Service Learning Log

I took my client, Juanita and her son Shawn, around at PHC6 . We started out kind of awkwardly. After we got some food in the breakfast line I started right out with the questions because I was at a loss at what else to talk about. She gave short prompt answers, and later I found out, lied about her phone number, which goes to show how little trust she has in strangers, and I don’t blame her.
We walked over to the housing section, which was the only service she wanted. As we waited in line we started to loosen up around each other. I think the presence of Shawn made it easy. He is a really happy little boy. He’ll be one in June but looked much bigger than his age. Juanita told me he’s going to be a football player, like his dad. With him constantly laughing and playing we also started laughing. I learned she moved back here recently from North Carolina, which she didn’t like. She’d been homeless there too, living with the relatives of her kid’s dad. I was really impressed by observing her parenting skills and what she told me about how she and her off and on boyfriend, the father of her two children, take care of their kids. I also learned she lives with her grandmother, she went to college for two years, and she grew up in Denver. She likes it here because her family is here.
When we were called up we ended up being referred to a community housing project, called something like the Joshua Project. The woman told us how it’s a faith-based community and began covering all the rules, and there were a lot of rules. A mandatory dinner once a week, a community service requirement, no drugs or alcohol. If someone is on the campus after 8 on a weeknight they need to be in their room and 10 on weekends. Part way through this lengthy explanation Juanita turned and told me she didn’t want to do this. I kind of felt awkward. This woman on the other side of this wanted to help so badly but Juanita didn’t want to live by those strict rules. I was torn. I wasn’t sure whether I’d gained Juanita’s trust enough for her to tell me she felt uncomfortable, or if she just didn’t want to let this hopeful woman down herself. I told the woman that I didn’t think it was going to work out. The disappointment showed on her face.
Juanita ended up getting a voucher for first month’s rent and took the survey to get a $25 King Soopers gift card. We checked out and I wished her luck, but I haven’t really stopped thinking about her. I hope she found a place to live, that she and her boyfriend work things out and continue to care for their kids together.
If I had any lingering stereotypes about the homeless they were gone after my experience at PHC6. It also reminded me of how much I used to volunteer in high school and I realized I miss that. I feel kind of selfish because I haven’t been donating as nearly as much of my time as I used to, so I am going to do more of that next year. Also, because I am in this class I think I viewed the whole experience differently than I would of in the past. I was looking at it with the eye of a qualitative researcher. I never thought that way in the past so I felt like I had really learned something in this class; how to be a better observer.