Arrivederci

High school is coming to an end for me; this last week will be a bitter-sweet one. Bitter to say goodbye to seeing my closest friends every day, sweet because I can now look back and see what I have accomplished. Since my freshman year at I-Poly, I have heard about this big, scary, senior project. I am now proud to say that I have survived though it. I am now looking forward to graduation and taking in these final days with my classmates and enjoying the fun schedule that we have planned for this week. My hard work at I-Poly has paid off, I feel confident and ready to take the next steps in my life.

Blog 23: Senior Project Reflection

(1) I am proud of my mentorship experience. When I started my mentorship with CHAP,I had no idea what I would be getting myself into. The only information I had about the program was that they worked to help out the homeless community in Claremont, which made me a bit hesitant. At first I did not see myself being able to relate to CHAP, that I would have a hard time being passionate about  what I would be learning. I am glad that I was able to keep an open mind, stay positive, and take my hesitance towards mentoring at CHAP and turn it into a great learning experience. 

(2) a. P

    b. P

(3) What helped me with my senior project the most was my mentor. My mentor really gave me so much information and took the time to really understand the senior project. My mentor was always sure to make sure I had all the information I needed.

(4) Though I loved where how my mentorship experience turned out, I would have liked to have been able to avoid the stress of having to find a mentor late in the game. If I could go back I would ask more questions when talking to a potential mentor, so that way there would be no surprises that could get in the way of having them as a mentor. 

(5) My mentorship experience has inspired me to be involved in CHAP or programs like it. It has given me a new perspective and passion. 

Before I started my mentorship with CHAP  had a narrow minded idea of the homeless community, by spending time and getting to know the group of homeless individuals at CHAP, I was able to see that these people are working hard and deserve the opportunity at another chance. 

Blog 22: Mentorship

 What is the most important thing you gained from this experience? Why?


Aside from giving me so much quality information to use  in my senior project. I have gained a new perspective on community organization. I was able to see how it helps people, it has inspired me o also volunteer and give my time to organizations similar to CHAP. I have also gained confidence in myself. I walked into my mentorship not really having a clue on what they did. I kept an open mind and took things step by step. This showed me I can do well I environments that are new and unfamiliar to me.

  

How has what you’ve done helped you to answer your EQ?  Please explain.


Being at my mentorship is what helped me the most to answer my EQ. I was able to observe and participate with people who were dealing with situations that are connected to my EQ, first hand. It was easy to create answers because I had real life examples right in front of me.

Exit Interview

(1) What is your essential question, and what are your answers?  What is your best answer and why?

EQ: what is the most important factor when transitioning a homeless client from dependence on a homeless shelter to independence?

Answer 1: Assign each participant with at one or more advocates.

Answer 2: Communication and support among volunteers and advocates.

Answer 3: To bring awareness to the community about the program.
My best answer is my first answer. All three of my answers are very crucial in a homeless client’s path to independence, but my first answer is the most unique one. It is what makes a program like CHAP successful and set apart from other program.

(2) What process did you take to arrive at this answer?

Attending the Monday night CHAP meetings is what really helped me come to my first answer. At the meetings Advocates discussed their progress with their advocates, with that I was able to see the work they were doing for their advocates and what it provided them.

(3) What problems did you face?  How did you resolve them?

The only things that concerned me with my answer one was that it uses CHAP's vocabulary , at first i saw it as an inconvenience to have to explain the way my answer is worded, but, I realize now that is not too big of a deal.
 

(4) What are the two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why?

My two most significant sources would be my time at my mentorship and my interviews. Both of these experiences allowed me to get information from the people who are dealing with my topic every day.

Finance and Fundraising Working Group Meeting

Recently I sat in on and observed CHAP's Finance and Fundraising Working Group Meeting. This particular working group really help me back up my third answer  : The most important factor when transitioning a homeless client from dependence on a homeless shelter to independence is the act of bringing awareness to the community. All the members in the Finance and Fundraising Working Group offer something unique and different to CHAP because they come from different places. I think that this important in this group because it is where CHAP can get the money to provide for their participants.

