Time Commitment for the Work in Brisbane Red Cross - Essay Example

1.0. Time Commitment Date of Activity Activity Place/Location Hours Spent 06/3/2013 Meeting with the Red Cross coordinator-Brisbane for briefing and delegation of duties Samford Village regional offices, Brisbane 12:00pm – 16:00pm 4 hrs 08/3/2013 Reported for the first training on fire safety management and disaster preparedness Samford Village regional offices Brisbane 12:00pm – 16:00pm 4 hrs 13/3/2013 Attended a brief training session with the coordinator. Attending a fund raising mobilisation at Everton park to raise funds for disaster management. Everton park and Tingalpa 12:00pm – 16:00pm 4 hrs 15/3/2013 Sensitising the community on special emphasis to disaster and emergency services. Brisbane central business district (CBD) 12:00pm – 16:00pm 4 hrs 20/3/2013 Participated in the collection and testing of blood and distributing to the hospitals with dire need of a given blood group. Morningside 12:00pm – 16:00pm 4 hrs 22/3/2013 Attended training on National Leadership so as to provide high quality services to the community. Geebung residence 12:00pm – 16:00pm 4 hrs 27/3/2013 Met with State Advisory Board to brief Red Cross on the impending situations that needs the attention of the Red Cross (Red Cross team led by Michael Legge) Albion 12:00pm – 16:00pm 4 hrs 29/3/2013 Collection and dumping of solid waste from streets of Brisbane. Brisbane 12:00pm – 16:00pm 4 hrs 03/4/2013 Attended construction of collapsed bridge by Red Cross team members. Donated sanitary towels to school girls. Carindale 12:00pm – 16:00pm 4 hrs 05/4/2013 Attended class and concert preparation and constructing lesson plans for weeks 9-13. Wakerley 12:00pm – 16:00pm 4 hrs 10/4/2013 Participated in the sensitising the community of how to support the services of the Red Cross by buying their products from a designated stores. Brisbane 12:00pm – 16:00pm 4 hrs 12/4/2013 Visited two schools looking for volunteers to help in garbage collection around Brisbane airport Brisbane 12:00pm – 16:00pm 4 hrs 17/4/2013 Participated in the sensitising community on how they can now volunteer with red cross in the pacific, Africa and Asia. Brisbane 12:00pm – 16:00pm 4 hrs 19/4/2013 Attended to the elderly sick so as to help them recover various illness Newstead 12:00pm – 16:00pm 4 hrs Hours spent= 52 2.0. Community Organisation Description Brisbane Red Cross is purely based on humanitarian grounds and thus benefits nothing when executing its services to the members of public. It is therefore non-profit making organisation whose prime objective is to make life better for the people---giving relief when there is crisis, commitment to people when others tend to turn away and care when needed most. It is not clear how long Red Cross has been working closely with people from Brisbane but its history shows that community have been benefiting from voluntary services for over 6 decades. Brisbane started working with Red Cross during and after the event of the First World War and much has evolved from that. It is anticipated that mid 2013, Australia will host 19th General Assembly of International Federation and Council of Delegates of the International Red Cross Red Crescent Movement either in Sydney or Brisbane and such is anticipated to be a turning point for lives of many. To underscore the above statement, Red Cross manifests the most admirable and most trusted and self-sustaining humanitarian help to people of all walks. I have gained experience working with vigor and compassion through well elaborated networks with the people from Brisbane so as to prevent and alleviate human suffering and save the most vulnerable. Red Cross in Brisbane did not only impart in me the ability to care for the most vulnerable but also a platform where I ignited the interest of learning specific challenges faced by the sick and elderly. It will therefore be my pleasure to work with this organisation to further develop my skills. 3.0. Volunteer Role/Activity – Responsibilities and Duties This area describes what I will be doing with the Red Cross as a volunteer for the period being. In so doing, I will be able to visit various places within Brisbane; with an aim of extending my help to the vulnerable or in dire need of basic necessities. 3.1. Objectives I intend to spend much of my time with Red Cross helping people not sitting in an office giving instructions. Volunteering my services to the people will mean giving the best out of me to ensure that lives are transformed positively. This will be in line with the aspiration of the Red Cross so that it also benefits from such efforts. Where necessary, I will also strive to ensure that the organisation receives ideas that can effectively help the delivery of services to the people. Since I will be dedicating four hours each Wednesdays and Fridays, I will be alternating activities for each day such that I reach the marginalised people within the environs of Brisbane. Brisbane is indeed vast area and such objective will be achievable through comprehensive plans Red Cross has already put in place for the community. As a volunteer, I hope I will be warmly welcome by the community as they will be seeing me as a person with fresh ideas unlike my counterparts who they are used to. Capitalising on this, I intend to create awareness among them thus making them believe that their problems is just but a stepping stone to success. Another aspect I intend to accomplish is to ensure that the broad mission and