Aspiration Statement

ASPIRATION STATEMENT

Amelia Kent

Philippines

July 6th

 I hope to use my experience working in social services in the US to inform my practice and bring new ideas to social service agencies in the Philippines. I feel prepared to serve as a Youth Development Volunteer as I have extensive experience serving youth from coaching soccer, running summer camps and now currently serving in the Teen Department at the local YMCA.

The best way to work effectively with host country partners is to first build rapport and trust by integrating into the host country culture. If I can show respect and understanding for my host country partners, they will be more likely to be honest in sharing their needs and I can help them find solutions based on the problems they have identified in their own communities.

My host family will be the most important way for me to adapt and integrate myself into this new culture. I will need to stay focused in an environment where there are constant opportunities to pick up insider knowledge and learn about my new country. I will also have to be aware of my own cultural competence in order to prevent doing things that may be considered offensive in the Philippines.

I hope to gain valuable language skills during pre-service training. When collaborating with anyone on projects communication is vital, this is why the language aspect is so incredibly important. I also hope to learn some necessary coping skills and learn about what kind of support network I will have around me while living abroad.

My experience serving abroad is bound to be an adventure. I feel completely ready to serve knowing that this will be a life changing experience that will inform my career decisions from this point forward. I can’t predict where this service will lead me, but I know that the people I meet and the experiences I have will inspire me to continue to serve others in some capacity. Not knowing where you will end up is what makes life so interesting and the growth you experience is always more valuable than the end point.