Contribution to My Community Beyond My Career, Essay Example

The contributions to my community by me beyond my career are countless. They range from participation in forums promoting change advocating for youth development to getting out in the open with the grassroots meeting shoulder to shoulder in cleaning areas where there is need for improvement.  Essentially, I live in a relatively large community. The population is approximately  one thousand two hundred and fifty (1250) persons. This consistsof an estimated 150 – 165 family with children ranging from the ages of 2 months to 18 years of age. Teenagers and children account for 70% of the population.

With this ratio of children to adults in the community, I observed that there are numerous opportunities for community work on a daily basis because it takes a village to raise a child. As a youth advocate I became instrumental in organizing a forum. At this meeting interested parents met with community leaders’ to plan strategies that would empower youths’ fordeveloping positive goals that would enable them to leave school, enter college and the world of work successfully.

Our goal was designing a program whereby students ranging from the ages of 6 -18 could benefit from after school tutoring, assistance with home work and life skills functioning. I contacted retired teachers in the community and those in nearby vicinities to volunteer their services a few hours a week. After this forum community leaders decided to arrange funding for the program and locate a building with grounds for youth to meet, be taught and interact in field sports.

I plan after graduating to use this youth development idea as a give back activity for my community. As a registered nurse I can use my skill to teach students healthy life style practices and also volunteer my services some hours per week at the center. Currently, I spend time rakingleavesoff my community  street during spring. Also, I shoveledsnow with other members of my community during winter along with donating money to 3rd world countries,which have similar youth programs as the one I am advocating.

In my community there is a neighborhood center, which always needs volunteers either as receptionists or forhelping clients maintain order when they attend classes.Several times I volunteered at the center, on weekends or on my off days. The elderly go to  enjoy the center for exercises and indoor and activities. They always need assistance getting to the therapists or activity managers, who themselves are volunteers. I help them get registered for the day’s activities because for each activity they must register by writing their names and telephone numbers.

This service was beneficial to the elderly, myself and the community. If they received no prompt help in writing their names, it limited the number of hours they would have to participate in activities or therapy. For me it was a valuable experience learning patience and to appreciate the growth and development stages of aging. For the community my services enabled them to meet their budget in offering these activitiessince they did not have to pay volunteers like me. When children attend the center for their games I volunteered my skills in offering assistance in basketball training. Nursing is very important to me because when trained I would have skills to offer professional help as a nurse to my community enabling people to live healthier lives.