Volunteering for Disabled Children: A Personal Experience

This report explains a personal experience in volunteering for disabled children, using Driscoll's Model of reflection. It discusses the purpose of the volunteering, the feelings and learnings from the experience, and the impact on behavior and personality. The report concludes by summarizing the personal experience and referencing relevant sources.

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Table of Contents
Introduction........................................................................................................................1
Main Body..........................................................................................................................1
Conclusion.........................................................................................................................2
References.........................................................................................................................3

Introduction
This report will be explaining personal experience in the volunteering for disabled
children. To explain personal experience Driscoll's Model of reflection will be used to for
better delivery of information. According to Driscoll`s (1994), the following three
processes are used to reflect on one situation/event.
 What?
 So, what?
 Now what? (Driscoll and et. al.,2016).
Illustration 1: Driscoll model reflection 1994
Figure: -1
What?
The purpose of the volunteering is to provide support to the disabled children to
become capable of perform their daily routine tasks. I have performed certain activities
in order to help disabled children to learn new things. I have seen that these children
are full of energy and desire to learn new things regarding technology. I was happy to
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see the actions and excitation of the children regarding learning new things and
processes. The other people were helping these children in in various field like medical,
educational, administration and sports as per their expertise. They were involved in all
activities that can improve the routine life of these children.
So what?
I was very excited at the time of voluntary work. I was feeling happy while dealing
with all children. This was the first time I was performing something for children with
disability. So, my feelings were different people from other people who were regularly
involved in this type of activities. At the time of I was bit uncertain what I was doing but
now I feel more comfortable and confident for such voluntary work. I was not troubled
during and post activity because it was just an experience to work with children. I have
learned many things about children with disability that, how they deal with various
challenges in daily routine. This activity has helped me to get confident in
communication with completely strange people. I have also learned that how to act in
these kinds of situation.
Now what?
At the initial level I was uncertain about the activities I was going to perform but
later I become use to it. Observation of other people helped me to make changes in my
approach to perform various actions more effectively. During this process I have learned
that by staying calm and easy it is more effective to deal with children with disability. It
will make huge different I have chosen to do nothing. I would have missed the whole
opportunity to learn new things. There is no information required to get involved in
similar activity. Experience can help to act effectively. I do not need someone to help
me but by working together the actions during the event can be improved. In this activity
this is important for make effective communication with children. I do not feel different in
clinical practices because this was all about making effective communication with
children. From this reflection I have learned that in these kinds of activities initial this is
difficult to get involved with children but after the interaction with children this become
easier to act normally and more confident.
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REFLECTION
This is a well known fact that profession impact behaviour, individual personality
and experience to very significant extent. The profession that I chose is volunteering for
disabled children and contributing efforts in their better living and helping them with their
daily activities. The impact that it made me was on my personality, this was very
sensitive matter and required that I should complete all the activities carefully. This
significantly influenced my personality and challenged some of the traits that I
possessed by me. I required staying calm while doing so this helped in managing anger
in adverse situations. Enthusiasm of the disabled motivated me and insist me to get
involve various other activities other than academic and institutional activities. In this
professional experience I also understood the value of life and how I can better utilize
the opportunities which are not present to such people who are known as disabled. This
experience and communication helped me to understand that along with focusing on
individual needs and desires sometimes we should also utilize our efforts for those who
are disabled and require assistance of others, this will help in making this world a better
place. In relation with experience that I had during this is that I got to learn about various
type of disabilities which can impact and influence whole life of a person. This also
helped in understanding how situations regarding disabled should be managed and how
they should be treated without making them feel that they are disabled and are
dependent on other for their activities. Various treatment that are used for different type
of disabilities and which people are required to help disabled children. One major
consideration in this is that firstly they are children and later they are disabled this
requires that other people treat them sensitively so that they do not get emotionally and
mentally stressed. This may cause further harm to such children. Regarding impact on
my behaviour after this voluntary work I would say that this has helped me to
understand various aspects of human life and behaviour in various forms like
communication and attitude that one should be having towards others. Earlier my
attitude towards disabled people was that they are needy people and are object of pity.
After this experience my attitude towards such people changed and made me feel and
understand that they are just lack some of the capabilities like walking, talking but they
are also normal and they can be talented and rely on themselves in many condition.
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This also made me understand that willingness and learning and understanding new
things is never dependent on the fact that one is able or disabled as enthusiasm in
disabled children to learn new things and especially technology was really worth
applauding. Skills also get affected by this and there are many things that disable
children were better than able people. All over it made some positive impact on my
personality, behaviour and the way I think and act in routine life.
Conclusion
This report was concluding personal experience during volunteering work with
disabled children. By using Driscoll Model of reflection personal experience has been
explained through answering different question of the model.
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Reference
Books and Journals
Driscoll, M.A. and et. al., 2016. Psychosocial vulnerability, resilience resources, and
coping with
infertility: a longitudinal model of adjustment to primary ovarian insufficiency. Annals
of Behavioral Medicine. 50(2). pp.272-284.
Driscoll, M.A. and et. al., 2016. Psychosocial vulnerability, resilience resources, and coping with
infertility: a longitudinal model of adjustment to primary ovarian insufficiency. Annals
of Behavioural Medicine. 50(2). pp.272-284.
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