TeamWorks

Session 3 Comments

2008-04-26T15:31:00.000-07:00

Ladies,
So sorry I had to miss the closing session..... I figured I could let this post be my contribution to the closing discussions. Each project we did throughout Session 3 provided a unique insight into women's issues in Denver.
At the Empowerment Program we learned how their organization works to help women transition out of dire situations. The Program's dedication to making lives a little brighter made it easy and gratifying to provide the "secret santa" gift of painting their spaces.

The Joy House experience was eye-opening. One thing I noted particularly in this project was the difficulty that one woman had getting work after being isolated by her abuser for so long. That is a truly unique disadvantage of abused women that I would never have thought about before hearing that woman's story.

Project WISE was an evening of inspiration. Brave women in less than great situations that WORK to be part a community.
All told, I had a great experience. Thanks to the Team Leaders and all the team members for making it fun!

Re: Vanessa's questions

2008-04-23T14:52:00.000-07:00

RE: For the other TeamWorks: Women's Services team members...what were your thoughts about the project before we started? Did these change after completing the project? How do you think the women reacted when they noticed the freshly painted spaces?

Before we started I thought it was such an interesting project in both it's simplicity and it's potential for long-term impact. I was looking forward to meeting some of the women, but I understand why it's difficult for them to be involved. It was lovely of Lyndsey to stay late and come in early to help with the surprise for the women and the staff. Meghan was talking about turning this into another art project with the women, and I think that demonstrates the power that a rather simple project can have.

Reflections

2008-04-23T13:48:00.000-07:00

As we're approaching our last session, I figured it would be a good thing to post a note to the blog (sorry for not writing more - it's certainly not because I haven't been thinking about these experiences). Notably for me, I've been running over the last meeting with project wise in my mind, and how much I loved meeting in that circle. I've already taken so much away from that circle. It's one thing to recognize that as a society and as individuals we spend too much time focusing on the negative, but it takes an entirely different level of awareness to say, i'm going to take 30 seconds or five minutes to recognize the truly 'new and good' things about today/this week/my life/society. It takes so little time to do, and I knew that, but I still wouldn't consciously focus on the positive.
Since that circle, whenever something begins to bother me, I'll give myself a little time to process and to feel what's bugging me, but after a little while, I tell myself to stop, think about something new and good. There's always a point when fretting and worrying will not lead to anything productive or emotionally satisfying, and that session helped me to remind me that there are ways to pull yourself out of negative emotions.
I also liked the thought about making friends consciously. I admire the friends who go out of their way to stay in touch, even when no one knows when I'll see them again, but that admiration didn't translate into action on my part. Yet, it's important to my own well-being to know that I'm keeping track of the people who are meaningful to me. Like it or not, I'm not in kindergarten anymore and making friends will sometimes involve more conscious effort. It's worth it though.
Alexandra

Repainting for Empowerment

2008-04-01T10:43:00.000-07:00

Last week, TeamWorks Session 3 had the opportunity to visit The Empowerment Program, a nonprofit providing case management, support services, basic skills education, housing and resource coordination for women coming out of crisis situations. Whereas most of our other volunteer opportunities will be working directly with women, we had used our service hours that week to repaint several rooms and hallways at Empowerment. I had to wonder, before the project began, how much impact we would feel like we were making that night because we were serving the women who use The Empowerment Program "indirectly."

At the conclusion of just a couple hours of painting, we had managed to transform a hallway, spruce up a bathroom, and prepare an office for a staff member. The vast difference that just a couple coats of paint made to those facilities was impressive. Lindsey, the volunteer coordinator at The Empowerment Program, not only expressed her gratitude frequently, but also let us know how quickly the changes would be noticed by the staff and the women. Through her enthusiasm for our work, I realized that our time spent painting wouldn't affect the women "indirectly." Knowing that a group had been invested in their recoveries and their lives enough to donate their time to improve the facilities they use and to help the staff that they work with daily, will impact those women. The building they spend their days in is brighter, the staff has time to focus on programs and treatments instead of stained or incomplete walls. For these reasons, I felt our service at The Empowerment Program was more direct than I had ever anticipated.

For the other TeamWorks: Women's Services team members...what were your thoughts about the project before we started? Did these change after completing the project? How do you think the women reacted when they noticed the freshly painted spaces?

Vanessa

TeamWorks Session 3 - Women's Services has started!

2008-03-27T10:25:00.000-07:00

Last week TeamWorks Session 3 began. Team Members will spend the next few weeks exploring and aiding Denver’s services which have been designed specifically to aid women.
At their opening session, the group was able to learn from Denny Thompson of The Gathering Place. Last night the Team’s volunteering began with a painting project at the Empowerment Program.
The team's volunteer experience is facilitated by Team Leaders Carrie and Vanessa. In the coming weeks the group will also volunteer at Joy House, The Delores Project, and Project WISE!

Volunteering at Excelsior -Session 1

2008-02-06T15:46:00.000-08:00

Last night I was amazed and inspired by the young women at Excelsior Youth Center. After practicing the game and their teaching methods the night before, the girls taught us one of their favorite card games –phase 10.
While we were at Excelsior I was struck by the openness and honesty of both the girls and the staff. At a center where young women go because of behavior difficulties, I would imagine that this is not easy, yet I also think it is probably one of the reasons for their successful treatment rate. Excelsior had a very positive atmosphere where the girls felt comfortable to talk about their situations and the staff gave them the opportunity to do so.

