This project has challenged me to incorporate
all the ideas throughout the semester into something that not only reaches out
to the larger world, but in a manner that changes outcomes on a very personal
way. For days I was confused how I could not only accomplish the goals of the project but to really help by reaching out. My original proposal was was off base, and I didn't really grasp the magnitude of what was expected. I pondered it
and came up empty, I would be terrible at a suicide prevention hotline, and knowing
how to ‘use what God gave me’ plays heavily into my proposal. So by utilizing the resources of the World Wide Web and going back over some of the readings, I think the greatest impact I could make is to not only steer women towards free educational tools but to volunteer my time in a way that can have the greatest impact. I used to teach the MS office suite to the
public on a volunteer basis from years 2010 to 2014 and would prepare hands-on tutorials to assist
students in learning and refreshing their skillset of the Microsoft office, a
program that is used in almost every business in some fashion or another. Maybe
I could provide online support but actually spend time sharing skills through
teaching?
Through my
blog I intend to publish numerous educational resources that can point women to
solutions towards higher education, job placement and career advice. But after amassing a lot of free classes online
and locating assistance programs along with researching many organizations that
assist women throughout the city, I was unsure how I would meet this goal, and
if it was even too big to take on. My felt as if my head was spinning. If I could find an organization that already has something in place where I could help that would be ideal.
I
began to contact women’s shelters, the NY Public Library, the LGBT Center in
the West Village and found some great resources. The more questions I asked, the more my
proposal felt incomplete; I felt I had to partner up with some organization to do
more than just providing online information.
Last week, I came across the Grace Institute, a 125 year old nonprofit here in
Manhattan, that “ is dedicated to providing tuition-free education and training in
business and administrative skills to economically disadvantaged women, along
with the personal skills necessary for self-sufficiency, employability, and an
improved quality of life.” Jackpot!
I reached out that day and set up a meeting
with the director and volunteer coordinator, meeting on Friday, May 6th
after work.
I took a tour of the
facilities on 40 Rector Street and learned how they provide all sorts of
support. From roleplaying for job
interviews, resume building seminars, and I saw an in-house shopping event, Dress with
Grace! This is where the organization provides boutique quality clothing
for students, incorporating designers to assist. To say I was blown away was an
understatement. This is the exact type
of organization that I was looking for, by that I mean they provide educational
assistance free of charge. They deliver resources
to their students and especially their alumni, who attend refresher courses and
other events. One event that exemplifies
this idea while mixing in fresh ideas is called the Brag Party where Grace
Women will master the most important professional soft skills, the art of
communicating with confidence and conquering self-defeating thoughts, at a
workshop led by Peggy Klaus, who is a very well-known author and public speaker.
Grace Institute partners up with corporations to create relationships that allow
their graduates to get a foot in the door.
After the event Ms. Washington thought I would be a great fit and offered me a volunteer position
starting in July to specifically teach a ninety minute Microsoft PowerPoint once
a month to their alumni.
So for the next week I will be amassing more resources,
combining links and articles along with articles that highlight organizations
like the Grace Institute. The mission
statement of my project:
I intend to share free educational information through my
blog along with volunteering my time at the Grace Institute to share skills
that aid women in the business world.
I realize that this proposal is woefully late and I do apologize for that. However, I believe this project is something that is not only do-able, but will help others. Thanks for reading this, what do you think?
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