"Profile of a Volunteer"

“Profile of a Volunteer”

Crystal Dudley a mother of two twin toddlers realized that Cleburne, Texas needed an additional source for quality child care.  The twin had been attending a mother’s day out program in a local church facility; however, the program had shut down to reorganize.

As a mother of twins, she was understandably skeptical of day care facilities and could not find the right fit for her toddlers.  She has always been an advocate for children, with a deep seated passion for making children’s lives better.  She had just finish a degree in sociology and was ready to begin working as a case manager for CASA of Johnson County (an organization for which she has volunteered for 9 years), but instead of going to work for CASA she opened an early learning center in March 2009.  She called it gateway early learning center. 

Crystal had no experience in the child care industry.  So she hired a director to run the day to day operations and went back to school, and earned her degree in early childhood education.  She received her Master’s in early childhood studies.  Crystal strongly believes that “anything worth doing is worth doing well”.

Crystal is currently the President of Casa of Johnson County; she also contributes her time to the Cleburne Child Advocacy Center and the family crisis center.  Her center is currently in the process of accreditation and once they receive their accreditation it will the first child center in Johnson County to be accredited. 

Crystal is a true child advocate and an inspiration to all Early childhood professionals including myself.  I decided to go to Walden University to receive my masters in Early Childhood Studies with the special in public policy and child advocacy because of her.   I am also a CASa of Johnson County volunteer.  After Walden University I am thinking about trying to get into law school.  Crystal showed me that all things are possible as long as we are passionate about it and give 150% to achieve it.

Using Social Media

Using Social Media

Even the average preschool children are using tablets and know many different types of apps and various games.  As a Director of a Preschool we are always coming up with new ways to market our center and to participate with child advocacy organization in our Community.  The owner of the Company is the President of Casa and works closely with the Family Crisis Center and Child Advocacy Center in Johnson County.  We do follow the four of the five steps to initiate a relationship between our network and cause.  We are doing this on a daily and I believe we are creating bonds.  Our private Kindergarten and School Age Children do Meals on Wheels (where they deliver food to older members of our community.  They also go to the nursing homes to sing songs and deliver homemade cards from the children in our center.   The only social media platform that we have not utilized is YouTube.  

THE FOUR INFLUENTIAL STEPS

We do follow these four influential steps and the main thing I would have to say is that you need to do update these social media platforms daily.  Also make sure you are always responding to anyone that has left comments or asked question on the social media platforms.  Always keep them positive and very informative.  There should never be any inappropriate comments or pictures.  By following these four steps we were able to network with some amazing advocacy organizations and also increase enrollment.  We even hired a few ECE professionals because of the wonderful referrals we received from the social media platforms.  I think it you follow the following four influential steps you will not only get your voice out to the world but also build long lasting relationships with people that are passionate about advocating for children all over the world

1) Newsletter:  For individual advocates, connecting with a nonprofit that champions your cause is an important start. Finding the right nonprofit may require a few minutes of research.  The online nexus of global and local nonprofits is the top notch Change.org.  Click the logo below to read their blogs, find nonprofit profiles and subscribe to a nonprofit’s newsletter. The most powerful tool you can have is an easy link source for your cause. Now the important information will come to you.

  

2) Facebook: Copy the link and open your personal Facebook profile in a new browser.  Under the “NewsFeed”, click on the “link” icon. The link icon looks like a tack holding a piece of paper upright.  Paste the link into the box that opened up and click “Attach” .  A picture from the site and the first few lines of the page’s text should appear.  Click through the picture thumbnail options for an appropriate one.  Most importantly, a second box opens up to “Say something about this link…”. Write a short note about what the link means to you personally.  Click the blue “share” button to send the update into your friend’s news feed.

 3) Twitter: You are going to need a two to three tweets to interact, build your story, educate, and tweet the link.  Be as personal as possible to your branding.  Tweet what the cause means to you, ask your followers what they know about the cause, tweet interesting facts, then tweet the link.  Most importantly, do not hit and run or it will come across as a curiosity piece.  Shorten the link with a url shortener, such a bit.ly or Hootsuite.  Be sure to leave 15 characters in the tweet with the link so it can be retweeted by your friends.

4)   Blog it:   With the previous steps above open in tabs, you now have many references to what you have a passion for.  You have a nonprofit site page, a related video, and the newsletter with additional information and links.  You are also responding to your friends in real-time as they comment on Twitter, Facebook, Buzz, and YouTube.

Advocacy Through Advertising

Adoption from Foster Care:

There are nearly 102,000 children (under 18 years of age) waiting for adoption from the foster care system in the United States. Approximately 23 percent of children and youth actively photolisted on the AdoptUSKids website and waiting for placement in adoptive homes were registered with one or more siblings.

Since 2004, the campaign has consistently delivered the message that "You don't have to be perfect to be a perfect parent." Using a humorous angle to communicate the seemingly challenging task of adopting a child from foster care, the PSAs reassure prospective parents that even if not "perfect," they have the ability to provide the stability and security that children in foster care need and deserve. The latest series of PSAs in this award-winning campaign ask prospective parents to consider adopting siblings, as these relationships are often the longest-lasting relationships for children in foster care.

The new PSAs portray humorous scenarios that reaffirm the campaign's notion that being an imperfect parent is "perfectly normal." Potential parents are reminded that siblings in foster care don't need perfection; they need the commitment and love an adoptive family can provide.

Audiences are directed to visit AdoptUSKids.org or call 888-200-4005 for current, accurate information about the foster care system and the adoption process. 

