SOCY 4931 CU Volunteer Program Reflection

Hi the Idea of this paper is to write a 10 double spaced pages reflection paper on the volunteering program I’ve participated in. I have written the Paper One reflection paper that I have written before I finish the program, which I’ve attached here, which the 10 pages double spaced includes the 3 pages part one reflection paper which means you only need 7 pages additional which is 10 total pages, but if you need the to craft, edit or add on my first reflection paper feel free to do so.

Below is a little bit what I do and the program:-

  I volunteer at a nonprofit organization called Harvest of Hope Pantry in Boulder Colorado, here is their website(https://hopepantry.org/). What they do in short :-(Harvest of Hope Pantry is a non-profit organization based in Boulder Colorado, opened its door in 2012. As we know homelessness and other social problems are very common in our society and the people who are under the umbrella of those problems face one of the biggest problems which is shortage to no food and other problems like shelter and closings, which causes a lot of people in our society to sefer. The sole mission of Harvest of Hope Pantry is to assist people who are in need of food. This organization helps homeless people and others like low income families who are in need of food. On the side they also assist people who are in need by applying for government assistance like medicaid, food stamp, low income housing and other programs that they might be eligible to whether by assisting them by filling forms or  guiding them through the process.). 

My job as a volunteer is :- Our volunteers are the lifeblood of our pantry! We have a variety of volunteer roles that need coverage for our daily AM & PM programs. New volunteers will assist as Shopping Assistants and/or Inventory Assistants. With additional training, volunteers can also help as a Check-In Desk Volunteer.

Shopping Assistants – Shopping Assistant Volunteers assist our clients with their pantry shopping visit, answering questions and helping with various pantry related tasks including cleaning, stocking and more.

Organizing what’s needed to be organized in the pantry and participating in useful discussion to better assist our community as a volunteer.

Inventory Assistants – Our Inventory Volunteers help to ensure that our pantry is stocked during our various programs and also assist with other various pantry related tasks.

Check-In Desk Volunteers – With additional training, our Check-In Desk Volunteers greet clients and oversee our client check-in process. They also answer client questions, refer services and assist with other pantry related tasks.

I help everywhere depending on when and what help the organization needs from me.

So for the writing there are readings that I’ve attached which I need to connect with what I do as a volunteer and a sociology student. Below is the professor’s instruction for what needs to be included in the writing.

Instruction By the Instructor for the Final 10 double spaced page Paper

*Start with Paper One: This is where I am working, this is their mission, this is how they frame that as a social problem or public issue, this is what I do there.

*What interests me about their mission or what I have noticed there.

*Literature on background of that topic (summarized as a field not individual article summaries)

*How your observations compare to lit.

Final Paper

Your final paper will explore the topic or question introduced in your first reflection paper through existing studies and writings in the field and comparisons with your own observations at your site if applicable. Below is a possible outline to support the organization of your writing:

Introduction to organization, mission, and your role (from paper one)

This is where you talk about your organization and their stated mission. Frame this in                                  terms of addressing a social problem or need (make sure your reference/connect with Gusfield and other paper one readings on Canvas) or contrast with these concepts if not applicable to your particular organization.

What is your role and duties in the organization? How does this contribute toward the organization’s mission?

1. 2. Intro to question or topic

3. This could be a general statement of what you have observed in your role that prompted your question or your interest in the topic.

1. 4. Set up what you are going to explore and why it matters socially and sociologically. This is your thesis statement or sociologically framed question supported with some data about why it is an important issue to sociologists/social scientists and to the general public/society overall.
2. 3. Body Sections (where you explore the topic, answer the question, or support your thesis claim)

1.The first section is often a brief literature review (see guides on Canvas) reviewing terminology used in the field, summarizing key/original studies or theoretical frame, and grounding your paper in that larger context of existing studies and theory

2.This is where you make your case with specifics from the sources you are using for the paper. How do the sources support your thesis or provide answers with evidence or theoretical explanations for your question or topic? What is known about this topic or question and how does that compare with your observations at your sight? Make sure you include any contradictory studies or debates in the field if any.

3.Summarize what can be concluded about this question or topic in the field as you understand it. You may take issue with the literature if your observations seem to contradict it.

4. Conclusions

1.This will vary depending on your topic or question. Possibly: what other data is needed  to answer the question; or how well does the theory explain what’s going on or answer the question (possibly what other theories could be applied)?

2.How might organizations such as yours (or even very different ones) benefit from the understanding and information in this paper?