thePULSEA Volunteer Opportunity for College Students
By Annette Cinelli
When you picture a homeless person, d you see an dirty, tired looking old man with an alcohol problem? Or do you see a lost looking 3 year old girl with no bedroom to call her own? You probably see that first person, but the truth of the matter is that family homelessness, which impacts young children the most, is a serious but under-acknowledged issue, even close to home.
According to a report in 2000, “…approximately 10,000 young children (0-5 years) will experience homelessness in Massachusetts this year.” That is a huge and growing number and the problem seems so overwhelming and widespread that it may be hard to imagine how one person can make a difference.
Jamie Pear, the Central Region Director of Horizons for Homeless Children’s Playspace Program, explains what you can do to help. Horizons for Homeless Children is an organization that, according to its website’s mission statement, strives to “improve the lives of homeless children and their families. We provide homeless children in Massachusetts with the nurturing, stimulation and opportunities for early education and play that all children need to learn and grow in healthy ways.” Jamie works for the Playspace program, going to local shelters in and around Worcester and installing playspaces (playrooms) for the children in each shelter. Fifteen of these playspaces are in Worcester and they all need volunteers to come in and act as a Playspace Activity Leaders. “…All they have to do is play, that’s their job! They are there to play and give the children a little extra attention and have some fun with them.”
To be a Playspace Activity Leader, you have to fill out an application, attend a training session, be able to dedicate 2 hours a week (on the same day) for 6 months and, most importantly, enjoy playing with children! And although HHC strongly encourages local students (and post-grads too, of course!) interested in making a difference in these kids’ lives to sign up to be Playspace Activity Leaders, they are more than willing to work with college students whose schedules (ie semester breaks, etc.) don’t allow for that regular a commitment.
Jamie urges potential volunteers to “…remember the one person in your life who took the time to focus just on you and your needs. You can be that person in this kid’s life, they know you’re coming every Tuesday to play and it’s really powerful and rewarding to be that person in someone’s life.”
There is a training session coming up right here in Worcester on October 14th. Visit www.horizonsforhomelesschildren.org or call the central district office at 508-755-2615 for more information on attending the session and on how to volunteer.
