In Part 1, I will describe why serving the community is important to me. In Part 2, in chronological order, I will provide a list of service activities that I have done. For each activity, I will provide a short description and my thoughts. In green, are those activities which I found to be fruitful. In yellow, are activities that I thought were good but circumstances made it difficult for me to follow through. In red are activites that may be good for others but was not what I was looking for.
While growing up in India caring for animals, plants, trees and needy were natural part of life. Donating money, clothes and food to needy on special occasions was required. Offering food to animals or watering trees brought good luck. I did not need to go looking for them.
Joint family and social structure provided opportunity automatically. There were grandparents, sick family member, pregnant relative and newborns. There were younger children needing help with homework.
When I came to US, opportunity to give back was not as accessible as in India. Additionally no time or energy remained after housework, raising children and full-time work.
Era 1: When children were older and I earned some money
•I donated money to different organizations. The amount of paper, stickers, and unnecessary gifts received from them made me wonder if the money was actually used to help anyone. It did not feel the same because it lacked human connection.
• During my lunch hour, through Harvard Bridge Program, I provided on the job training, tutored English and basic computer to some immigrant workers.
• On the weekends I helped at the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter through Philips Brook and Mass Ave Baptist Church Pantry.
Perkins School for Blind - An organization that helps the blind
What I did: during a networking event I helped several blind person for a job interview.
I also participanted in the book buddy program where I was assigned to 1-2 blind people. I talked with them to determine their book interests and ordered weekly books for them.
-Thoughts: It was a satisfying experience and they were grateful. I was able to balance full time work with this but for some reason this program was cancelled after a few years.
•Through Be My Eyes app-helped several blind person when they needed help with finding or reading something including homework.
Learning Alley records audio technical books for the blind
What I did: I went through a short training and did some recordings.
Thoughts: Because of my accent and lack of technical knowledge, I was disqualified from volunteering.
•Horizon for Homeless Children: http://www.horizonsforhomelesschildren.org/ completed Play space Activity Leader training but the distance made it difficult to continue.
• Parents helping Parents- completed another training but could not continue because of india travel and timing. This required several times a week being on call to talk to troubled parents.
•Boston Cares is connected with different organizations and have many different options available to select from knitting to making phone calls during Covid. They provide training to become project leaders, join Youth education Corp and Americore vista. Here are some projects:
At Community work services, performed mock interview to build interview skills
Prepare immigrants for Citizenship
Trained for Boston Public Schools Co-teaching
Citizens Academy after school program- trained for middle school girls specially 6th graders: Apprenticeship lesson planning and 21st century skills development
Prospect hill academy- trained for after school tutoring. Teaching options included career readiness and life skills. It was possible to teach yoga or Hindi as part of life skills.
Water Sciences Mentoring- Trained for Water purification.
Boston Housing Authority- After completing Interpreter Training, I found out that there was no need for Hindi.
I enjoyed training and learning. Going to Boston, and exploring new places was interesting in the beginning but it became tiringbecause of 2 hours difficult commute one way.
Tried to bring the immigration training to Cary library but did not work.
After retirement, I had more time and wanted something challenging.
found out about National Language Service Corp and completed their intensive requirement (fingerprinting, m-4, Beneficiary selection etc.) to become a member and eligible to work. It was in 2016 but no assignment.
here is more information: https://nlscorps.org/ National Language Service Corps (NLSC) is a congressionally authorized Department of Defense program that provides language and cultural support to U.S. Government agencies.
I also completed a Hindi teacher's training at New York University through StarTalk. STARTALK is a federal grant program managed and funded by the National Security Agency. These grants fund innovative programs with strong language learning outcomes and support programs offered in the critical need languages. Hindi was one of the critical need languages at that time. https://www.startalk.info/about/
Empower Success Corp - This organization trains professionals regarding the structure and function of non-profit organization as well as tools and techniques to provides customized assistance.
-One needs to go through interview process. If accepted, they receive intensive three days training. Then group of individuals are matched with the organizations based on their expertise.
Pre-Covid, I worked on two projects: Massachusetts Farmer’s Market and Framingham Public School.