Hunger Prevention:

Hunger is a concern for millions of Americans, but many people don't realize its disproportionate effect on children. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced that nearly 16 million children, or one in five children in America, face hunger.

The new Child Hunger PSAs highlight how food banks work collaboratively with their communities to bring surplus food to children and families in need, including working with farmers, grocery workers, food bank employees and volunteers. The new campaign, which includes television, radio, print, outdoor and digital PSAs, is an extension of the Hunger Prevention campaign, first launched in 2008.

Additionally, a supportive PSA effort promotes the Summer Food Service Program, a service administered by many Feeding America food banks across the country, which provides children who rely on subsidized meals during the school year with free and nutritious meals over the summer. The campaign draws attention to the fact that, "summer isn't fun when you're hungry" and encourages parents to visit feedingamerica.org/summermeals to find free meals for their children through their local Feeding America food bank.

The Hunger campaign has also teamed up with Sony Pictures Animation to create PSAs featuring characters from Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, inviting families to help solve hunger in their community.

Domestic Violence:

This campaign raised awareness of domestic violence by emphasizing that it affects everyone. The PSAs encouraged people to get involved in domestic violence prevention efforts and to intervene if they know someone in an abusive relationship. In the first year of the campaign, more than 34,000 calls were made to the Family Violence Prevention hotline. The campaign continues to raise awareness about domestic violence and to encourage constructive involvement in its prevention and intervention. 

Considering Your Capacity

• Which issues impacting young children and their families and/or the field of early childhood fuel your passion?

The issue impacting young children and their families in the ECE field that fuel my passion is the foster care system and how children that are taken away from their parents and put in homes with strangers.  They are taken away from everything they no and are sad and confused.  There has to be a better system.

• What special skills do you have that will contribute to your advocacy efforts? How will you incorporate these skills into your work?

The number one skill I believe is extremely important to be an successful advocate is the ability to communicate with others and build relationships with others especially organizations that have the same interest.

• What resources do you have at your disposal that can benefit your advocacy work?

Casa, State of Texas Licensing Department, CPS, other advocates, families, children and of course the Internet that allows you to search for many resources.

• What knowledge, skills, dispositions, and/or talents do you possess that will contribute to your advocacy work?

The knowledge I have is a bachelor's in Criminal justice, minor in political science, certified paralegal, Casa training and now volunteer.  Great communication skills, organize and able to multitask.  I am very ;passionate and believe that every child has a right to have a safe and loving home.  I am not prejudice and I believe everyone can change with the adequate training and assistance.

• In what ways do you hope to grow in order to be a more effective advocate?

I hope I will feel more comfortable to join more organization that advocate for children and hope one day I am on numerous committees.  I would like to go to Austin and lobby for the reform of the Foster Care System.

Motivations, Strategies, Resources, Leadership, and Advice

My father was an alcoholic when I was growing up.  He was very abusive to my mom and  me and my siblings.  We moved thirteen times in my elementary and high school years.   I isolated myself from everyone and had few friends in school.  I was so embarrassed to bring friends over because I never knew if my father was going to get drunk.  I decided when I had my children that they would never have to feel the pain and abasement I had as a child.  And they never did.  But I also wanted to make sure that other children in my care as a Preschool Director would never feel as I did as a child.  The reason why it is essential to acknowledge and foster advocacy efforts at the micro as well as the macro level is that both levels are very important when it comes to the Early Childhood Field.  The core of being a community leader is having passion for an issue.  Also needs to be committed, so that they can create an environment that will move public will and promote community-wide investments in our young children.  Money is an extremely important resource to be a state leader on early childhood issues.  Another good resource is regional network.  Some tactics/ strategies you can use to mobilize others are to pass on information.  Another way is to send newsletters to your target organizations.  Also creating workshops to inform the community in issues.  The advice i would give is that the most undervalued and yet the most critical is that leadership roles in the early childhood field is that of the facilitator.   Building relationships is the key!!

"Personal Advocacy Reflection"

The person that I feel has been impacted how I look at child advocacy.  Crystal Dudley is the owner of Gateway Early Learning Center.  She opened a preschool in Cleburne, Texas when her twin babies were born because she felt like the schools were not an acceptable ECE program.  She toured all the schools in Cleburne about she felt like the schools were not high quality programs.  The schools were dirty and they did not have a structured schedules are curriculum.  The teachers were not friendly and did not look professional. Six years ago she opened Gateway Early Learning Center and two years ago she open a School Age Campus for  at risk children.
She also is the President of CASA of Johnson County and a volunteer for them for ten years.  Crystal also works closely with The Family Crisis Center.  This organization helps women that have been a victim of domestic violence.  She is a wonderful, loving, caring person that believes every child should be able to be part of a high quality preschool program.   She has played a big part in my decision to go to Walden University to get My Masters in Early Childhood Education with Specialization in Public Policy and Child Advocacy.  I am also current a Casa volunteer.  I have finally found my true passion and I thank Crystal for seeing how important ECE field is very all the children.

When I Reflect About My Collegial, Professional Learning Community

The three consequences  of my experience being a part of a caring, collaborative learning community for your professional growth and development.

1. That know I have more resources available to help the family at my center.

2.  I am more confident as an Early Childhood Educator and now I have more knowledge as an child advocate.

3. I also know that I do want to be a child advocate and work within organizations to lobby for children's rights especially children in the foster care system.

My one goal is to go to Washington DC and lobby to reform our Foster Care System.