DIRECT SERVICES
As was touched on in the "Indirect Services" section, "Direct Services" relates to the services that directly interact with the clients utilizing a program. Throughout my time in the Human Services program, a door was opened. This door represents the hundreds of opportunities I was given (and made aware of) to actively participate in Direct Services.
The first experience I'd like to touch on was that of a Special Education class I took part in as part of my disAbilities Studies concentration. For SPED 390: Practicum I, I worked as a chaperone in Shuksan Middle School's Life Skills classroom. There, I assisted my practicum supervisor directly by supervising students during in-class activities and community field trips.
Another direct service experience I had in the Special Education department was during SPED 440: School Practicum. During this course, I taught 1-2 lessons a week in a 2nd Grade classroom at Bernice Vossbeck Elementary School in Lynden, WA. Examples of actual lesson plans I taught can be found in the Accomplishments section of my disABility Studies page on this website.
When it came to direct service opportunities in the Human Service program, I had several. In HSP 315: Human Development and Human Services, I participated in the CHORE program through the Whatcom Volunteer Center. Two of my three required internships (Hope House and the Mary Bloom Center) were direct services-based. Conversations about what direct services are and how they operate were also had throughout the program.
To begin, as stated in the above paragraph, I had participated in the CHORE program through the Whatcom Volunteer Center. According to the organization's webpage, the main focus of the program is to assist the client (aged 60 and older with functional disabilities) with household tasks (cleaning, yard work, grocery shopping; etc.). Sometimes, all the client wanted was to have someone to talk with. At the end of the quarter, I wrote a reflection detailing my experience with my particular client.
On to my direct service-based internships, the first one that I will be discussing is that of my time at Hope House. At this placement, my main focus was completing client intake, interacting with clients to help them locate their needed items, and checking them out once their had finished their "shopping." The picture below, taken from Hope House's Facebook Page, shows just how directly we work with clients. The volunteer (in the green shirt) is handing emergency food to a client in need.
The first experience I'd like to touch on was that of a Special Education class I took part in as part of my disAbilities Studies concentration. For SPED 390: Practicum I, I worked as a chaperone in Shuksan Middle School's Life Skills classroom. There, I assisted my practicum supervisor directly by supervising students during in-class activities and community field trips.
Another direct service experience I had in the Special Education department was during SPED 440: School Practicum. During this course, I taught 1-2 lessons a week in a 2nd Grade classroom at Bernice Vossbeck Elementary School in Lynden, WA. Examples of actual lesson plans I taught can be found in the Accomplishments section of my disABility Studies page on this website.
When it came to direct service opportunities in the Human Service program, I had several. In HSP 315: Human Development and Human Services, I participated in the CHORE program through the Whatcom Volunteer Center. Two of my three required internships (Hope House and the Mary Bloom Center) were direct services-based. Conversations about what direct services are and how they operate were also had throughout the program.
To begin, as stated in the above paragraph, I had participated in the CHORE program through the Whatcom Volunteer Center. According to the organization's webpage, the main focus of the program is to assist the client (aged 60 and older with functional disabilities) with household tasks (cleaning, yard work, grocery shopping; etc.). Sometimes, all the client wanted was to have someone to talk with. At the end of the quarter, I wrote a reflection detailing my experience with my particular client.
On to my direct service-based internships, the first one that I will be discussing is that of my time at Hope House. At this placement, my main focus was completing client intake, interacting with clients to help them locate their needed items, and checking them out once their had finished their "shopping." The picture below, taken from Hope House's Facebook Page, shows just how directly we work with clients. The volunteer (in the green shirt) is handing emergency food to a client in need.
My internship with the Mary Bloom Center in Puno, Peru was another example of direct services. For this experience (discussed in the Peru section of this webpage), I was put in charge of the Catechesis team. That is, I worked with children and gave them (Spanish) lessons on the Catholic faith. I was directly interacting with the children from day one. There were other opportunities for direct services, as well. These included visiting the sick and administering health check ups and/or medicine, building a shower, well, and foundation for a small house, and (overall) just being present in the community of which we were serving. Below, you can see an image of myself, another volunteer, and a small group of children that I was teaching the Rosary to the youth in both Spanish and English.
We discussed Direct services often throughout all of my courses. In HSP 325: Interviewing for Human Services, we were given the opportunity to practice how to converse with clients. During HSP 455: Diversity and Social Justice Dynamics, we learned about approaching others so as not to offend them. Finally, throughout my Junior and Senior Core courses, we read about, discussed, and presented on different levels of need (and thereby types of direct service) our clients might have based on the intricacies of their systems.
Related CSHSE Standards...
Standard 6: The combined competencies and disciplines of the faculty for each program shall include both a strong and diverse knowledge base and clinical/practical experience in the delivery of human services to clients.
Standard 14: The curriculum shall provide knowledge and skills in information management.
Standard 15: The curriculum shall provide knowledge and skill development in systematic analysis of services needs; planning appropriate strategies, services, and implementation; and evaluation of outcomes.
Standard 18: The curriculum shall provide knowledge, theory, and skills in the administrative aspects of the services delivery system.
Standard 6: The combined competencies and disciplines of the faculty for each program shall include both a strong and diverse knowledge base and clinical/practical experience in the delivery of human services to clients.
Standard 14: The curriculum shall provide knowledge and skills in information management.
Standard 15: The curriculum shall provide knowledge and skill development in systematic analysis of services needs; planning appropriate strategies, services, and implementation; and evaluation of outcomes.
Standard 18: The curriculum shall provide knowledge, theory, and skills in the administrative aspects of the services delivery system.