Intercambio program at the cornelius library
What is Intermcabio?
The Intercambio program at the Cornelius library started in mid-2019 by another staff member. It was a small in-person program that consisted of regular participants and it find good success in trying to build up a small group of people.
The program during this time only lasted roughly and hour, and it had an abrupt end because the staff member had other duties. I started volunteering for the library in November, and almost immediately joined in trying to make the program better by bringing in my Spanish language skills.
Of course, the Intercambio program didn't start here in the library, it had been a known program since at least 2001, but at the end of the day, it is just people coming together and having conversations.
I believe that because of the coronavirus pandemic, the library had the perfect time to promote online events/programs and get more people involved in the community. However, they did lack the staff to make it possible, so I was hired on to try and lead this program because of my bilingual skills and connection with previous participants.
Statement of specific unmet needs of the organization/community partner ---
The Intercambio program at the Cornelius library started in mid-2019 by another staff member. It was a small in-person program that consisted of regular participants and it find good success in trying to build up a small group of people.
The program during this time only lasted roughly and hour, and it had an abrupt end because the staff member had other duties. I started volunteering for the library in November, and almost immediately joined in trying to make the program better by bringing in my Spanish language skills.
Of course, the Intercambio program didn't start here in the library, it had been a known program since at least 2001, but at the end of the day, it is just people coming together and having conversations.
I believe that because of the coronavirus pandemic, the library had the perfect time to promote online events/programs and get more people involved in the community. However, they did lack the staff to make it possible, so I was hired on to try and lead this program because of my bilingual skills and connection with previous participants.
Statement of specific unmet needs of the organization/community partner ---
Responsibilities:
If I were to just be doing this for my job, my work would be very simple, I would just be coming up with a good program by coming up with different questions. I do still have to do so, and I try and make them the best question to stimulate conversation. I try and ask questions that are at times serious and relative to current events, or I try and make them about fun hypothetical questions that make people think abstractedly. I have found great success in making them a singular theme, this often makes the work a lot more difficult as I go through a different theme every week, but I hope eventually we can just talk among us.
This class has made me try and go above and beyond the scope of the program by trying to work on outreach. I try hard to contact multiple different institutions
The duties and responsibilities of my work
Underlying social context in which my work is informed
If I were to just be doing this for my job, my work would be very simple, I would just be coming up with a good program by coming up with different questions. I do still have to do so, and I try and make them the best question to stimulate conversation. I try and ask questions that are at times serious and relative to current events, or I try and make them about fun hypothetical questions that make people think abstractedly. I have found great success in making them a singular theme, this often makes the work a lot more difficult as I go through a different theme every week, but I hope eventually we can just talk among us.
This class has made me try and go above and beyond the scope of the program by trying to work on outreach. I try hard to contact multiple different institutions
The duties and responsibilities of my work
Underlying social context in which my work is informed
My plan of action is very simple. My goal is to get as many participants as I can, and to have my program be known as a place where people can be comfortable practicing a language with fun people supporting them.
The first step to make that possible is to create a tight but welcoming group that has a lot of laughs so that people that come in feel like they are being heard, supported, and encouraged back. The best thing that is happening with my program, is that most of the people coming are regulars, which means that they enjoy the program if they are willing to come back week after week. They are also very engaged with the questions and come up with very amusing answers!
The next step, which is what I will continue to do indefinitely, is to reach out to as many people that are willing to listen to spread awareness about my program. Since I have a flyer ready with handy information (as seen at the top), it is easy for me to contact places and show them the flyer in hopes that they would hang it up somewhere visible.
I'm blessed to say that I have been completing my goal week after week by having new, returning, and interested emails regarding this program, hoping to participate every week and giving me fantastic feedback.
The first step to make that possible is to create a tight but welcoming group that has a lot of laughs so that people that come in feel like they are being heard, supported, and encouraged back. The best thing that is happening with my program, is that most of the people coming are regulars, which means that they enjoy the program if they are willing to come back week after week. They are also very engaged with the questions and come up with very amusing answers!
The next step, which is what I will continue to do indefinitely, is to reach out to as many people that are willing to listen to spread awareness about my program. Since I have a flyer ready with handy information (as seen at the top), it is easy for me to contact places and show them the flyer in hopes that they would hang it up somewhere visible.
I'm blessed to say that I have been completing my goal week after week by having new, returning, and interested emails regarding this program, hoping to participate every week and giving me fantastic feedback.
Reflection:
This project has really made me believe that I am a leader. When I first read Walk out Walk on, I didn't think that I personally had the abilities, confidence, or knowledge to lead any group. Coming together and talking each week with such a friendly group of people that consistently looked at me for guidance, made me feel like I had value in my community, and that I could really give something back.
The most rewarding part of this experience to me was getting to know so many wonderful people during my program, at my work, and at the multicultural center at PSU. I believe that I was able to leverage my position of privilege to give back to community.
The only thing I would do differently, which I will do eventually because I plan to continue this program as long as I can, is to bring on more volunteers and put them in positions in leaderships, so they go through the same process as I have, and perhaps I can help bloom another leader in my community.
Most receptive questions - A sample of my work:
How are you this week?
What have you done this week that you are proud of?
If you were the mayor, what changes would you make?
If you were the President, what changes would you make?
What was the best invention in the past 20 years?
If a life changing app mysteriously appeared on your phone, what would it do?
If you could have any technology from any science fiction movie/show, what would it be?
Translations coming soon.....
This project has really made me believe that I am a leader. When I first read Walk out Walk on, I didn't think that I personally had the abilities, confidence, or knowledge to lead any group. Coming together and talking each week with such a friendly group of people that consistently looked at me for guidance, made me feel like I had value in my community, and that I could really give something back.
The most rewarding part of this experience to me was getting to know so many wonderful people during my program, at my work, and at the multicultural center at PSU. I believe that I was able to leverage my position of privilege to give back to community.
The only thing I would do differently, which I will do eventually because I plan to continue this program as long as I can, is to bring on more volunteers and put them in positions in leaderships, so they go through the same process as I have, and perhaps I can help bloom another leader in my community.
Most receptive questions - A sample of my work:
How are you this week?
What have you done this week that you are proud of?
If you were the mayor, what changes would you make?
If you were the President, what changes would you make?
What was the best invention in the past 20 years?
If a life changing app mysteriously appeared on your phone, what would it do?
If you could have any technology from any science fiction movie/show, what would it be?
Translations coming soon.....