Service Learning

My recent experience with the Safe Girls, Strong Girls organization has been very interesting. I have had the opportunity to meet some very cool people. My group members have been hard working, and our supervisor has been helpful. We have been working on creating a board packet and a brochure. The board packet is supposed to be used as both a recruiting tool and as an informative package. The brochure is going to be used to promote and inform possible participants of the exciting events and purpose of Camp Cadi. We have worked on three brochure prototypes collectively as a group.

The purpose of the Safe Girls, Strong Girls group is focused on giving a voice to sexually abused women and girls. It is used as a support group, helping abused individuals connect with each other and reconnect with their families. Our course material has related very closely to this subject matter. There are two videos that most closely relate to our service learning projects, but a few of the other topics we have discussed are also fairly relevant. Breaking our Silence was definitely focused on the sexual abuse topic. This was a really informative movie that shared a lot of insight to our group about sexual abuse. The brochures we have board packets we have started to create will include information about the male role in the Safe Girls, Strong Girls organization. Our supervisor hopes to gain more active male board members to grow as an organization to help a wider audience. This will work to show that this problem is not only female oriented, it can also involve males. The other film that we have watched in class that relates to our service project is Defending Our Lives. Though the organization focuses mainly on childhood abuse, it also works to help more adult age women. Defending Our Lives portrayed several difference victims of sexual assault and the struggles they had to endure throughout their entire lives because of this. We hope to send this message out in the board packet as well. This will serve as a way to inform the board members or potential board members of the good work they are doing by being a productive part of the organization. Other films we have watched also relate to our projects. Rape is… has helped us to understand more the traumatic, life altering aspect of Safe Girls, Strong Girls. It has made me personally appreciate the work that the organization does to improve and help the lives of those effected by such terrible events.

The information that I have learned by working on the service project with Safe Girls, Strong Girls has taught me several valuable lessons. It has first and foremost taught me to be a much more understanding person. I know that not everyone has had the same great opportunities I have had, from simply going on vacation, to going to college, to even something as simple as having two parents live together. The after effects of those people that go through traumatic events are not always visible to people who meet them every day on the street. It makes me to be nicer to people I might disagree with. I find out why they disagree. I am also more in support of non-profit organizations after watching Voices from the Front. It shows the heart and spirit behind both those affected and those in support of those affected. I have seen this in person now that I have had the chance to get to know the supervisor for our group project. Amy has showed me that you can be in support of something no matter how awkward it may seem to other people. Your goal has to be to make them understand that it may be awkward, but it is also very important to the children and adults who have been sexually abused. This has brought out a more active, supportive side in me. I hope to one day be able to find a cause that I support as strongly as Amy has shown us her support. She has such heart and drive that it makes me wish I cared as strongly for something that helps so many people as much as she does. The teamwork side of this project has also taught me patience and leadership. I have really gotten to know my group members, and I enjoy their company. They are a great group of students and have a lot of diligence.