For the other volunteers who were at Excelsior:
-What was your favorite aspect of volunteering at Excelsior?
-Do you think we helped create change in our time volunteering? Why or why not? If not, how do you think we could create change in the future?
-What are your thoughts on Excelsior in comparison to the other organizations we have volunteered at?

-Nancy

TeamWorks Session 2 – Homelessness and Hunger Begins!

2008-02-04T08:57:00.000-08:00

Homelessness is a serious issue throughout the world. Denver is of course no exception and homelessness has received increasing attention over the past few years with the creation of Denver’s Road Home.

TeamWorks session 2 will spend the next six weeks focusing on homelessness and hunger. Over this time the group will increase their education and awareness, reflect on the issue at hand, and volunteer their time. TeamWorks will volunteer at Brandon Center, Denver Rescue Mission, Food Bank of the Rockies, and The Delores Project.

Last week Team Members gathered together for orientation and to begin education and discussion. The group was able to share their diverse range of experiences and knowledge. This conversation was facilitated by Team Leaders Michelle and Mary, and also greatly aided by guest speakers Randle Loeb of the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative and James a graduate from Urban Peak.

Keep checking the TeamWorks Blog frequently as Team Members from Session 2 will be joining those from Session 1 in posting their thoughts and experiences!

Reflections after two sessions

2008-01-24T11:17:00.001-08:00

Last week, for our first volunteer project, we met at The Bridge Project whose mission is to provide educational opportunities for children living in Denver's public housing neighborhoods so they graduate from high school and attend college or learn a trade. We toured their Westwood site on Irving street, close to Federal and Mississippi, and then played board games with some of the middle-school aged kids. The reflection questions we gave out at the end of the session were:

What issues does Bridge Project work directly with?
What are the larger issues that cause the need for Bridge Project to exist?
What surprised you today?
What is one question you left today's service with?

One issue that Bridge Project deals with, and continues to surprise me, is the issue of access to education. Most middle to upper class people don't even think about education: they typically grow up with access to decent education and the expectation that they will graduate from college. The amazing fact is less than 30% of the entire U.S. population has a college degree, and as Debbie stated from the Bridge Project, 90% of kids who live in housing projects don't even complete high school. Playing games with the kids that night definitely did not guarantee their graduation from high school, but it helped us see the true picture of youth and education and what one organization is doing to help kids succeed who need it the most. It is also encouraging to see the effect mentors have on those kids, and that something as simple as playing games with a kid on a consistent basis can help ensure a better future.

This week, for our second volunteer project, we met at Warren Village, which exists so that low-income, single parent families achieve sustainable personal and economic self-sufficiency. After a brief orientation about the organization, we then played with kids from infants to 10 year-olds while their mom or dad took a life-skills class, part of the requirement for the parent to live at Warren Village. Volunteers are needed every night, Monday-Thursday, to provide child-care so that the parents can attend these classes, which, in turn, gives them the skills and tools they need to become better parents, find better jobs, and become successful and self-sufficient to provide a better future for themselves and their children. Like The Bridge Project, it is difficult to see the impact a volunteer has in one night, but in the larger picture, we were able to see how another organization helps provide a better future for struggling families and children in Denver. The reflection questions for this project are:

What similarities/differences did you notice between Warren Village and The Bridge Project?

How does the mission of Warren Village help with sustainable community development?

What was your interaction with the kids like? What kind of impact do you think your interaction had? What kind of impact did it have on you?

Please post your thoughts and ideas regarding your experiences volunteering as well as the larger issues addressed by these organizations! For more information about the two organizations, you can visit their websites at www.du.edu/bridgeproject and www.warrenvillage.org

Looking forward to next week when we volunteer at The Spot, and learn more about teen homelessness in Denver.

With love, your co-Team Leader,
Carrie

I was taught that the world had a lot of problems; that I could struggle and change them; that intellectual and material gifts brought the privilege and responsibility of sharing with others less fortunate; and that service is the rent each of us pays for living, the very purpose of life and not something you do in your spare time or after you have reached your personal goals.
Marian Wright Edelman

Warren Village

2008-01-24T10:13:00.000-08:00

Had a great time at Warren Village, tired out in the end, those kids kept me hopping! :-)
Good to see everyone there, I look forward to the next project.
~~ Hal

TeamWorks Children & Youth Begins!

2008-01-14T14:58:00.000-08:00

Last Wednesday night TeamWorks 2008 began! After weeks of brainstorming, and planning we were ecstatic when Wednesday finally arrived. The group gathered together to meet one another and discuss future volunteer events. We were also graced with the presence of Cheryl Clark from the Youth Mentoring Collaborative who taught us how we (and the youth we are serving) can get the most out of our time when we only have a few hours at each of our volunteer opportunities.

In the coming weeks TeamWorks Session 1: Children and Youth, will be volunteering at Bridge Project, Warren Village, The Spot, and Excelsior Youth Center. The Team will be using this blog to share reflections and stories from their volunteer experiences.

It is our hope that in the coming weeks the group will share unique ideas and perspectives, and through these move to a new level of understanding and active citizenship. As Dr. Seuss would say "Oh, the places you'll go!"