We had the opportunity to teach and assist underprivileged children from local government schools during our three weekends of Community Service as FS students. Sports, science, and numerous artistic fields are among the activities offered through Community Service. I took part in this Community Service as one of the individuals in charge of the arts and crafts program. The six sessions we had in total were planned by those in charge, and we carried them out on the days of the Community Service.
- LO 2. Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process.
Activity planning was my service’s first difficult task. We as the organizers had to take into account a variety of considerations when planning the activities, including the kind of art and craft appropriate for the various age groups, the availability of materials, the right amount for them, and something that all the volunteers participating in the service could easily conduct with the children. Another challenge I had to overcome was making sure that each child participating in the arts and crafts program received equal and individualized attention so that it would be a positive learning experience for all of us. I gained experience in management in general, teamwork, and patience throughout my time in the service.
- LO 4. Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences.
The six sessions for the Community Service went well overall, and even though things did not always go as planned, we all, including the volunteers and in charge, made it through those six sessions with lots of enjoyable interactions with the children and enjoyed our time away from school work as well. After each of the six sessions, I eagerly anticipated the following one so that I could interact with the kids once again.
- LO 5. Demonstrate the Skills and recognize the benefits of working collaboratively.
Working cooperatively with others as their teammate to carry out the activity plan as smoothly as possible and make this experience enjoyable for everyone was a really important skill I acquired. Once we figured out how to manage the volunteers and explain the sessions in a way that is effective for everyone to understand and be able to manage the kids who join them, working collaboratively taught me to take into account the thoughts and opinions of everyone involved in managing the activities.
Participating in Community Service is particularly interesting for me since those who participated had the chance to work with kids who were younger than me and teach them creative skills that they could use independently later on in their own time. I loved helping the kids and interacting with them. This was quite intriguing since it allowed me to relive the days when our teachers would plan fun activities to teach us new skills, that way we could learn but also have fun while doing so.
Evidence:
[Participation Certificate received after the completion of the service.]
