Volunteer Interview

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.