VIEW: Volunteers Involved Every Week
Mission Statement:
VIEW is a year-long program made up of an intense exploration of one specific issue (with intent of future expansion). This exploration consists of hands on volunteering, intensive group based education and political activism in the form of an ongoing group project, all of which deal with the issue at hand.
VIEW will not be sending participants to sites in the Fall term. Please check back for a status update in late October. Thanks!
AN EVER CHANGING VIEW
Volunteers Involved Every Week was founded in 2002 and became a program of SERVE. VIEW was inspired by the Alternative Spring Break (ASB) program and the founders wanted to provide opportunities for students to become involved in community service and social justice learning more frequently as well as at the local level here at UM.
Each year the leadership team meets to reflect upon the past year’s issue and activities, and decides upon a new issues that will serve to guide the organization’s scope concerning site selection, education and trainings, and social advocacy projects.
For 2007-08, VIEW will be looking into various examples of disparities in Washtenaw County. Participants will have the opportunity to explore issues in healthcare, poverty, hunger and homelessness, among others. This year will serve as a culmination of our work over the past couple years with specifically- themed issues:
- 2006-07: Healthcare and Poverty
- 2004-06: Hunger and Homelessness
- 2002-04: Various Topics
ABOUT VIEW
Volunteers Involved Every Week, or "VIEW" is one of the most experience-intensive programs under SERVE. In this year-long program, VIEW participants, site leaders, and lead team volunteer every week at local organizations in and around Washtenaw County. All of the sites involve working with disparity in the community, and VIEW volunteers are assigned to organizations in small groups of four to as much as twelve based on a volunteer preference and organization need at the beginning of the year in September. In addition to weekly on-site participation, all members of VIEW meet twice monthly for education and training sessions, or "E&Ts". These meetings are run by student lead team members and are designed to facilitate thoughtful reflection on volunteer experiences and to instill skills and knowledge useful in and pertinent to the weekly volunteer experience. At the end of fall semester, participants will have the opportunity to change sites, though a year-long commitment to one site is recommended as it typically proves more rewarding for organization and participant. Because of its focus on prolonged volunteer experience, many participants say VIEW is a powerful way to develop meaningful and productive relationships with local organizations and communities. They also say it's a lot of fun!
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
I. Structure
Leadership Team:
Selected every spring, this team of ten consists of Site Development, Education & Training, Finance and Fundraising, and Public Relations
Participants/Site Leaders:
Volunteer and stay in touch with the lead team on a weekly basis via blog entries which reflect upon site experiences. Site leaders have an elevated role by taking responsibility for organizing transportation of participants to sites and also is designated driver for Ginsberg Center vehicles, also assists in facilitating group reflection after site experiences.
II. Education & Trainings
- Group dialogue and discussion
- Activities, guest speakers, and movies
- Learning how to make a difference
- Exploring the root causes of social issues
III. Social Advocacy Projects
- Promoting awareness and knowledge of a specific issue
- Opportunities to organize your own campus event
- Sponsor a site for the year by raising funds/awareness in the community
