May 10th, 2010 - Posted by OneStar Foundation - 1 Comment
Today, OneStar launched a new AmeriCorps*Texas recruitment campaign aimed at connecting people interested in AmeriCorps with Texas programs looking for members. The campaign, which features real stories from five Texans, is the first AmeriCorps campaign from OneStar.
This week, we will feature blog posts from four of the participants, where they discuss their service and how much it has shaped their lives. Today’s blog post is from Jamilah.
My AmeriCorps term of service was performed in my hometown of Waco through the Communities in Schools-Heart of Texas agency. This AmeriCorps*State program consists of a group of members who perform their service at various schools and community agencies that are linked to the Communities in Schools programming. I was placed at the Family Abuse Center domestic violence shelter, and I worked with both adults and children as they planned for their new lives free from abuse. Some of my many activities included answering crisis hotline calls, helping residents gain access to local resources, offering group activities for children, facilitating violence prevention groups in local schools and participating in community education presentations about the services provided at the shelter. This was a great introduction to working with the issue of family violence in the nonprofit sector, and it gave me a jump-start into a career of public service.
Immediately after completing my term, I moved to Corpus Christi to take a job as a social worker. I landed a position as a victim advocate at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, a nonprofit organization that offers free legal services and prioritizes cases with a history of domestic violence. I love serving my clients who are in the process of ending an abusive relationship, and it is thanks to AmeriCorps that I was prepared to begin doing this kind of work.
When I decided to apply to become an AmeriCorps member, family and friends encouraged me to seek a full-time job in a traditional employment setting instead. They had reservations about my decision to become a full-time volunteer, probably because they were not familiar with the idea and benefits of devoting a year to public service. I appreciated the encouragement of one fellow classmate, who told me she thought it takes more courage to participate in AmeriCorps than to seek traditional work. It was nice to be validated by at least one person, and eventually I gained the support of my family once they realized my dedication to the program.
I remained committed throughout the term of service and therefore have many memories of the entire experience. The most memorable aspect is the daily interaction I had with residents of the shelter. I quickly learned how domestic violence affects such a wide variety of people. Here are just a few phrases that describe some of the many residents I encountered: quiet, social, excited about change, playful, scared of the unknown, vulnerable, working professional, newlywed, first-time mom, grandmother and even a former female wrestler. Each resident had a unique story, and it was an honor to earn their trust as we worked together to plan a brighter future for them.
I was fortunate as a full-time volunteer to not only interact with shelter residents, but also to network with other service providers by attending various community meetings. I participated in meetings of the local Domestic Violence Response Team, Human Trafficking Coalition and the Heart of Texas Homeless Coalition, among others. I was also fortunate to have plenty of ongoing training throughout the entire term. In addition to the weekly AmeriCorps group trainings, we attended monthly staff training with employees of Communities in Schools. I also participated in regular staff and volunteer training of the Family Abuse Center, including specialized trainings provided by the Texas Council on Family Violence. With all of the day-to-day shelter activities, community meetings and trainings, it was not difficult to fulfill the 1,700-hour requirement for my term of service.
During this very active and busy year of ongoing activities, some one-time special events also occurred. I remember the enjoyment of engaging shelter residents in art projects that were displayed at a local ceremony remembering victims and honoring survivors of domestic violence. The children were enthusiastic about getting their hands messy with paint, and the adults were very open to sharing their thoughts and feelings via painted images on a large canvas. I was pleased to facilitate the opportunity for them to express themselves and have a sense of pride in the finished product.
A few months later, I also took pride in participating in the planning and implementation of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service for 2008. This day of citywide community engagement and service learning brought youth and adults together in a large-scale service project. On the morning of this national service day, I had the pleasure of representing AmeriCorps on a local television news broadcast, reminding the public to make this federal holiday “a day on, not a day off.”
At the conclusion of the term, our AmeriCorps group had a graduation ceremony in which we were presented with proclamations from the mayor, officially recognizing AmeriCorps Graduation Day in Waco. As the group representative, I gave a speech about our overall experiences, the variety of service activities we had performed throughout the year and the difference we had made in many areas of our community. I explained the concept of civic engagement and the importance of recognizing one’s own potential to positively impact our community, society and world. I went on to honestly state that I felt the phrase “making a difference” was not sufficient to express our AmeriCorps experience as a group. It seemed too cliché, overused and vague considering the level of commitment we each had to AmeriCorps, demonstrated by the extent of projects we completed in just one year’s time. In reviewing a list of these projects, I found a better phrase to reflect our accomplishments: “getting things done.” This phrase is derived directly from the AmeriCorps pledge, and I believe it best exemplifies how we took a pledge from words to actions.
Speaking of the AmeriCorps pledge, I now like to keep mine visibly hung on my office wall, along with my Certificate of National Service. They are both framed and placed right alongside my bachelor’s degree, as a reminder to “carry this commitment with me this year and beyond.”
To anyone considering becoming an AmeriCorps member, I suggest absorbing as much information as possible from Americorps.gov, alumni or current members in your area and the program coordinator of your specific program of interest. Also ask yourself if you’re ready to make a commitment to “getting things done” for your community, because AmeriCorps’ unique service opportunities require a genuine interest in the concept of service. Take your time to consider if this is a good choice for you. If so, I welcome you to join the AmeriCorps network by beginning the application process.
After completing my term of service, I relocated from Waco to a south Texas city with very limited AmeriCorps opportunities. Therefore, I connected with the nearest AmeriCorps Alumni Network, which is in Austin. I’m sure that I will search for Alums in any future US city that I live in. As a social worker, it is common to network with community agencies; and I’ve found myself imagining how each agency could be enhanced if it would include an AmeriCorps member in its program. Clearly, I’m biased, as I think that every agency should want an AmeriCorps member! I’ve had the pleasure of meeting two important stakeholders in my new community, with whom I hope to talk more in the future about what AmeriCorps could do for the region. Both the Executive Director of the regional volunteer center and the Director of Volunteer Services for the city both seemed open to future discussions with me.
I’ve taken an interest in learning more about volunteerism in general, and I am forever grateful to AmeriCorps for helping stimulate this interest. Hopefully one day, I’ll be able to complete a second term as an AmeriCorps*VISTA volunteer. I’m keeping my eyes wide open for that chance!
Tags: AmeriCorps Week·AmeriCorps*Texas·Civic Engagement·OneStar Foundation·Social Impact·Texas
Q: Tell us about one particular incident or anecdote about your service that exemplifies what AmeriCorps means to you.
