Blog 9: Service Learning

1.      I participated in the Cystic Fibrosis Fundraiser and Climb.  My role was to help with the tabling and make the flyers.  I also went to the climb.

2.      Pros: getting to feel like you’re a part of something bigger, thinking about someone else for a change, getting out of the classroom, building “team spirit”, learning more about cooperation, strengthening our planning skills, having fun!

Cons: it did use up some class time we could have spent on something else.

3.      I learned that it’s really important to be clear when explaining an issue.  When we were tabling, some people were really confused when we tried to tell them what we were doing.  How we explained cystic fibrosis often made a difference in how people reacted (i.e. if they gave us money…).  I also learned that bureaucracy is hard to penetrate.  When we tried to get food to sell to earn the money, there were lots of nit-picky things that the different businesses came up with as reasons to tell us no. Sometimes people genuinely wanted to help but couldn’t because of various bureaucratic provisions.  I also learned that even though what we did felt small, it multiplied into something big because of the great advertising and PR for the entire event.  Seeing how difficult earning our money was gave me a greater appreciation for what the organizers of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation do.  I can’t imagine how much work it would be to put on the whole event.

4.      I learned that NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) have very talented people working for them.  They are able to get corporations to sponsor them and donate lots of money by clever advertising and public relations in general.  I also learned that a fair amount of money gets spent on things not directly related to the cause—for example, salaries, and things to make the events flashier like food and t-shirts.  There would be more money for cystic fibrosis research if the companies that donated food and stuff donated money instead.  But I also understand the need for events to be fun and interesting so more people will participate.  I guess what I learned, then, is that you have to spend money to make money.  I also learned the importance of hiring people who know what they are doing.  Professionalism is something that helps the NGOs run smoothly and efficiently.  I never was very sure before if NGOs needed to have professionals on their payroll, but I now believe it to be necessary.  I think that the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation seems to operate pretty well—their events seem to go well anyways, and they provide good information on their website.  I can’t speak for all NGOs; I’m sure some operate better than others.

5.      I doubt there is anyone in the public who would say they don’t care about poverty, hunger, sickness, raising awareness, or fair housing.  But what they are willing to do about it is the big thing.  It’s so easy to get wrapped up in your life and not think about greater social issues.  I think it’s really important for groups like the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Habitat for Humanity to host events and advertise, because it gets us to stop what we’re doing and think about social problems for a minute.  I felt that the various volunteers we met during the event were pretty generous—they were willing to give of their time to do something really repetitive like handing out name-badges for hours at a time, or get up early on a Saturday to sing, or walk up and down the stairs to find people that needed help.  There were more people involved, generously giving of their time, than I expected.

6.      I learned that when I do little things, it may not feel like much, but it adds to all the other people doing little things to make a big difference.  I realized that even though it often takes a lot of people working together to make something big happen, my efforts are a valuable part of that.  I think that groups have several advantages in projects of this type: more people are exposed to the ideas and issues involved, having people around as you work boosts morale, and you get more accomplished.  The main drawback of working together is that it takes longer to come to a consensus on methods.  Lots of discussion happens, and it takes a while for differing opinions to merge into a workable plan.  The slow start is made up by increased returns and greater motivation, though.

7.       The overall value of a collective volunteer action such as the Cystic Fibrosis Fundraiser and Climb or Habitat for Humanity is high.  Even if we can’t address every issue or affect every person in need, it’s important for us to do what we can, and remember that we make a world of difference to the individuals we do help.  Also, collective volunteer actions help the volunteers as much as those they are trying to serve.  I think engaging in volunteer work makes for better people.

8.      I think that world issues have to be addressed at the local level.  That is where ordinary citizens have the most power to act, so it is where the greatest amount of people can be involved.  Policy-makers certainly have a role, but I think that the average citizen doing average things is where people’s minds and hearts are changed, and that is where real change starts.  All these issues like poverty, hunger, sickness, lack of housing—governments can help, but not without some changes in society at large.  That is where getting involved at the local level—making it personal—makes a difference.  Our attitudes will have to change before governmental programs will be very effective.  We need to help the people around us, get our hands dirty, be our brother’s keeper—all of that.  The local level is where we can form habits of service, and lots of individual habits can change a society.