Day to Day Life

Well, I have been a VISTA for a little over a month here in Pine Hill and I am really starting to settle in. I have been enjoying my work in the Continuing Education Office. Doing workforce development is way more of a challenge than I thought. Originally, I thought my work would be as simple as finding local area employers and helping to line up job connections. Well the more time I spend in the community, the more I am coming to understand the different dynamics that contribute to joblessness. For one Pine Hill is geographically isolated. So while there are limited employment opportunities locally most jobs are over an hour away. The distance most people will have to travel to work creates a challenge especially since this now means people need a reliable vehicle to work. Another issue is the education background of community member. Many people without a high school degree of GED have trouble finding work. Another problem is people are interested in different careers but they do not know the steps they need to take to successful get that type of job.

 One major project that I have been working on is creating a job readiness binder. Basically the purpose of the binder is to be a guide for people on the path to a career. It contains information on different careers and the steps needed to get there. It is divided into sections. The first section contains information on filling out resumes, job applications, and guides to discovering the best career paths. The next section looks at different education levels from no formal education to a college degree and lists what careers correlate with the different education levels. Additionally the binder provided information on different education resources in the community. The following section gives an in depth look at different career fields that are of popular interest in the community. Finally at the back of the binder is a list of local job openings. Hopefully, this binder will help people be successful in pursuing a career that they are interested in. It is pretty cool to think that I am helping to create a resource that will help the community for years to come.

Along with my VISTA work, I have kept myself busy with my volunteer work in the student dormitory. Although I am only asked to do about four hours of work a week with the kids, I find myself doing a lot more. It is ok though, because I really don’t mind. Some activities I have helped run are games, cupcake decorating, a nature walk, yoga class, and a Halloween event. I have always enjoyed working with kids so a lot of time it seems more like fun than compensation for my living space. Also, I think that I enjoy the instant gratification of seeing results of my volunteer work. One of the things I have found challenging about my VISTA work is that I don’t really get the wow I am making a change feeling. Of course I know the work I am doing is extremely valuable and in the long run it will make a difference but sometimes it is hard to consume yourself in work when you don’t see results right away.

Along with my VISTA project and volunteer work at the dorm I have managed to squeeze in sometime for fun and discover new things. Two weekends I went to Gallup with a friend. Gallup is a town that is the major place to go on the weekends. I find it funny that it is the big draw because it is about the same size as Franklin. However, I got to go to a flea market where Native Americans sell food, jewelry, and other things. This past weekend I went to Phoenix and hung out with some fellow VISTAs. Keep your eyes out for a future post! Overall, I have been having an amazing time and I am excited for several more adventures.