Internship Critical Reflection, Essay Example

The volunteer setting is in an urban environment. Organizations that work with urban poor attempt to determine how they can be provided with the means to survive and achieve beyond their current status. Specifically, the organizations operate out of the neighborhoods that they are meant to serve. Low income negatively impacts a diverse range of individuals living in cities, but it disproportionately impacts immigrants and individuals with minority status. In particular, charitable organizations are concerned with their ability to support the youth in these neighborhoods because providing these individuals with resources to break free from poverty can contribute to their future.

It is important to address the cultural aspect of suffering because cultural traditions impacts the way that individuals are able to live their lives and enact change to reverse their poverty status. Some cultures, for example, deemphasize the role of women in the workforce and therefore do not provide their female children opportunity to attend school or provide them with additional resources that may be necessary to succeed. Thus, it would be valuable to create education programs to help show the benefits of education to these populations. Religious considerations are necessary as well because many people believe that it is important to emphasize religion and to serve god instead of entering the workforce. In the United States, these individuals are unable to support themselves if they are not able to monetize this religious involvement.

Many volunteer and subsidized programs have been created to address the education gap that is present in low-income communities. In particular, Teach for America is designed to provide teachers with the skills needed to foster academic excellence among individuals in these populations. As such, they are able to receive better support from schools to remain on the correct track towards a career or academic goals. Since the program trains thousands of teachers to work in urban schools each year, it appears that the program is working. This is also evident by an increase in test scores and attendance observed among members of these populations. However, there is a need to address other aspects of urban poverty, such as social stigma in order to change the way that other people view these demographics. Additionally, many social programs have been created to help people become more aware of issues related to the low income or homeless community. Simply changing the way we perceive and treat these individuals can help enact significant social change that will impact them for the better.

The individuals involved in providing service to members of this population include the federal and state governments in terms of medical and food aid provided, the teachers who attempt to support the education process of the students, counselors who have an advanced understanding of the mental and physical needs of members of the population, and the students who can work together in a manner that is conducive to their mutual learning. Additional programs, such as the YMCA occasionally partner with high need schools to provide students with additional information about college and careers. This is effective because these highly funded programs ensure that students in high need receive necessary support. However, these programs don’t work when sufficient funding is not available, a problem that is common for many schools in low income communities