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  • DUC Service-Learning Program

  • Dominican University of California

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    Impacts

    Open opportunities at Lifehouse Marin - TRIP

    This week seemed to be more enlightening than some others. I saw a few things I hadn't seen before. First of all, toward the beginning of the outing, I saw Liam help Gavin tie his shoes; something I had only seen Gustaf to before. I thought that was really sweet and it was good for Liam to help out Gavin since he's more cognitive than Gavin.
    Another thing that really surprised me was that Andrew hung out with the group the whole time when he usually walks around and he opened up to me a lot. Andrew barely said hi to me the first day I was there and has never said more than a few words to me. He talked about himself and what he does in school and how he works on a search and rescue team. I remembered when he told me he volunteered to help out with search and rescue during the lake county fires. He told me that he lives independently from his parents in a group home with some roommates and wants to expand his friend base because his roommates are "significantly less cognitive" than he is. So not only did I learn a little bit about Andrew, but I learned that he is comfortable talking about his disability. Never did I mention disability-related topics to any of the TRIP teens. Now that I think about it, they might want to talk about it. I never wanted to mention it because I thought it would be a sensitive subject.

    Gave 2.00 hours on 12/02/2015
    Open opportunities at Lifehouse Marin - TRIP

    This week was different because everyone thought it was canceled. Liam showed up around 5:15, and no one else was coming. Mike wasn't there either and we couldn't open up the document containing the contact information for the rest of the group, so we couldn't let anyone know that bowling was still happening this week. Liam only really cares if Connor comes, and he has his number, so he called Connor and Connor was able to come around 6. While waiting for Connor, Liam watched out the window the whole time and looked pretty worried. That may have been the first time I saw him look unhappy. He always has a good attitude and seems very happy. He's not super competitive and he really loves hanging out with Connor. They often stray from the group together, but they are always together regardless.
    Connor's caretaker, Marie, had made an agreement with Connor that since we waited for him to come to bowling, he would not go on his phone or keep his headphones on the whole time. He had promised to keep his mind and body with the group and to play the game and have good bonding time. She was maybe a little frustrated and I tried to help out as much as I could to implement the little rules she has for him. For instance, when he's done with his turn bowling, he stands there in front of everyone and either goes on his phone or just talks to Liam. Marie was trying to get him to sit down so that everyone else could watch the next bowler. I tried to help just by reminding him to have a seat when his turn was over. I asked both Liam and Connor about their thanksgiving plants. They weren't giving me any answers and mainly just focused on the each other but I'm pretty used to that. I'm just there to support their friendship. Accompaniment is important for me and I think it has been the most prominent principle in my service learning experience; accompanying the kids while they accompany each other.

    Gave 2.00 hours on 11/18/2015
    Open opportunities at Lifehouse Marin - TRIP

    This week felt like the other weeks. It felt like fun. I try to focus on the ethical aspect of service learning that I'm supposed to be able to relate back to our class readings. However, it's difficult when I just feel like I'm hanging out with friends. I feel that there is not much more I can do because I'm not qualified to be a caretaker and I don't even know the names of the disabilities that all the kids have. At this point, I should probably ask. We don't talk about mental disability in class. We've talked about death, nursing, old age, disease and oppression, but not mental disabilities in teens or young adults. So, it's difficult to be able to relate what I do during service learning to our class.
    Of course, accompaniment is important. Our presence there seems to be the only "work" we are doing. While we are all bowling and having a good time, we cheer each other on so there is a strong sense of friendly competition. What the goal is, I think, is to have the teens interact with each other in a respectful environment. Sometimes it gets a little competitive, but it's always friendly and fun.
    Another thing that I think the teens will gain from this program is a sense of autonomy. Some of them have to take the bus to the bowling alley, and they learn to be social without their parents or caretakers around. Unrelated to bowling, I know that some of the teens need to work on general life skills, such as doing dishes or taking the bus by themselves. That all plays into autonomy.
    I wish this program were a little more involved, and that the other students and I actually learned how to properly care for and support disabled people. Then it would be a lot easier to relate our work to accompaniment and the other major moral principles.

    Gave 2.00 hours on 11/11/2015
    Open opportunities at Lifehouse Marin - TRIP

    The one thing that stuck with me this last week was that Mike and the kids' caregivers really give the kids a lot of room to figure it out on their own. Meaning that, at times when I want to comfort a disappointed kid or make sure everyone is okay, The other adults just leave them alone and let them figure it out. I don't understand how the kids think and I don't even know what kind of disabilities they have. So I think I realized how important it is to just let them feel how they feel without trying to change it.

    Gave 2.00 hours on 11/04/2015
    Lifehouse Marin - TRIP

    This Impact is private

    Open opportunities at Lifehouse Marin - TRIP
    Open opportunities at Lifehouse Marin - TRIP

    This Impact is private

    This Impact is private