Discuss about the Community Internship.
As a non-governmental organization, RSPCA supports its operations through community donations by running 40 shelters to provide care services and protection to the domestic animals. RSPCA is on a mission of propagating a fight against animal cruelty by offering not only medical care but also protection to the animals. In addition, this organization commits itself on enforcing laws on rules and regulations with regards to cruelty against animals whenever necessary.
Another valuable feature about the firm’s operations is facilitating the adoption of animals and promoting animal care by raising awareness to the community. It does this through advising or directing people in the community to treat their animals fairly or kindly. The organization finances its operations through profits it gains from the op shops it runs.
Through the firm’s activities, social relationships get fostered between the employees at the business, the clients loyal to the company, the government and the community as a whole. All these stakeholders get to relate with each other more through whenever the company in collaboration with the government gets to hold a social function.
Under a mutual benefit system, I did work voluntarily in the op shops at RSPCA, and in the process, I did manage to develop my public relations capabilities, customer care services, money handling operations, and most importantly communicational skills.
Apart from gaining more knowledge by learning what is already operational at the firm, I practically brought in a new idea to the enterprise. The idea was primarily meant to promote employee involvement by allowing the employees to make their contributions on issues concerning the mode of administration. Practical application of the concept at the firm did turn out successful, and it did further promote the employee’s working spirit.
In conclusion, the most significant development I was in pursuit of was improving my team play abilities by participating in team building activities. Eventually, I can easily inculcate employee participation in the actual management procedure at any organization.
The primary activities the organization conducts at its National office in Australia are highly research related and carried out by its science teams and campaign drives. Their major focus is on social issues that relate to animals, and they are fully mandated to foresee the facilitation of national events and all the important campaigns by the government. It colludes with the state and the whole industry at large to spearhead all the promotions that address the interests and concerns of animal welfare. All these activities are a combined operational force necessary for creating awareness on domestic animal protection (RSPCA).
These activities build a cordial relationship between the firm and the community as a whole. Moreover, the community members at times do provide financial donations to the enterprise with the funds ultimately getting channeled the firm’s activities. The services the firm provides have a compound value with the animals benefiting from the shelters provided and the laws initiated to protect them from unfair treatment by human beings.
I did opt to engage my services in this internship because of the overall projected advantages I would gain like the ability to communicate effectively with people in the community. In addition, I also get to understand the important impacts that the community has on the environment. Fortunately, after the internship I had not only gained all the important and necessary skills but also further developed those that I had before. Furthermore, the experience did assist me in polishing my interpersonal communication skills, as well as managerial skills. The position I held as an op shop attendant at the organization did subject me to direct interaction with most of the firm’s customers. In regards to this exposure, I am now able to manage my time effectively as it was my responsibility to ensure timely service to the clients.
Despite having other skills which I brought to the firm like accounting expertise and important customer relations from previous employment opportunities, educational platforms, and social interactions, what I needed of was to gain more knowledge concerning the operations of organizations that are community-based.
During my internship experience, I will undertake the role of a retail assistant in one of the shops managed by (RSPCA). I did engage in my duties at a voluntary level. Therefore, the firm was not under any obligation to pay for my services. I did expect that the roles assigned to me to be the same as first discussed during the interview. Any changes to the initial plans would be reviewed by both my academic advisor and the supervisor at work. After that, I would then be advised accordingly on the next course of action.
Through ultimate participation, I did intend not only to bring in new perceptions about research in the organization but also help them in solving short-term staff requirements. I was stationed at one of the op shop outlets at the RSPCA hence which was one of their many ways of sourcing for finances. These funds are ultimately put into use to cater for the welfare of the domestic animals.
In respect to my opinion regarding the two social theorems, “social psychological/construction theory” articulately blends well with my internship targets at RSPCA of improving my socialization abilities (Oppong, 2014). This approach makes clear reflections concerning the construction of the social therapy view that focuses mostly on socialization, moral influence, and the actual changes. The combination regards the relationship between therapists and their clients. Indeed, (Oppong, 2014) says that this theory puts more focus on both personal and inter-personal properties where the concern gets directed on the involvement of all individuals in the community towards building and maintaining a collective well-being. Every person has an absolute value of importance and in reality, has some extent of impact on those around them (Burke, 2006).
Therefore, it is important to note that social psychology calls for particular communication styles which involve not only active and attentive listening but also situational empathy towards others. The attentive listener gets to reflect upon the emotions of another person including the thoughts and behaviors. Oppong, (2014) emphasizes that active and affirmative language are necessary to help each other’s framing of important perspective. This social positivity is only achievable by pointing out one another’s capabilities, strengths, weaknesses and helping in problem-solving by constructing of a viable future for one another (Oppong, 2014).
At the RSPCA, I managed to introduce a new mode of carrying out activities. I made suggestions that instead of merely adhering to the set rules, individuals should get a chance to bring in their contributions on primary matters and decisions in the organization (Oppong, 2014; Simon, 2004). At first, there were objections, but after trial and error mechanisms, the working system did appreciate and eventually adopted the idea.
