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Anyone can do service!. Tinnycua Williams Education Programs Coordinator, Saratoga Family Inn Homes For The Homeless NAEHCY 2012, Albuquerque , NM October 29, 2012. Welcome to Today’s Presentation. Speaker Introduction
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Anyone can do service! Tinnycua Williams Education Programs Coordinator, Saratoga Family Inn Homes For The Homeless NAEHCY 2012, Albuquerque, NM October 29, 2012
Welcome to Today’s Presentation Speaker Introduction Tinnycua Williams, Education Programs Coordinator, Saratoga Family Inn, HFH • Oversee Afterschool Programs for Elementary, Middle & HS • Oversee Adult Education Programs consisting of Pre-GED programs, Career development/Education, etc. • Community liaison and outreach including community partnerships
Anyone can do service! Homes for the Homeless (HFH) Mission: To provide homeless families with the opportunities and support necessary to move out of shelter and live independently.
Community of Opportunity Anyone can do service!
Some Quick facts: • Over 550 families served on any given night • Over 18 million meals served to New York City homeless families since 1986 • 2,500 families served every year • Over 100 young homeless children served via Early Childhood programs • Nearly 125 children receive HW Help every weeknight • Over 12,000 homeless children have attended HFH summer camp
Saratoga Family Inn Anyone can do service! • One of the largest shelters in the Country • Capacity: 255 families • Approximately 375 children • Established 1987 • One of 4 American Family Inns • Located in Queens, New York
Anyone can do service! The Saratoga Brownstone & Future Link O.S.T. After School Program • OST stands for Out of School Time • Funded through local govt. agency • Staffing: Director, Head Instructor, Recreation Director, Line Staff • Staff: child ratio - 1:10 • Population: Shelter & local community
Anyone can do service! The Saratoga Brownstone & Future Link O.S.T. After School Program • Brownstone (Elementary Grades K-5) • Future Link (Middle School Grades 6-12) • Current enrollment: 90 Brownstone; • 15 Future Link • Average daily attendance: 70-80 children a day • Operation: Mon-Fri, 3pm – 6pm & during select holidays
Anyone can do service! • Players & Partnership • Portrait Project • Benefits & Considerations
Anyone can do service! Players
Anyone can do service! Mission: • Committed to fostering a collaborative, learning-centered community • Committed to open-admission access for all learners
Anyone can do service! • Community college under City University of New York (CUNY) • Located in Bayside, Queens, New York • One of the most diverse populations of any college in U.S. • Students represent 129 nations & 99 native languages • 15,000 students pursue associate degree/certificate programs • Began service learning projects in Spring 2007
Anyone can do service! & Service Learning • Service-Learning Definition: • A teaching and learning strategy • Combines meaningful community service, instruction & reflection • Purpose is to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities* • * Learn and Serve America
Anyone can do service! & Saratoga Family Inn
Planning Anyone can do service! Faculty/partner collaboration STEM Needs identified & Saratoga Family Inn
Anyone can do service! & Service Learning
Anyone can do service! “Picture Me in College: A Portrait Project of Homeless Children and Teens”
Objectives • Challenge • Opportunity • Replication
& Saratoga Family Inn “Picture Me in College” Goals “The hope was that by encouraging the children to consider poses that convey confidence, thoughtfulness, intelligence, or other empowering traits, they would be reminded of their intrinsic worth and potential.” – Liz DiGiorgio, QCC
& Saratoga Family Inn “Picture Me in College: A Portrait Project of Homeless Children and Teens” • 9 Upper elementary, middle & HS students (age 9-16) • Staff Chaperones: 2 • 21 QCC students • 3 Sessions at QCC campus • October 2010 – December 2010
Anyone can do service! & Saratoga Family Inn • Discussion via phone/email • Identified common goals • Clarified expectations • TW visit to QCC
& Saratoga Family Inn • Challenge: Homelessness affects academic success & self image • Opportunity: Incorporate civic engagement & leadership “Everyone can be great, because everyone can serve.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.
