Profile of a Volunteer

"Profile of a Volunteer."

Volunteers are those who willingly give their time, ability, and energy to help others without seeking any type of payment. Volunteers serve the interest of young children and their families by helping different organizations and agencies. Today I was asked to participate in an organization that is designed to help increase self-esteem, promote awareness, and teach young girls how to be more confident in themselves. The founder of this organization Ms. Faye has been volunteering her time to help youth in our community for a while. Outside of being a full -time music teacher she is also a mentor and mother figure to many. She has volunteered at several youth events, some of which she organized. She has been a long-time supporter of the youth in her community training young children of all ages in music, singing, dancing, and now preparing young girl ages 5-12 to develop life changing skills. Being one of her mentee’s she has helped me develop skills I didn’t realize I had. She has also done this for many others. Today she wanted us to be aware of her commitment to her cause and bring any ideas that we thought would be beneficial to the development of these young ladies. Her enthusiasm, motivation, dedication and encouragement will have a major impact on the people she will serve and those willing to help. I am over joyed and excited to help her reach her goal.

Using Social Media

"Using Social Media to Get Connected."

My experience with social media has been one that I thought may not be right for me. But since I have been using social media I have been able to connect to connect with people who I may not otherwise. Although you can be discouraged by some of the things you see on social media, it can also be very resourceful. I am still limited with my use of social media but realizing it can be used for more than just social conversation with family and friends.

It think all social media tools can be effective in advocacy work when used properly. It eliminates having to find time to gather and meet for things that can be resolved using other methods. Social media allows you to share and receive information quickly. I remember when all we had was mail. Now so much is being done through email and is quickly moving towards social media.  I love how we can share on our blogs information that is beneficial to our future success.

I am not by any means that effective when using social media. The only social media outlet that I use daily is facebook. I do know that it can be used in my advocacy efforts because you can set up private groups to share information with those members. We have a group specifically set up for our family members where we share information among ourselves that others can’t view. But I have also used my personal page to share information on topics that I feel are important and can have a positive effect in the lives of others.

I would like to know how others are using other social media tools so that I can increase my ability to promote my advocacy efforts

Advocacy Through Advertising

Advocacy Messages

Advocacy work begins when you define an issue based on research and data that can have a huge impact on a child’s development. When presenting this message when need to ensure that it is impactful, clear, and understandable.  I chose these three messages that I thought were inspiring to me.

v New Frontiers in Early Childhood Development

v Early stimulation and interaction with parents and caregivers jumpstart the journey of brain development — and a lifetime of learning.

v QUALITY MATTERS- STEPS TOWARD QUALITY EARLY EDUCATION AND CHILD CARE

Early childhood education is a field that is always changing. Children and their family’s needs have become more diverse than ever before. These changes can have a huge impact on current policies and legislations. New frontiers in early childhood development sends a clear message that we need to be willing to step up to new and improved ways of meeting the needs of young children and their family. The early years of development are the most important. Brain function can change for life based on research that was done done on infant and childhood stimulation showing that, nurturing stimulating interaction between young children and their caregivers and parents permanently and positively strengthens the ability to learn. Early intervention is the foundation to future success, without it, it becomes progressively harder to fix problems.

High quality care contributes to the positive outcomes in early childhood. Care that is emotionally supportive, consistent, and developmentally sound, has a positive effect on the child and family. Care is often influenced by affordability, availability, and family values. For many families, high-quality child care is not affordable, which results in them having to compromises on their choices. Every child’s learning and development is influenced by their experiences that will have long-term consequences for the child, their family, and community. Research of high-quality affordable early childhood education programs for low-income children have lasting positive results that included a decreased need for special education services, greater school success, higher graduation rates, lower juvenile crime, and increased chances of being productive members within their community.

Considering Your Capacity

"My Own Capacity."

            The issue impacting young children and their families and/or the field of early childhood that fuel my passion is ensuring that all children and families have access to quality care and service they need. Young children across the United States have suffered for many years due to the lack of quality care. The first 5 years are the most critical to future growth and development. This is the time they should be building the foundation for their future outcome in school and as adults. Even though we know how important getting a head start is, many young children and their families lack access to affordable quality care. Access to high-quality early childhood opportunities is all too often determined by parental income and geography; and federal programs designed to support high-quality early learning and development are too underfunded to serve all eligible children (CDF, 2011).

            My work as an advocate will depend on me serving in a leadership capacity, partnering with different professional organizations, acting in my community as a resource provider, and addressing the needs of children and young families at board or public meetings. These are just a few resources that I can utilize that can benefit my advocacy work. Working with local and state officials will also be a major resource. There are several professional organizations within my community and across the U.S. that I can be a part of to increase my efforts.

            My personal and professional growth is important when working as an advocate. It is very important that I stay up to date with current policies and laws that may have an impact on our children. I hope to gain as much knowledge as possible by continuing my education and training. I am committed to empowering families and hope that my efforts will change the way we view education.

Resources:

Children's Defense Fund. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.childrensdefense.org/