Independent Component 2

•  “I, Nathalie Iannetta, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 35 hours and 30 minutes of work.”
•  My Mentor was the one who helped me most with my independent component. He provided me with valuable reading information that he wrote.
•  I did 5 CIRs and I read information on CHAP. The information really showed how CHAP'S model was made and what inspired it. This showed me how to go about creating successful community organization programs. By completing the Critical Incident Reports I was able to study the different working groups in the program, which gave me the information I needed to strengthen all three of my answers.      

     

Independent Component

My mentor has been giving me extra material to read for my independent component. I have been reading the packets he gives  me then going over them with my mentor in out meetings. The purpose of these packets is for me to understand the model that CHAP uses in their program.

Blog 18: Fourth Interview Questions

What is the most important factor when transitioning a homeless client from dependence on a homeless shelter to independence?

1.  What is the first step to try to get a homeless client to independence? 
2. What are some important sources you have collected over the years, while helping homeless people?
3. How do manage the tasks that come with running a program like this?
4. What keeps people motivated to stay involved in the program?
5. What is the most difficult person to get back on their feet?
6. What is the most common struggle among the people that you are trying to get back to independence? 
7. What mind set is important to keep when helping people in this way?
8. Do you think it would be more beneficial to have volunteers with a background in phycology ?
9. What are good ways to bring awarness to the community about homelessness?
10. How has awareness helped your program out?
11. What is the most important thing volunteers should keep in mind when working together?
12. What training methods are used to train volunteers?
13. How do you determine if a participant is progressing?
14. When are participants recommended to therapy?
15. What important life skills are taught to participants ?
16. How can you get a good relationship between an advocate and participant?
17. What is the usual time it takes to transition the client?
18. Is it important to have a schedule for the participant?
19. How much one-on-one time does a participant require?
20. What would you take on answering my essential question?

Blog 17: Answer 3

• EQ: What is the most important factor when transitioning a homeless client from dependence on a homeless shelter to independence.
• Answer #3: The most important factor when transitioning a homeless client from dependence on a homeless shelter to independence is recruiting and bringing awareness about the program. 
• 3 details to support the answer : volunteers for different groups, brings in advocates, brings in donations.
• The research source (s) to support your details and answer: my interview 2&3 helped me come up with this answer. 
• Concluding Sentence: This answer helps transition clients to independence by making the program that is trying to help them do so, stronger.  

Working on Independent Component 2

This is one of the recent CIRs that did. This particular one is on the monthly Food Working Group meeting. I sat in on the meeting, and recorded what happened and my thoughts on it. 

Answer 2

1.  What is your EQ?

What is the most important factor in helping a client transition from dependence on a homeless shelter to independence?

 2.  What is your first answer? (In complete thesis statement format)

The most important factor in helping a client transition from dependence on a homeless shelter to independence is to assign each participant with one or more advocates. 

 3.  What is your second answer? (In complete thesis statement format)


The most important factor in helping a client transition from dependence on a homeless shelter  to independence is for there to be communication and support among volunteers and advocates.

 4.  List three reasons your answer is true with a real-world application for each.


     -CHAP Monday night meetings
     -Food Working Group meetings
     -Advocates can express any issues that might be hard on them.

 5.  What printed source best supports your answer?


Wellness Module 3: Social Support. Wellness Module 3: Social Support. HeretoHelp, 2011. Web. 28 Jan. 2015.

 6.  What other source supports your answer?


My mentorship is my best source, I am able to observe all that goes on to keep the program successful.

 7.  Tie this together with a  concluding thought.
 
My first answer was on the communication between advocates and participants, but the communication amongst advocates is just as important.

Blog 15: Independent Component 2 Approval

1.  Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.
For my 30 hours I want to continue doing CIRs. I want to be able to do more of them this time. My plan is to complete at least 6 of them. I will do some of them on cafés and meetings that I attend and sit-in on.
2.  Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.
I will take pictures of each event I do the CIR on. I will also turn in the actual CIR reports.
3.  Explain how this component will help you explore your topic in more depth.
It helps me see things analytically, which is important when dealing with homelessness. There are so many different types of people  with different stories and backgrounds, each are unique. It is important to think analytically because it gives a better understanding of a person and their situation.
4.  Post a log in your Senior Project Hours link and label it "Independent Component 2" log.

