Service Learning Projects - Coursework Example

Service Learning Project  The area of service learning is important in enabling people to learn skills and knowledge thatare very vital in the society. Everywhere people are looking for volunteers to give their services to others. It is now common to find young people offering their services to charity organizations without necessarily being paid. But there is a deficiency of such people who are willing to offer their services without demanding for payment. The few who does so receive satisfaction since it is like a calling to do such work. However, the other challenging factor is that most people lack the necessary skills to engage in the service delivery. This paper discusses several factors related to service learning projects. Key words: service learning, technology, international development, sustainability Service Delivery Project Introduction The ability to engage in service delivery is important in both local and international setting. All over across the world people are dedicating their time and money to serve others in volunteer basis. This is important given that there so much suffering in many societies across the world and people are looking for others who will provide support and the aid to them. However, the challenges that are encountered during service delivery can discourage someone from wanting to offer their services in another organization. Through learning and experience, it is possible to regularly engage volunteer service delivery with the view of alleviating particular problems and challenges that people in a given community faces. This paper evaluates several factors related to service delivery project and analyses the challenges, opportunities, engaging, and exciting events that were encountered in the organization during service delivery project. The paper starts by giving a definition of terms related with service delivery in a local and global perspective. Define technology, international development, and sustainability Technology In my personal understanding, technology encompasses contemporary tools and process that are used to ensure that tasks are completed in a timely, efficient, and effective manner. The technology is the use of scientific tools to manage and control processes and tasks and is aimed at making the work not only easier to accomplish but also done effectively and efficiently. It is the intentional use of information tools in designing, producing and utilization of goods and service in organizations and the general activities of human beings. Technology plays a crucial role in the modern advancements and has simplified the way of life for many people around the world (Radosevic, 1999). International development The concept of international development is built around activities that are aimed at alleviating human poverty. In recent past, the concept has been expanded to include human rights, disaster management, and environmental friendly activities. International development is a general term that that encompasses actions that are aimed at alleviating human sufferings and through development of aid to human societies. International development is applied in several areas including health, education, water, environment, gender issues among others. International development has become a tool through which developed countries assist poor people in third world countries. International development is undertaken by both governments and nongovernmental organizations to offer financial and other material aid to people who are faced with different challenges. International development is responsible for the milestones in human rights and justice that have been experienced. International development contributes to the wellbeing of many people and governments in poor countries. The concept of international development has found application in many other areas that contribute to the advancement of human societies and alleviation of human suffering (Cooper & Packard, 1997). Sustainability Sustainability is the efficient and manageable of limited resources with a view of ensuring that the people derive maximum benefit of those resources while at the same time preserving for future generations. Sustainability also means that the resources are used efficiently at the minimum costs. Further, sustainability can mean the capacity of people or organization to support and maintain environmental, economic, and social development with regard to the usability. As such, sustainability as a concept plays a crucial role in the preservation and conservation of limited resources. The term is mostly applied to the maintenance of natural resources and financial aids that are available for use by human beings (Degnbol-Martinussen & Engberg-Pedersen, 2003). Background Information about Worksite and Its Mission The Good Samaritan is a charitable organization that works with victims of war to alleviate their suffering through provision of basic needs like food, shelter, and clothing in war stricken areas. The organization depends on the donations from well wishers to be able to run its programs and has helped many people especially women and children to find a shelter while awaiting things to cool down in their homes. Other services given by the organization include healthcare services to children and women. The mission of the organization is to provide relief to suffering through human aid and services that generally meets their basic needs at the time of suffering. The organization has specialized in giving temporary shelter besides teaching the suffering people the importance of maintaining peace and living with other people in harmony.   Briefly describe what you did while you were at the worksite. Describe your own thinking, understanding, and learning as your project evolved.  