Title of Project Advocate for Those With Special Needs
Abstract of Project
Abstract
I am going to complete my EDGE project with the Special Olympic Utah organization. I am going to do this through TURN Community Services and help with the clients there. This project will take place here in Cedar City, Utah as I help clients practice and prepare for their Summer track events. It will also take place in St. George, Utah for the Regional competition, where I will be a coach for those while they compete. The final part of the project will take place in Salt Lake City, Utah for the State competition as I will again be a coach to help the clients. The state competition will last three days. This project will start taking place in the middle of March 15th (subject to change due to weather permitting outside practice) and end with the State competition in June 8th-10th. I want to complete this project by helping to coach the clients in their different track and field events and being there to coach them at their various competitions. I chose this project because I love working with those that have special needs and I feel like Special Olympics is a new way that I can volunteer to be a better advocate for them in the future. I would love to continue working with this community and I feel that this will give me some great experience and something that will look great on my resume.
Larger Purpose
In the future, I plan on working with special needs adults as a Support Coordinator. That is basically a social worker for their many needs. With this, I want to help them get any services they need and truly be an advocate for as many special needs adults that I can. They have a special place in my heart and being around them helps me want to be better each day. Because of this, I chose an EDGE project that will help me understand this community and give me more experience working with them. While I complete this project I will interact with many people with all different disabilities. There are a wide variety of disabilities a person can have such as autism, down syndrome, traumatic brain injuries, etc. If I want to continue working with this community in the future, I need to learn as much as I can about each disability so that I can effectively work with them in the future. I feel that the best way that will help me learn more about them, will be by gaining hands on experience working with them. I will be able to coach them and encourage them to do their best. I will help them to get ready for the day and be there for their basic needs. I truly feel this EDGE project will give me some great, hands on experience that will be very beneficial for me in my future endeavors. I want to be able to help them have a great quality of life and I think helping them to compete in Special Olympics will do that.
Project Goal For my EDGE project I will volunteer, coach and advocate for those with special needs while helping them compete in Special Olympics.
1-3 Outcome(s)
-If I volunteer, coach and advocate for those with special needs while helping them compete in Special Olympics, then I will understand those with special needs better while working hands on.
-If I volunteer, coach and advocate for those with special needs while helping them compete in Special Olympics, then I will know how to advocate for those with special needs while in the community.
Deliverable(s) I will provide a detailed log of my hours and comments of my daily tasks while coaching those with special needs in correlation with Special Olympics. My log will include what I have learned and the different things I did. I will provide pictures of the locations in the community that we will be at (I can not take pictures of the clients due to confidentiality). Those pictures will include the field of Special Olympics in Provo as well as me in front of the field to prove I was there.
Differentiation By completing this EDGE project, I will stand out for others competing for the same future career because I will have meaningful hands on experience. Special Olympics is a great non-profit organization and because of this, it will look great on my resume and show that I have provided meaningful service for a great cause. It will show that I have worked with this community and that I have an understanding on how to help them effectively.
Estimated Costs
Item
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Cost
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Description
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Computer
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$600.00
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I will use my computer to document my hours.
|
Wifi
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$100.00
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This will be used each for four months. $25.00 each month.
|
Travel to TURN
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$5.00
|
I live really close to TURN so the gas money will not be too much. Once I am at TURN, there will be company vehicles used for all trips. Those expenses will be paid for by TURN.
|
Food
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$15.00
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I will need to buy snacks, however, all other food is bought for by TURN and lunch and dinner will be provided by Special Olympics for the Regional Competition and the State Competition.
|
Clothing
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$30.00
|
I have to wear special clothing for competition days. This will be the cost for that.
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Volunteer Cost
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$23.56 per hour
|
This is the recent cost for volunteers.
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We will be staying the night in Salt Lake City and Special Olympics pays for all the hotel rooms. Therefore, there will be no costs for that.
Estimated Timeline
March 15, 2017: Practice 1 Hour
March 22, 2017: Practice 1 Hour
March 29, 2017: Practice 1 Hour
April 5, 2017: Practice 1 Hour
April 12, 2017: Practice 1 Hour
April 19, 2017: Practice 1 Hour
April 26, 2017: Practice 1 Hour
May 3, 2017: Practice 1 Hour
May 10, 2017: Practice 1 Hour
May 17, 2017: Practice 1 Hour
May 20, 2017: Region Competition 8 Hours
May 24, 2017: Practice 1 Hour
May 31, 2017: Practice 1 Hour
June 7, 2017: Practice 1 Hour
June 8, 2017: State Competition 3 Hours
June 9, 2017: State Competition 15 Hours (6:00 am to 9:00 pm ACTIVE)
June 10, 2017: State Competition 7 Hours (6:00 am to 1:00 pm ACTIVE)
TOTAL: 46 Hours (I added more just in case something happens. That way I can make sure that I can get 40)