Blog 14: Independent Component 1

LITERAL(a) Write: “I, Nathalie Iannetta, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents  30 hours and 30 minutes of work.”
(b) Cite your source regarding who or what article or book helped you complete the independent component.
Bailey, Jon S., and Mary R. Burch. How to Think like a Behavior Analyst: Understanding the Science That Can Change Your Life. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2006. Print.



(c) Update your hours in your Senior Project Hours link. Make sure it is clearly labeled with hours for individual sessions as well as total hours.

(d) Explain what you completed.    

I completed a Critical Incident recording. Also to understand the importance of analyzing I read   How to Think Like a Behavior Analyst: Understanding the Science That Can Change Your Life.

INTERPRETIVE 
Defend your work and explain its significance to your project and how it demonstrates 30 hours of work.   Provide evidence (photos, transcript, art work, videos, etc) of the 30 hours of work.  

 I will be turning in my Critical Incident Recording. Due to confidentiality I am only uploading a picture of the outline.

APPLIED
How did the component help you understand the foundation of your topic better?  Please include specific examples to illustrate this. 

When I started at CHAP my mentor explained to me that it is important to be analytical at CHAP. Not to just observe but ask questions. Analyzing is what helps CHAP grow. The Critical Incident Recordings help me analyze and think about the things I see and experience at CHAP.

Independent Component work

I have wrapped up most of my independent component work about a month ago. Since the due date is right around the corner I need to log most of my hours. For part of  my independent component  I read a book called How to Think Like a Behavior Analyst: Understanding the Science That Can Change Your Life. I read the book to get a better understanding of the CIR reports.

Lesson 2 Reflection

1.What are you most proud of in your Lesson 2 Presentation and why?
I was proud of my answer. I really admire CHAP so I am glad to share out about their program.

 2.  a. What assessment would you give yourself on your Lesson 2 Presentation (self-assessment)?

       AE       P          AP       CR       NC

     b.  Explain why you deserve that grade using evidence from the Lesson 2 component contract. I provide cited three research articles throughout my presentation. I made time and projected my voice. I also gave 4 real life examples, and referenced my mentorship frequently.
3. What worked for you in your Lesson 2?
I liked  my activity, the rest of the class seemed happy to participate.

 4. What didn't work? If you had a time machine, what would you have done differently to improve your Lesson 2?
I would rehearse a bit more. I underestimated the amount of nerves that I would get while presenting.

 5. What do you think your answer #2 is going to be?
Communication between advocates.

Blog 12: Mentorship 10 hours check

1. Where are you doing your mentorship?
 I am volunteering at CHAP ( Claremont Homeless Advocacy Program)

2. Who is your contact?
 Karl Hilgert: (909) 542-9271

3. How many total hours have you done (total hours should be reflected in your mentorship log located on the right hand side of your blog like your WB)?
 In total I have done 12 hours.

4. Summarize the 10 hours of service you did.
  I have been shadowing my mentor, Karl Hilgert. I sit in on his weekly monday meetings with his volunteers, where they discuss organize future plans and events. I have also been observing his meetings with his college intern. I attend the cafes that are held, there i help set up and eat with the participants. Karl has also been having me right up reports on my cafe experiences .

Blog 11: Holiday Project Update

1.  It is important to consistently work on your senior project, whether it is break or we are in school.  What did you do over the break with your senior project?

 Over the break my mentor had me write about my experience so far with participating in the cafes.

2.  What was the most important thing you learned from what you did, and why?  What was the source of what you learned?

While writing about my experience, I also mentioned some of the conversations I had with the participants there. Writing the conversation down allowed me to analyze and think about everything that was said. It gave me a better idea of the participant.

3.  If you were going to do a 10 question interview on questions related to answers for your EQ, who would you talk to and why?

I would talk to my mentor, Karl. He has a different approach to the way he runs his program. He would give a great perspective since he has been involved with this kind of work for years now.

CHAP Cafe

Recently I have been participating in in the café events that CHAP organizes. At the cafés all volunteers eat with the homeless participants. Everyone who can brings a dish and we all sit together to have one big dinner. My mentor, Karl, puts me in charge of handing out nametags and making sure everyone signs in. The cafes usually last about two hours.  I have been to three so far, I find myself really enjoying the conversations I have with the participants.