Thursday, November 8, 2012

Project Link at Teen Reach by Kim Ruzich



Teen Reach

1.      I chose to volunteer my five hours of time at Teen Reach. Teen Reach is a program where teens between the ages of eleven and seventeen come to hang out after school.  Teens are able to receive homework help, participate in activities such as watching movies, arts and crafts, Play Station games, and recreational sports. Teen Reach also provides free transportation to and from the center, an after school snack, and volunteers to help supply teens with positive role models.
2.      The services that Teen Reach provides on a daily basis reflects many concepts we have covered in Disadvantage Family, such as, children in poverty, minority families, hunger, housing, and poverty measurements. Teen Reach significantly helps disadvantage families or families who are in poverty by providing a safe environment for after school care, individual help with homework, snack time, transportation, and positive role models. The teens are also able to build friendships with other teens and staff members while partaking in the multiple entertaining activities available to them.  
3.      While networking within the program of Teen Reach I gained experience with working with professionals who work at Teen Reach, the teens themselves, and the other volunteers who help out on a weekly basis. I was able to communicate with the volunteers about their experiences and converse about our majors. I will also be able to use this experience on my resume. I have two job interviews this weekend, dealing with child care. I will be able to use the experiences I gained and will explain to the directors how Teen Reach is much like their facilities.
4.      Teen Reach has a tremendously helpful but constructive effect on the community of Charleston. Teen Reach is available to all families and their teens. Teen Reach helps give the teens positive role models so that they too can learn how to make positive choices when it comes to school and other life decisions. Teach Reach can also provide the teens to ask their role models for advice, the professionals and other volunteers are always there for support.
5.      I really enjoyed project link. It gave me a change to make time out of my schedule to volunteer and help make a difference for young children. During my time at Teen Reach I watched Nightmare on Elms Street, colored, played a soccer game on Play Station, and listened to music. My overall experience spending time with the teens was incredible and I definitely plan on volunteering on a weekly basis.





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