El Programa Hispano católico - vitaVITA stands for Volunteer Income Tax Assistance. It's a program provided by the IRS which includes textbooks, reference guides, certification guidelines & materials, and enforceable ethics standards. El Programa Hispano Católico is a local Social Services program based in Gresham which targets Spanish speakers and provides a range of services. El Programa Hispano hosts a VITA chapter annually during tax season.
My name is Tia Sharp. This page is about my experience as a Tax Prep Volunteer in 2016, and the Effective Change Agent Capstone at Portland State University. 
image from elprograma.org
Further experience with Spanish in ServicesAlong with my volunteer service for the VITA Chapter at El Programa Hispano, I also was hired in January to work at a new men's shelter in Downtown Portland called Peace. I was hired for my experiences in providing service to Holocaust survivors, management, and my ability to speak Spanish. All of the men in Peace are vulnerable in some way, but I argue that those who speak limited English are even more vulnerable. I noticed when the shelter opened that the Spanish Speakers engaged very little with English-speaking clients or staff. They seemed timid, unsure. As I started a process of engaging them in their language, they really began to open up. I noticed that they not only spoke with me more, but also engaged with English-speaking clients and staff more. They felt heard. They had more courage to stumble with English in an attempt to build community with others around them. It's very heart-warming for me. I know that I'm in a place where I'm effectively bridging the gap, a little bit at a time, for marginalized people.
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Effective Change Agent Capstone in my work
I spent a lot of time looking through Capstones available at Portland State University. I knew I wanted to do something related to services for Spanish speakers, as Spanish is my major. The VITA Program Coordinator for El Programa Hispano sent a notice to the Spanish Department's Adviser that they were looking for volunteers for this year's VITA program. I was instantly interested
I knew that I would not be able to dedicate the necessary time to the program unless I could get credit for it, and so I began to look into the option of doing independent study for my Capstone. It turns out that many PSU students before me found themselves in the same situation. With the demand for a Capstone that would allow the student to choose their own community partner and service project, and staff who were dedicating to meeting that need, the Effective Change Agent Capstone was born.
Throughout this Winter Term course, the instructor, Heather Petzold, gave us an opportunity to explore the University Studies Department goals and our personal goals for or service projects. We developed the curriculum for ourselves through the exploration of our understanding of social injustice and the need for change. We talked about what does and doesn't work in conventional problem solving, and how we came to identify with our need to challenge the status quo in favor of change.
Signing up for this Capstone gave me the courage to leave my lifeless office job for a lead position in a men's shelter where my skills in speaking, translating, and interpreting would be vital for clients who depended on me. It came at a time when this work experience and the VITA experience will be very effective for my resume before graduation in June of 2016.
The course itself reaffirmed my recognition of burn-out and my ability to implement self-care and moderation. I recognize my limits. I recognize why I'm feeling down at times, and it's not because I'm failing. I recognize that I can't help people who aren't ready to be helped. I recognize what I'm bringing to the table, and the challenges I'm facing. This Capstone is exactly where I needed to be at this time in my academic career. I truly hate to imagine not taking this course, and not having the opportunity to evaluate all of these factors of service-based change with such a wonderful group of people.
I knew that I would not be able to dedicate the necessary time to the program unless I could get credit for it, and so I began to look into the option of doing independent study for my Capstone. It turns out that many PSU students before me found themselves in the same situation. With the demand for a Capstone that would allow the student to choose their own community partner and service project, and staff who were dedicating to meeting that need, the Effective Change Agent Capstone was born.
Throughout this Winter Term course, the instructor, Heather Petzold, gave us an opportunity to explore the University Studies Department goals and our personal goals for or service projects. We developed the curriculum for ourselves through the exploration of our understanding of social injustice and the need for change. We talked about what does and doesn't work in conventional problem solving, and how we came to identify with our need to challenge the status quo in favor of change.
Signing up for this Capstone gave me the courage to leave my lifeless office job for a lead position in a men's shelter where my skills in speaking, translating, and interpreting would be vital for clients who depended on me. It came at a time when this work experience and the VITA experience will be very effective for my resume before graduation in June of 2016.
The course itself reaffirmed my recognition of burn-out and my ability to implement self-care and moderation. I recognize my limits. I recognize why I'm feeling down at times, and it's not because I'm failing. I recognize that I can't help people who aren't ready to be helped. I recognize what I'm bringing to the table, and the challenges I'm facing. This Capstone is exactly where I needed to be at this time in my academic career. I truly hate to imagine not taking this course, and not having the opportunity to evaluate all of these factors of service-based change with such a wonderful group of people.
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Stubborn Ounces by Bonaro Overstreet
(To one who doubts the worth of doing anything if you can’t do everything) You say the little efforts that I make will do no good; they will never prevail to tip the hovering scale where Justice hangs in the balance. I don’t think I ever thought they would. But I am prejudiced beyond debate In favor of my right to choose which side shall feel the stubborn ounces of my weight. |
