Faith Lierheimer: Volunteer
As I sit at a local coffee shop, the
beautiful girl sitting across me with expressive eyes and a bright smile begins
to talk. You can hear the enthusiasm and passion within her voice. She knows
what she loves, and she does those things wholeheartedly. Faith is a volunteer
turned intern at the African Community Center (ACC), she has more to contribute
to the organization and everyone in her life than she will ever know, and this
is just a snapshot of her story.
1. How did
you start volunteering at the ACC:
I
signed up for a writing class with a 20 hours volunteering requirement with the
ACC
2. What
has your experience been like?
Very
positive, the employees at the ACC are very friendly. It was definitely
challenging to just be thrown into different jobs with little instruction. We
were trained but then we just went and practiced, they never really gave us
experience before throwing us in.
3. What do
you mostly do at the ACC?
Researching
grants. But when I worked with refugees I did job training. Which alternated
between 1 on 1 interview practice and group interviews.
4. Now
that the class is over, will you stay involved at the ACC?
Most
likely. At this point I want to complete an internship there, if not in the
fall, then in the winter of next year.
5. That’s
awesome. What will you be doing at the internship?
The
same things, but I will be working in a lab in the fall and may be getting
credit for it. At the ACC I may be getting a “position” which would allow me to
focus on one thing and give me more responsibility.
6. What
has been your most rewarding experience as a volunteer?
Getting
to lead larger groups of refugees in a mini interview workshop. That was pretty
cool because it was a more extensive interaction with them. More than just
office work and it let me build a better relationships with some of the
refugees. I got to continue those relationships and got to follow how they’re
interview went and how they’re job search was going. It was more rewarding
because it was continued and it was great building those relationships.
7.
Was there anything unexpected you encountered
about refugees or the ACC in general as a volunteer?
The
amount of office work. At first I was surprised at how much office work needed
to be done there. It because quickly apparent that office work is just as
valuable as direct interactions with refugees. Sometimes it felt like I should
just be interacting with the cultures and learning that way, but I soon learned
that it was so important to get the work done that simply keeps these
organizations running.
8. How did
working at the ACC change any preconceptions you previously had?
I
thought the cultural barrier would be a lot bigger than it actually was.
Especially with language, lack of language skills with refugees hardly implies
a lack of understanding. They usually understood pretty much everything I was
saying, and that was unexpected. There are so many things that reach across a
language barrier, smiling, laughing, handshakes. There really isn’t a “way” to
interact with refugees, you just have to be kind and willing to learn about
them.
9. Why
would you encourage someone to volunteer at the ACC?
The
atmosphere is very familial. It feels like you’re being welcomed into a big
patchwork family, even if you’re not there for long. And no matter what job
you’re given, it’s a very interactive environment, you still have lots of
opportunities to build relationships, no matter what you’re assigned to. Plus
the ACC is the epitome of “Think global, act local” which is really cool to see
played out in such a successful place. Because the ACC helps all global issues
on a local level. You can become a truly integrated citizen of the world.
(smiles and laughs)
10.What
advice would you give to someone going to volunteer for the first time?
Ask
a lot of questions the first time, but after that take initiative. The ACC runs
most effectively when the volunteers know what they’re doing in general, but
then don’t ask permission for every little thing you ask to do. If you’re bored
there’s always grants to look up!
11.Alright!
Any last minute thoughts?
The
ACC is small scale enough that the work environment feels very much like a
family, even if you’re not there for long. It becomes clear very quickly that
the ACCs priority is family first, last, and always.
12.That’s
awesome. Thanks Faith! J
It was such a joy getting to hear Faith’s
passion and commitment to the ACC. I
was
inspired by her incredible outlook, attitude, and humor within all of her
aspirations. I look forward to seeing all she will accomplish in the future.
She is an inspiration and a testament to the value and importance of
volunteering.
