of every program. We're here to empower each person to reach their full potential in employment, active community participation, and independent living. Join us in exploring how our person-centered services can support achieving personal milestones and enhancing quality of life."
What societal issues are they providing resources to?
This organization aims to cover the gaps in services for people with disabilities by assisting with housing, community building, education, and independence. I was especially interested in the housing aspect of Ability Inclusion Services because I can see ways some of the clients we serve at the shelter could be benefited--especially considering that traumatic brain injuries are one of the qualifying conditions of eligibility and about 50% of those experiencing homelessness have a TBI. According to the National Library of Medicine, "People experiencing homelessness are at especially high risk of TBI of all severities. One meta-analysis of 22 studies shows an average of 53.1% of individuals experiencing homelessness had at least one TBI of any severity, and 22.5% have had at least one moderate to severe TBI."
The pathway for this module is Direct Service; how is this approach explored by the community organization?
I was also excited to learn about the social fulfillment side of their efforts which allows their participants to do things like go on regular outings to museums, the movies, festivals, local attractions, bowling, grocery shopping, and more. The majority of their volunteer opportunities involved participating in these outings--which sounds like a ton of fun! For a group interested in a direct service opportunity with Ability Inclusion Services, you can call in and figure out what will best serve their needs. Previous groups have done gardening, painting, and cleaning projects.
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