vision of Red Cross is realised through my stay. 3.2. Strategies Activities involved with Red Cross are things that I expect to be multifaceted. This therefore calls for proper time management vis-à-vis the 50 hours. I will therefore schedule my programme in such a way that it touches on three aspects by the end of the volunteering period; Service to the community Service to the organisation Attaining personal goals and objectives This will therefore be achieved through schedule of events that are consistent with the annual calendar of the organisation. I also expect challenges that will need my endurance; in the event that such unexpected situations arise, I will deal with it accordingly, but within ethical standards as prescribed by the organisation---talking of ethical standards, there are diverse culture within the region which calls for tolerance and service delivery according to the guidance given by the organisation. 3.3. Measures There are three ways that will me understanding whether my service deliveries have positive impacts on the community and organisation at large. Firstly, the organisation has weekly routine of auditing performances of all the employees and volunteers. Those that are attaining organisational targets are rewarded and I intend to get rewards within the periods of stay. Secondly, intend to design self evaluative questionnaire and give to the community for assessment. Lastly is to liaise with friends for comments on my service delivery as I progress through the internship period. 3.4. Artefacts Voluntary services with Red Cross requires prior planning and full dedication as there come impromptu service deliveries. To live up to this expectation, the following will be my artefects; Red Cross training manual so as to be acquainted with activities that will require my attention and such have not been told Personal camera-this will be helpful for my trips Video camera-this is needed as I will be able reflect back and see where I went wrong There are other artefacts that will solely depend on the activity of the day. For instance, during garbage collection in Brisbane central business district, I will need gumboots and gloves. 4.0. Personal Growth and Professional Knowledge Growth 4.1. Personal Growth Volunteering at Red Cross will be a platform for my personal growth in the following ways; a. Understanding needs of people This will be the opportunity where I will be able to interact with people from different cultural backgrounds thus understanding them better. b. Co-existence Volunteering will give me the opportunity of learning how to work with diversified groups of professionals thereafter enhancing my analytical skills. Such will also foster my communication skills. c. Social responsibility Volunteering with this organisation will present me with an opportunity for community engagement where I will be able to ‘take back to the society.’ The process of interacting with people in Brisbane will be a stepping stone to ensuring that I understand specific needs of such people. d. Creative and analytical skills The organisation offers periods where volunteers are sent to the field to gather information regarding certain issues affecting members of the community. Such knowledge of research methodologies in the already diverse areas of study will ensure that my analytical skills are improved. 4.2. Professional Knowledge Growth Voluntary service to the community should not be seen as a one man show---the community always stands to benefit at the expense of the volunteers. With such knowledge at the forefront of my service, the internship will give me the knowledge I intend to use in my future endeavours. These will be: Expanding my awareness regarding the specific needs of people with different needs and aspirations Enhancing my service delivery to the people Accomplishment of the practical part of my profession since I will be dealing with practical issues in the field Gain knowledge needed for critical and creative evaluation of issues/making judgement on contentious issues as I work with people from all parts of Brisbane It is a platform that gives actual working environment with challenges that comes with it. I will develop from this and become a person who understands issues from a wider perspective 5.0. Resources Required 5.1. Reference Materials Adair,W. L. (2003) ‘Integrative Sequences and Negotiation Outcome in Same and Mixed-Culture Negotiations’, International Journal of Conflict Management, 14, (3/4), pp. 273–96. Bolton, G. (2002). Reflective Practice Writing and Professional Development. Paul Chapman Publishing. Cottrell, S. (2003). Skills for Success: The Personal Development Planning Handbook. Palgrave Macmillan. Fells, R. 2009. Effective Negotiation. 1st edition, Cambridge Univrsity Press, New York, United States of America Jameson, D. 2007. Reconceptualizing cultural identity and its role in inter-cultural settings, Journal of Business Communication, Vol 44 (3), pp. 199-235 Janosik, R. 1987. Rethinking the Culture-Negotiation Link, Negotiation Journal, 3 (4), 385-395 Keith, K. M. (2008). The case for servant leadership. Westfield, IN: Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership, P.33. 5.2. Other Relevant Resources Laptop and CDs for recording and analysis of data Professional mentor in the field Motorbike to access ragged terrains 5.3. Support from the University My professor to be in liaison with the organisation so that there is timely delivery of assessment reports on my performance Read More