I have narrowed my topic down and I found a charity in Nashville called Nashville CARES. This is an organization that helps educate people about how to prevent the spread of AIDS and then helps those who have AIDS find the adequate health care needed to help stay alive. I have tried to contact the head volunteer organizer and even if I can't volunteer before the project is due, maybe I could interview some of the people on staff about their experience. I want to focus on how often times people with AIDS are those who are the least equipped to deal with the challenges they face and how we as a society, especially the church, can help.
If none of that works out, I have a contact at the Oasis Center, which is like Room in the Inn for young adults, and I could look at the struggles that people who live on the street face in trying to get the health care that they need.
Any challenges that you're facing that you need to figure out how to tackle?
I have struggled finding a contact person and I am trying to figure out whether I want to do a more research oriented project or do I want to do some sort of video/picture project. Ideally I would love to interview the people who struggle daily with these problems. I guess my question will be answered once I hear back from the volunteer coordinator.
A rough to-do list for your project
If I don't hear from my contact at Nashville CARES by the end of today, I will try to contact her again and if I don't hear from her after that I will move towards Plan B.
If at all possible I want to find a way to volunteer and if nothing else interview the people who have experience. I hope this works out for me.
I am hoping that I can volunteer sometime in late March or early, early April so I have time to get everything together and then if I have left over questions I can get in contact with the right people.
Abby,
ReplyDeleteYou have good passion and ambition, but we're a bit nervous about some of the difficulties with the project. There is only a month left until the projects are due and it's tough to get things scheduled with already overstretched nonprofits. Same with interviewing people who have had difficult experiences--these are people who by definition are struggling and likely will not be easily accessible or have the time to be interviewed.
Have you looked through any of the volunteer opportunities at Belmont to consider ways that are already established that you can connect? Micah Weedman at University Ministries does some great justice-oriented service projects. Tim Stewart is also a good contact. You can find both of them through the website.
This doesn't mean you have to give up on some of your current ideas, but we want you to be realistic about the challenges posed. Another possibility is to take one of the issues--like AIDS prevention--and consider how that issue is approached at Belmont or by college students.
I suggest you come to Dr. Holt's or my office hours to further hammer out what you can do.
KL