In my point of view, this theory agrees with the principles by RSPCA and all the activities it undertakes as it assists the society in changing their opinion, attitude and general behavior towards animals (Burke, 2006).
Moreover, by enforcing laws and legislations that favor animal, RSPCA can create and publicize concerns about animal welfare. (Burke, 2006) supports the notion about psychology theory of developing one another. It backs the principle that this organization abides by the promotion of a win-win situation for all those involved. In this scenario, a friendly environment gets initiated by the firm by relating itself to the society.
Secondly, the community can view the business in a positive light which conventionally promotes the company regarding increasing the sales of its products. Also, the firm gets valued for its promotion of a favorable socialization environment.
Finally, the animals which may turn out as the weaker species are taken care of, they are provided with shelter from the harsh weather conditions like cold and rain. They are also get shielded from harmful treatment.
According to the article “Critical control points in the delivery of improved animal welfare”, general concerns are on the development of animal welfare. It does so by suggesting practical approaches aiming at helping people who work with animals to inculcate the practical ways which lead to the improvement of the animal’s welfare.
By stressing about animal rights, personally ‘Critical control points in the delivery of improved animal welfare’ has greatly assisted me by elevating the knowledge concerning the strategies and practices of animal welfare. For example, I can then apply these lessons during my professional service in future.
Development gains resulting from the community internship are important factors that will assist me greatly in pursuit of personal growth and development. Through critical thinking and application of problem-solving skills, this internship program enables me in getting informed about the current societal issues which relate to the academic field of interest. I can analyze problems with an urge to positively improve the societal associations regarding relations to both human beings and animals.
Coupled with ease and convenience of socializing with other people, an aspect I learned through the internship program. I get to pass my thoughts and ideas conveniently with others resulting into optimum conduction of duties and tasks. Consequently due to this program, I did get to learn and improve on ways of appreciating and respecting the different cultural and personal attributes. I also learned the technicalities of making outstanding contributions to teamwork and further elevate my team building skills not only during the practice period but also all through my career practice.
Further benefits are that I was able to assess and improve on time management. For instance, during the internship period, I did manage to utilize my time more efficiently and more by channeling my efforts on to the tasks by prioritizing on importance and urgency. It is for this reason; I did manage to handle different duties at the same time without many problems. In all honesty, I believe that this practice will be of great value to my professional life after successfully completing the internship.
In conclusion, it did get me to learn more about personal motivations, development of skills for critical thinking and oversee the overall social issues on an entirely new perspective.
The level of my performance on the professional level did grow exponentially thanks to the crucial lessons learned through the internship program. By attributing to Griffith graduate, I will eventually be able to conduct and develop two important activities, they are:
Effective communicator and Team Player.
My association with many people of different characters and social backgrounds during the internship project has enabled me to prosper in proper socialization through effective communication and team play. People exhibit varying differences on many aspects of age, culture, language and social backgrounds. All these features require one to possess certain qualities so as to handle everybody differently from one another and on a different personal level. Furthermore, through associating with people more, I can improve my communication skills further.
Socially Responsible and Engaging in Communal Activities.
My internship training made me more accountable for the social aspect by helping me relate my existing knowledge of professional practices and also in real life situations. Through associating to senior citizens of different backgrounds at the RSPCA op shop, generally because most of the employee there were older than me, I was able to gain a lot of ethical values which I will apply in my future expeditions respectfully.
As a matter of fact, it will also help me create the conducive environment and culture at my workplace that motivates free will participation in the community-based activities and projects
By doing so, I will be fostering a friendly atmosphere between my workmates/workers and the community as a whole making my people not to feel alienated, while on the other end, I will cause the society accept my team as part of the organization enabling free interactions. This interaction promotes mutual development on both sides, the community, and the firm members.
References
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Burke, P. (2006). Contemporary social psychological theories. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford Social Sciences.
Cowlishaw, S., Birch, A., McLennan, J., & Hayes, P. (2012). Antecedents and Outcomes of Volunteer Work-Family Conflict and Facilitation in Australia. Applied Psychology,
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Engdahl, S. (2010). Animal welfare. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press.
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Hansson, H. & Lagerkvist, C. (2014). Defining and measuring farmers’ attitudes to farm animal welfare. Animal Welfare, 23(1), 47-56. https://dx.doi.org/10.7120/09627286.23.1.047
Hogg, M. & Cooper, J. (2003). The Sage handbook of social psychology. London: Sage.
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Patching, A. & Best, R. (2014). An Investigation into Psychological Stress Detection and Management in Organisations Operating in Project and Construction Management.
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Pattin, A., Kelling, S., Szyskowski, J., Izor, M., & Findley, S. (2015). The Redesign of a Community Pharmacy Internship Program. Journal Of Pharmacy Practice, 29(3), 224
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Webster, J. (2012). Critical control points in the delivery of improved animal welfare. Animal Welfare, 21(1), 117-123. https://dx.doi.org/10.7120/096272812×13345905673962
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