From the beginning of my service, my supervisor Dr. Kris Cleveland wanted to do a health clinic that will help Exercise Science students gain experience in engaging with the community and practice taking vital signs: blood pressure, respiration, pulse, and body fat analysis (Tanita scale, hand-held bioelectrical impedance). In order to incorporate it into the syllabus of one of her classes, the health clinic will run its first pilot program in Spring 2015 and be open to the community members to come on campus for a period of time. Within these last couples of weeks, I have come up with the idea to combine it with another community-friendly event that targets the homeless and low-income: Project Community Connect.
Project Community Connect started in 2011 and was hosted it's first two years by Western Community Action (an anti-poverty organization). The main goal of the event was to welcome homeless and low-income individuals and help them get back onto their feet by providing a variety of services: free haircuts, clothes, meal, and information about local housing, community transit, and child-oriented programs such as "Big Buddies" and "Head Start." Western Community Action stepped down from hosting and opened it up to the community, but no one stepped up to the plate so there was no event planned last year (2013). One of the concerns about why no one stepped forward to host it could be the burden of responsibility of coordinating the event alone.
However, partnering Southwest Minnesota State University and Marshall Area YMCA (two very well known entities) to share that responsibility could help lessen that burden and allow the event to continue annually. This event is an amazing opportunity for the campus and community. Several of the student clubs and organizations would be engaged in civic engagement by participating or contributing in some aspect. It will help students become active citizens in the community and understand the importance of local and global issues, such as hunger and poverty. The event would gain extra services provided by the university and the potential partnerships that could form during this time will benefit the community as a whole.
So far, I have been looking at the list of majors as well as student clubs and organizations and trying to think of ways of tying them into the event, if they are willing. For example, the Culinology Club and Student Hospitality Organization could potentially work with Community Circles (a nonprofit group that provides a free meal once a week and works as a supportive social group) to provide a nutritious meal. Psychology Club could put together book marks with facts about mental health associated with poverty. The Spur, a student-run newspaper, could work with SMSU Today (online newsletter) on promoting the event to students and faculty members. Career Services could help teach attendees on how to build and write a résumé as well as give mock interviews to prepare them for job interviews.
The event could become a potential service-learning opportunity in several classes and even serve as an internship (for example, all the work I'll be doing: coordinating, volunteer recruitment, renting space and equipment, providing transit, etc.) later down the road. The partnership between SMSU and YMCA for this event will serve a great need in the community and the potential for future impact, if continued, is huge.
The event is tentatively planned for April 2015.
Project Community Connect started in 2011 and was hosted it's first two years by Western Community Action (an anti-poverty organization). The main goal of the event was to welcome homeless and low-income individuals and help them get back onto their feet by providing a variety of services: free haircuts, clothes, meal, and information about local housing, community transit, and child-oriented programs such as "Big Buddies" and "Head Start." Western Community Action stepped down from hosting and opened it up to the community, but no one stepped up to the plate so there was no event planned last year (2013). One of the concerns about why no one stepped forward to host it could be the burden of responsibility of coordinating the event alone.
However, partnering Southwest Minnesota State University and Marshall Area YMCA (two very well known entities) to share that responsibility could help lessen that burden and allow the event to continue annually. This event is an amazing opportunity for the campus and community. Several of the student clubs and organizations would be engaged in civic engagement by participating or contributing in some aspect. It will help students become active citizens in the community and understand the importance of local and global issues, such as hunger and poverty. The event would gain extra services provided by the university and the potential partnerships that could form during this time will benefit the community as a whole.
So far, I have been looking at the list of majors as well as student clubs and organizations and trying to think of ways of tying them into the event, if they are willing. For example, the Culinology Club and Student Hospitality Organization could potentially work with Community Circles (a nonprofit group that provides a free meal once a week and works as a supportive social group) to provide a nutritious meal. Psychology Club could put together book marks with facts about mental health associated with poverty. The Spur, a student-run newspaper, could work with SMSU Today (online newsletter) on promoting the event to students and faculty members. Career Services could help teach attendees on how to build and write a résumé as well as give mock interviews to prepare them for job interviews.
The event could become a potential service-learning opportunity in several classes and even serve as an internship (for example, all the work I'll be doing: coordinating, volunteer recruitment, renting space and equipment, providing transit, etc.) later down the road. The partnership between SMSU and YMCA for this event will serve a great need in the community and the potential for future impact, if continued, is huge.
The event is tentatively planned for April 2015.