Anyone can do service! & Saratoga Family Inn
Anyone can do service! & Saratoga Family Inn Process: After school/QCC pairing Preliminary interview Poses chosen QCC begin sketching Design elements added Portraits printed
Anyone can do service! & Saratoga Family Inn • 2 Final portraits presented (Poster & 5x7) (QCC students) • Gift exchange • Celebration (refreshments) • Positive message sharing
Benefits & Considerations & Saratoga Family Inn • Student Exposure to College • Opportunity for adults to keep their word • Empowerment through giving • Higher attendance rate
Reflections: Lessons learned Orientation on both sides critical Post project reflection missing Best reserved for older students
& Saratoga Family Inn • Challenge: Homelessness affects academic success & self image • Opportunity: Incorporate civic engagement & leadership “Everyone can be great, because everyone can serve.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.
The Future Realized St. John’s University Vincentian Institute for Social Action (VISA) & Brownstone Future Link O.S.T. After School Program • Partners since Fall 2010 • Explores issues of poverty and social injustice • Students work with community organizations • Ozanam Scholar students assist in After School Program • Graduate student supervisors
The Future Realized St. John’s University Vincentian Institute for Social Action (VISA) & Brownstone Future Link O.S.T. After School Program • St. John’s Americorp group awarded $125 MLK grant • Community service project with Saratoga students • Saratoga students worked withAmericorp students • Provided toiletry gift bags to local senior center (Jan 2011)
The Future Realized St. John’s University Vincentian Institute for Social Action (VISA) & Brownstone Future Link O.S.T. After School Program • After school students made gift bags • Baked Snickerdoodle cookies • Shared a Line dance Encouraging our seniors ! Line dancing at Calvary Senior Center!
The Future Realized:Benefits of Service American Psychological Association study: Benefits of gratitude include: • Positive mental health • Less likely to abuse drugs/alcohol • Decreased behavior problems • Drop in negative emotions including depression
The Future Realized:Benefits of Service • Increases motivation to learn • Civic engagement • Career possibilities • Behavior problems decreased • Increased program retention & recruitment
The Future Realized:Benefits of Service Breast Cancer Awareness March
The Future Realized:Benefits of Service Breast Cancer Awareness Bake Sale
Website Reference • Homes for the Homeless: www.hfhnyc.org • The Institute for Children, Poverty and Homelessness: www.icphusa.org • Act for Youth Center of Excellence: www.actforyouth.net • American Association of Community Colleges: www.aacc.nche.edu • Corporation for National and Community Service: www.learnandserve.gov • International Child Development Centre: www.unicef-irc.org • National Service-Learning Clearinghouse: www.servicelearning.org • Portrait Project article found link (The City College of New York Colin L. Powell Center for Leadership and Service): www2.ccny.cuny.edu/ci/powell/about/publications/nymaps_sym2011_di_giorgio.cfm • Queensborough Community College Service Learning: www.qcc.cuny.edu/servicelearning/index.html
Literature References • DiGiorgio, Liz (2011), ‘An Analysis of the Implementation of “Picture Me in College: A Portrait Project with Homeless Children and Teens”. Paper presented at New York Metro Area Partnership for Service-Learning (NYMAPS) Third Annual Symposium , March 23, 2011, New York City. • Bono, Giacomo (2012) “Searching for the Developmental Role of Gratitude: A 4-year Longitudinal Anaylsis”. Presented at American Psychological Association 120th Annual Convention, August 5, 2012, Orlando, Florida. • Lippman, Laura, H., Kristin Anderson Moore and Hugh McIntosh (2009), ‘Positive Indicators of Child Well-Being: A Conceptual Framework, Measures and Methodological Issues’. Innocenti Working Paper No. 2009-21. Florence, UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre. • Robinson, Gail (2012), ‘Community Colleges Broadening Horizons through Service Learning, 2009-2012’. Project Brief. American Association of Community Colleges (AACC).
Contact Information TinnycuaWilliams Education Programs Coordinator Saratoga Family Inn Homes for the Homeless 718-244-0670 twilliams@hfhnyc.org