Several activities were available at the worksite for me. First, I was engaged in the answering of correspondences from people who were enquiring through messages how they could access the services of the Good Samaritan. I was also engaged in giving information to people already at the organization on how to access the services including health and shelter in various sites that are operated by the organization furthermore, I also provided informational material to those who could read and did translation to those who were not able to read. Another activity that I did at the worksite was facilitating programs through directions and advice to people who were moving from one office to the other looking for particular information. The activities that were undergoing at the organization were geared towards alleviating human suffering. The organization had installed a communication system that allowed victims to call in or sent messages on the kind of assistance they needed. However, the system was not serving the organization efficiently as sometimes it could be affected by the enormous number of messages and calls that went beyond its handling capacity (Blomstrom & Sjoholm, 1999). Further, some people called or sent in messages that could not be understood by the operator of the machine making it difficult to understand what the person wanted to say. Additionally, the system could serve all the people who needed help because some of them did not have the devices that were used in the sending of the message or if they knew could not access the services because of the conditions that are making them to run away from their homes (Degnbol-Martinussen & Engberg-Pedersen, 2003). Identify what was puzzling, problematic, engaging, exciting, etc. about your project Several challenges were encountered during the service delivery project for instance, it was difficult to control and management communication processes that were ongoing from different people who wanted help from the organization. Some of the people were sending messages in their first language and it was therefore difficult to understand what they wanted. Another challenge was trying to meet the needs of those who wanted the help of the organization. Since this is a charity organization, most people thought that there was always assistance to them in terms of monetary aid. What they did not know was that the charity organization also depended on the welfare of donors who gave it money to run its services. The lack of understanding from the general public was problematic because telling someone that the organization could not offer help in a give time was not considered as truthful and some people went away complaining that the organization was engaging in discrimination. It was puzzling to see the human suffering cases especially women and children who were suffering because of reasons beyond their control. Most of the victims who sought the help of the organization were affected by civil wars in their countries and some were victims of hunger and sexual abuse. This was puzzling because such deplorable conditions served to undermine the quality of human life especially that of women and children (Fagerberg, 2004). The women and children were the bearers of the social brunt and disorganization. It is was also engaging to communicate with an emotional victim as they narrated their ordeal the management team at the organization The exciting part was being able to help a victim of war to get assistance in terms of food, shelter, and medical attention. Those who were lucky to get those services were thankful to the organization and promised to be peace ambassadors so that no more people could undergo the kind of suffering that they had undergone. The conversation made me to have a redefinition of what it took to become a volunteer in the course of helping people who are suffering. It was a learning experience that helped me to recognize the beauty of peace and the need to ensure that there is always peace around the world (Fagerberg, 2004). At the end of service delivery project, I had learnt a lot of skills in communication, etiquette, and general service in a volunteer based environment. I had learnt that offering services to people who are distressed can be frustrating and challenging at times because they do not know exactly what they want and expression of their needs become very difficult. Failure to understand what they want can be interpreted as ignorance or refusal to serve them. In addition, I also learnt that effective communication is important in ensuring that people understand and follow the instructions that they are given in their pursuit of human rights and justice. Technology plays a crucial role in ensuring that communities alleviate human suffering through facilitation of communication and ensuring that services and products are given timely and in the efficient manner. The use of technology has also transformed the way people interact with one another and enhances the delivery of the services with the aim of ensuring that resources are used in a sustainable and efficient manner. Further, technology provides opportunities for organizations to utilize efficiently resources in a sustainable manner. The use technology also has simplified the use of life and enhances the usability and analysis of development processes and ensures that activities are aligned to the use of technology. The use of resources in a sustainable manner is important in delivering efficient services. If I had another opportunity I will ensure that the services at my disposal are utilized in a good manner to have a sufficiently sustainable approach in the utilization of resources both as human being and material resources. Sustainability is also important is ensuring that more people get to use the limited resources and preserve for future use. It is a way of conserving the environment since most of the resources that are used by human beings are derived from the environment and their overuse can cause environmental problems. References Blomstrom, M. & Sjoholm, F. (1999).Technology Transfer and Spillovers: Does local Participation with Multinationals Matter? European Economic Review, vol. 43, no. 4–6, pp. 915–923 Cooper, F. & Packard, R. M. (1997). International Development and the Social Sciences: Essays on the History and Politics of Knowledge. California University of California Press Degnbol-Martinussen, J. & Engberg-Pedersen, P. (2003). Aid: Understanding International Development Cooperation. New York: Zed Books. Fagerberg, F. (2004). Technology and International Differences in Growth Rates, Journal of Economic Literature, vol. 32, no. 3, pp. 1147-1175 Radosevic, S (1999). International Technology Transfer and Catch-Up in Economic Development. Edward Elgar Publishing: Cheltenham, UK. Read More