Volunteering in a Community Development Program - Coursework Example

Teamwork Over the holidays, I volunteered with some of my classmates to work in a community development programme. Our work was to clean and plant trees in the community and make the environment sustainable. However, at some point we failed to achieve our mission since the work was tiresome and more demanding. Being the leader of the group, I was responsible for making things work out for the group. I had to find a better solution and make all members be more engaged in their roles. I thought of the best strategy that we could apply successfully. I realized teamwork was the best strategy that could help us achieve our goal. I called upon all team members and informed them of the idea and how it could effectively help us in our mission of creating sustainable environment. The results were positive. We were able to complete the task earlier than expected and all members were effectively engaged in the activity. Effective communication I volunteered to work as marketer in Edson Company. The company was facing several challenges in it marketing strategies and was not able to realize recommendable profit. The marketing manager was very rigid and was not able to obtain information from any member within the company. My task was to ensure that the manager incorporates various techniques to help the organization attain success in its marketing strategies. My proper and effective communication skills helped me a great deal in communicating with the manager. I approached the manager and excuse myself before talking to him. Foremost, I congratulated him for the efforts he was doing to ensure the organization moves forward in its operation and told him the importance of obtaining divergent views from other staff. I was polite and friendly in my communication and ready to discuss with the manager. At the end, the manager was satisfied with my idea and incorporated my idea to help the organization meet its marketing objectives. Initiative and Creative Problem Solving I am very initiative and have problem solving skills. While voluntary working as a marketer in Edson Company, I had to be initiative and use my problem solving skills to help the organizations prosper in its marketing strategies. The organization was constantly facing losses despite their attempts to improve their sales. My task was to ensure the organization achieve success in its strategies and be fruitful in its operations. I was responsible of incorporating marketing strategy which could help the organization be fruitful. As a solution to the problem, I recommended viral marketing technique for the company. The organization implemented the organization viral marketing in their marketing techniques. As a result, the company become successful in its operation and was able to obtain a wider customer base and realize more profit. Additionally, the organization obtained a positive competitive advantage over their competitors. TASK 4 I have gained a lot since I joined the university. Prior to joining the institution, I was not able to socialize and make sound relationship with my peers. University education has made it possible for me to mingle and socialize with friends of various genders. I feel it is a motivation to me and I feel pleased with the idea that I can effectively interact with my peers and make meaningful relationships. Meyer (2007) claims that education affects the society by socializing individuals. The study indicates that education confers success in most individuals. It makes an individual to make good choices in life and create proper relationship with others. Formation of such relationships helps an individual to learn effectively through discussion groups and obtain new ideas from their peers. This has been so interesting to me and I have been able to engage with my peers in developing my study skills. Since I joined the university, I have been proficient in managing my time more effectively. Before I joined the university, I was not able to manage my time and to perform my tasks within specified time frame. Through putting time schedule and personal study time table, I have been able to manage my time adequately. This has been helpful to me in my life and I am able to use the skill in all aspects of life. It is true that university education helps in managing time more appropriately. Misra and McKean (2000) argue that, effective time saving is an essential skill to acquire. Most first years do struggle to develop this skill and they often fail in their first assignment that is when they realize they would have started the assignment early. As students progress with their study, they become more aware of how to manage their time more effectively (Kolb and Kolb, 2005). The students become more efficient since they are able to understand the expectation, develop various skills and reflect on given feedback. Good planning and time management enable learners to effectively spread their workload throughout the semester and be more effective in their daily studies (Berkes, 2009). Thus it is important for me to acquire the skill. There are several challenges I faced during my study in the university. First of all, being an international student, it was not easy for me to understand the English language. I had to struggle in my first year to understand the language. Due to this, I had communication barrier and was not able to communicate effectively with other students, this greatly affected my studies and made me feel demoralized in my education. Additionally, my parents were not able to care for other siblings and pay for their school fees. I had to go an extra mile and work part time to get some cash to support my siblings. It was not an easy task though. Balancing education and work was very tricky and I had to forge some classes in order to attend to my job. These were two main challenges that I encountered during my first year in school. Task 5 Personal development plan Aims: What do I want to achieve / learn? Actions: What will I do to achieve this? Resources: What resources / support will I need? Measurement: What will my success criteria be? Review and time scale: Date and method of review? Greater height of knowledge of conducting various business activities. I have to complete my course and training Get to know my department team and make them full trust in me. 1.Discuss my priorities with my line manager. 2. attend regional training centre 1.corse assessment 2. self appraisal 3. ensure that i have attended all necessary training 30 July report Broaden my understanding of leadership Learn from observing how qualified managers gain their trust and friendship Senior colleagues Performance and monitoring appraisal during development program 30th July report Improve my personal fitness Allocate sometime in the mornings and evenings for fitness Advice from gym instructor Improved personal fitness quarterly Obtain core business skills Complete compulsory organisation update training Secure bonus reimbursement as appropriate 30th July annually create confidence in as a leader Volunteer to lead in various projects Line manager Feedback from the team and the project sponsor. End of the project References Berkes, F., 2009. Evolution of co-management: role of knowledge generation, bridging organizations and social learning. Journal of environmental management, 90(5), pp.1692-1702. Kolb, A.Y. and Kolb, D.A., 2005. Learning styles and learning spaces: Enhancing experiential learning in higher education. Academy of management learning & education, 4(2), pp.193-212. Meyer, J.W., 2007. The effects of education as an institution. American journal of Sociology, pp.55-77. Misra, R. and McKean, M., 2000. College students' academic stress and its relation to their anxiety, time management, and leisure satisfaction. American Journal of Health Studies, 16(1), p.41. Read More