I enjoyed the training and learning new skills. But projects were far and commute was difficult and exausting. It involved too much talking and writing instead of actual action.
In India:
Ekal vidyalay has 5 branches: prathmik shiksha-functional literacy (reading, writing, math + yoga, story, play), gram vikas-self reliant, using resources, making khaad, better agriculture. swabhiman jagaran - empowerment, voting, panchayat, women. aarogya prathmik upachaar- health care. vishesh - sanskar and option for 25 days prawas
-went to a villege Vada in Maharastra and spent a night. I witnessed Literacy branch. my experience is written elsewhere.
Add Gajipur experience here
In South India via Worldpacker App.
-Bless NGO https://bless.org.in/
https://wildideas.in/
report and information about this organization: https://massentrepreneurship.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Wild-Ideas_Case-Study.pdf
In town
Nursing Home Ombudsman (https://www.ombudsassociation.org/ombuds-training-opportunities)- offered by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs. To advocate for residents and resolve their problems.
I completed three-day training in 2015. I was assigned to a floor where mostly dementia patients were placed except one young person who was not on any medication and had no dimentia symptoms. I talked to the social worker, administrators, and at the ombudsman meetings. He was moved. That was the only rewarding experience at this place.
Some residents were never awake, some screamed and most of them did not remember anything. The facility had a lot of problems and was not managed well. The place smelled bad. The elevator was not functional for most of the year and turn-around of staff was too fast. Social worker seemed uncaring and detached. Finally, the place was closed and Covid began.
Current experiences
•Trip Chaperone for seniors
•Board member of Citizen for Lexington Conservation, and Lexington Living Landscapes
•Co-chair of the Sensory Garden.
The Money Management Program offered by Minuteman Senior Services helps people maintain their independence at home. I was trained to help and work one-on-one with the consumer to establish a list of monthly income and expenses, set up a budget as needed.
Training finished in 2016 but unfortunately, they could not find any assignments.
Neighbor Bridged- helps people in crisis with meals, doctor appointment and light housework. Rude administrators and had no human connection.
Hospice training: Left in the middle. It was too painful for me and organization seemed like a business to me.
Youth Mental Health First Aid – completed 8-hour training offered by National Council for Behavioral health in 2017. I learned:
-Mental illness is highest in youth (10-11 grader) and elderly. Youth mental health is extremely crucial because of physical, hormonal, sexual changes are occurring at the same time. These normal growth factors could be intensified by sensitive/emotional/shy personality, death and illness in family, traumatic event, abuse, neglect, accident, bulling, parental separation and lack of close confiding relationship with someone. It is proved by many research including Harvard University that feeling close to at least one adult in adolescence is the greatest protective factors. That is why this training is extremely important.
-Recognizing the need of youngster and early help could make a huge difference in someone’s life. They recommended that one should use I-sentences while talking and describe what one sees while expressing concern.
-The action plan is (ALGEE): A-access risk of suicide, L-listen nonjudgmentally, G-give reassurance and resources, E-encourage for getting professional help, E-encourage self-help and strategy.
Nature Care Connection Training- offered by the Organization. They have designed therapeutic programs using nature for at risk children, people with disability, youth, and elders. Research of White et al, Hall et al, and some others show the effectiveness of such programs. Patients with windows experiment.
I learned different ways to include nature:
-sensory exploration with sensory tray: touch by feeling the texture, smell by using herbs for aromatherapy, see and taste by tea tasting. Use actual tree, orange and flower.
- make craft with natural material (Sachet, birdhouse decoration, paper towel tubes with rice or acorn.), Make terrarium, fresh flower arrangement. gardening.
-While exploring ask open-ended questions such as how does it make you feel? Does it remind you of anything? What would it feel to be this object?
-Educational activities-pollination with qtips, make constellation with punched holes in paper towel tube and black paper.
-meditation and movement- mindful walk, meditate with natural material, rain dance-rub palms, mild clap, loud clap, pat legs then reverse order, memory game
Important points to consider: safety (allergy and challenges), offer choice (invite instead of asking), show respect (for material and person)
-Maintain same level, be present, energetic and calm, say the action, show the action, model and mirror.