Hi everybody!

Reality has set in- I received my official Social Work License in the mail this week.  I’m official-it’s exciting and frightening at the same time.

In other news, I have recently been participating in job training. This has given me the opportunity to practice my interview skills and learn things that I sort of took for granted i.e. how to dress for an interview, how important eye contact and handshakes are etc.  I realize now how I can’t take for granted my initial impression with a potential employer.  Considering I have yet to have a typical 9-to-5 job in a formal work setting, this kind of training is invaluable.

Since I do not have as much experience as others my age that will be competing for the same jobs as I am, I find that I am a little apprehensive. In the job training program they try to teach us to focus on life experiences and how it can also prepare us to do a specific job.

Personally, I have had a lot of experience volunteering in different capacities at the Achievement Centers. They gave me my first opportunity to help with summer camp at Camp Cheerful, their overnight camp, and Champ Camp, their on-site day camp. This gave me my first real experience interacting with people with disabilities in a professional capacity. It was here that I discovered how much I enjoy working with people with disabilities, because my experience with the campers is one I will always remember.

While I may not have seen the impact that these summer volunteer opportunities would have on me, sitting here now, a licensed social worker looking for a job working with youth with disabilities, the effects have clearly been long-lasting.

I have also volunteered periodically throughout college and my young-adult life. These volunteer experiences are for a more specific and unified purpose. For example, I volunteered during the 2008 presidential election which taught me some techniques for community organizing which could help me in a potential social work situation.

More recently I have become involved with an organization called Odyssey Healthcare which helps people who are in hospice care. While with the patient I try to provide socialization and I believe that in doing so I am able to give them an attachment to the world outside of their care facility, much like if a family member were to come and visit.

I would encourage anyone to volunteer regardless of their work experience but especially if they don’t have the opportunity to participate in a typical job setting. Even if you’ve never “worked” before, volunteering gives you the opportunity to make a positive impact in the world while building up a resume that can show your capabilities to a potential employer. Volunteering can also serve as an educational opportunity for parents, and the Achievement Centers are always looking for new volunteers, especially in the Therapeutic Horseback Riding program at Camp Cheerful. Check out their website for more information!