Training Oberservation

Can't...stuff...more....information...into my head. I am sitting in my second training observation today, as preparation to take the reins and train my very own group of fledgling OBB counselors next week. Please keep in mind, this is a 6 hour training. Six. Hours. I currently have 8 pages of supplemental notes to help me through the guidebook. Jessica Mays, the regional coordinator for Southeast Ohio is actually facilitating this training in our Direct Service Office in downtown Columbus. I am mainly writing down her jokes to use in my trainings, as I am not witty, and these trainings have a tendency to put people to sleep. (I'm not kidding, at every training I have been to at least one person is conked out, unconscious, or at least nodding heavily for a couple of minutes. Fun to watch.) So I need entertaining material. What do you guys think of this one Jessica used?
“Has anyone ever had to do the FAFSA? Scale of 1-10, how awesome was it? I found it to be about minus 3, personally”

I promise, it's funny in person.

It also illustrates the importance of the Benefit Bank. Every time I learn more about all the benefits, how you apply for them and who administers them, it seems more daunting for people who need them. The Benefit Bank helps people apply so they have access to federal money to spend HERE IN OHIO to boost local economies. Beware, I am becoming a walking billboard for OBB. Only because it's so fantastic!

Outreach Research Begins

I wish residents in the counties I am trying to research would write a blog, or a paper, or keep an online journal about “life in Champaiagn county!” or perhaps “The state of non profits and the economy of my county, and ideas I have for outreach!”  I wish it was that easy.  I am left to spend hours looking over government websites interpreting census data and weeding through the “come visit us! We’re so fun!” marketing fronts on the county websites. (Champaign county actually has a pretty impressive site: http://www.champaignohio.com/)  It’s all just a little daunting at this point because it should be obvious that I cannot get a picture of a community, or even an organization, without being a part of it and creating relationships in person.  This holds true with any organization: you never know how it really works until you are a part of it.  So I need to start building relationships in each of the three (very rural) counties I am focusing on, to get a taste of the mindsets and situations of the people.  Then I can begin creating outreach strategies to make the OBB network stronger, with an end goal of having enough organizations as OBB sites to help residents access benefits they need.  How in the world am I supposed to get this all in one year?

I guess this is where the sustainability part of being a VISTA comes in. As I am doing research, making contacts, and developing producers I am documenting what I do. This way the next VISTA can take a couple of weeks to figure everything out and jump right in where I left off.  At least, that is the hope.  

All this will have to wait at least one more day, because in T-minus 45 minutes I am leaving for a meeting (read: party) at the beach with other VISTAs from my area.  As my term just began, some of their terms are ending soon, so we are reviewing experiences and bonding!  Why is it that so many organizations I become involved in are focused on “bonding?”  I’ll call it networking with fantastic peers who I can gain expertise and energy from to last out the rest of my own term.

Direct vs Indirect Service

9:30 every morning like clockwork, my stomach creates a ruckus that disturbs my work as I’m sure everyone around me. Why is it so needy? My trip to the break room to stave off hunger with a cup of coffee reminds me that I am finally part of this elusive “adult world” of office buildings that have water colors and break rooms with coffee (as opposed to my entire job consisting of making and handing out that coffee). The other difference is my work now consisting of indirect service, where before I was only doing direct service. Basically this means before I was hanging out with people, playing with kids, interacting with the community, giving out meals, etc, where now I am on an organizational level, building capacity and connecting organizations and people with tools. I can’t get a clear picture yet of which type I prefer, though granted I have only been at this less than a month. Already in my indirect role I feel like I can see results better, as I am dealing more with numbers equated to success.

Faith Mission

Yesterday I went to visit Faith Mission, which despite the fact that it is mainly housed in a neat old church downtown and displays pictures of Jesus like this one : (JesusNeedsNewPR picture), informs me that their services are not faith based. They are doing a great job of sheltering and feeding strangers, so they are practicing some good doctrine anyways. In reality, they are going above and beyond servicing their community. In addition to sheltering as many homeless men and women as they can at night, they serve 3 meals a day, provide a computer/phone bank, help people sign up for public benefits with the Benefit Bank (YAY!), and, get this: have a fully equipped vision, dental, and medical care facility. I was floored when I saw the little offices complete with waiting rooms, dental chairs, and those scary eye puff machines. All staffed by volunteer medical providers in the area. Columbus residents, I am so proud of you. This is fantastic stuff!

The only problem, my guide at Faith Mission tells me, is that there is a waiting list every night for beds. This is not a unique situation, every single other shelter in Columbus has people on the street waiting to get in. Every night. The shelters are struggling to build their capacity to meet the needs of their community. It’s funny, they are seeing an increase in the number of people needing help. So are a lot of other emergency help sites across the city. Unemployment checks are also simultaneously to this phenomenon stopping being administered to people who can’t find jobs. It’s funny. And by funny, I hope you know I mean funny in a not-so-much-funny-but-really-sad way.

See this article for more information about losing benefits currently.

'A' for effort to Faith Mission and other organizations like them, tirelessly working to serve the community.

Sticky Notes

My desk is covered in sticky notes. I am doing Norwalk Furniture a huge favor though, as their sticky notes are the only ones I have right now and their name/logo is plastered for all the office to see. As I am still trying to get a system down for scheduling (get email, send response, follow up, put on calendar, clear with Zach, confirm procedure, etc), the sticky notes are essential. I am hoping I will become better versed in organizing all the communication I do, but if little pieces of paper as reminders work best…I’m going to have to buy some more interesting looking pads of paper.

For all you environmentalists out there, rest assured that I ALSO use the digital sticky notes on my desktop. Don’t worry. I’ve definitely cut my use of the wasteful paper stuff down :-)

Goals, plans, and challenges

Yesterday I had a weekly meeting with Zach, where I got to unload all my built up questions. I always have an inner battle (common for an ESFJ like myself), as I pride myself in being self sufficient in motivated, but at the same time ask tons of questions of those around me to solve my curiosity. So having a weekly meeting with Zach allows me an outlet where I avoid emailing and approaching him ten times a day. We also shared anecdotes that help explain concepts from his views on customer service.
(Need to back up here and explain more) > As Zach just stepped up to manage more people in the organization, he is meeting formally with the team to cover his expectations. In the last meeting he went over customer service goals (accurate, accountable, available). I shared about my experience with a past college course in which I had a leadership position and my professor was pretty much non existent, so I had to be proactive (and responsive) in accomplishing our class goals.
Okay, back to the present day, one on one meeting. After shared my exciting news (things like “I had my first voicemail on my phone!” and “I got my first call for a new site!” “I feel important!”), we reviewed my 2 week/4week/2month work plan. I am barreling through the first section as I visit sites in the area and learn more about the Benefit Bank. Zach told me to let him know when I wasn’t feeling challenged anymore and we would have to work out other things for me to do. I for some reason immediately thought that I was off track or not doing what he expected of me and was about to launch into a description of my detailed plans and my completed work. That is, until he said I was accomplishing tasks much quicker than he expected and he just wanted to make sure in the future I was always being challenged. Oh. Okay!

Right now the challenge is to not lead any sites or counselors astray and to represent the Benefit Bank in a professional way. It's inwardly focused, bolstering myself, but I am beginning to see a shift the more I get established. My challenge will soon come out of a solid expertise base and become outwardly focused, ready to conquer my focus counties. Are you ready for this, Franklin/Clark/Champaign/Logan county?

Site visit to prison...

Site visit to Correctional Reception center. I may or may not have gotten lost in a drive in an area with barbed wire where I wasn’t supposed to be. Oh, the adventures of a VISTA.