Marcus Garvey Case

Yukea Wright

SWK220

Wednesday 6-8:40pm

Journal Entry 1

CAO Head Start

The course of Social Work and my volunteer experience has challenged me in the aspect to always be grateful, for what I have and how I was brought up by my parents. There are many things people today take for granite. We should learn to at least appreciate all that is done for us, and all that we can offer to help others where they may be weak and in turn they can also give us an insight on things that can help us out.

I never thought people could be put in such tremendous situations. From the time I could remember, helping people has been my passion, it gives me much pleasure to seeing a smile on someone's face knowing that I was the cause of it. Volunteering also shows that a person is generous, compassionate, and good-hearted, because he/she is kind enough to give up a few hours of their time and put it into their community. It also serves others without expecting to get anything out of their service. Yes, work without pay can be a hard thing to do. However, the

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experiences gained from volunteering should off-set that disadvantage. From community involvement to development of a career network, it is clear that volunteering is a fulfilling experience. Creating long-lasting friendships, traveling to remote locations and seeing the fruits of your labor are additional reasons why volunteering is something to consider. The volunteer opportunities are endless as long as the personal motives are positive and good.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 61.8 million Americans took the time to volunteer one or more times between September of 2007 and September of 2008. That is more than 26 percent of all people in the U.S. More women volunteered than men, and the most popular age group for volunteering was 35 to 44. The median number of hours volunteered was 52 per person, which is more than a week's worth of work.