Leah Berger
Bachelor of Commerce, Strategic Management & Organization, 3rd Year
Course: CSL 100 (Fall 2020) with Instructor Jay Friesen
Who was your community partner and can you describe the project objectives?
The placement I had the opportunity to participate with was U School and my project was meant to display the barrier of the screen between myself and the U School students and the effect the virtual setting had on my placement.
What was your biggest takeaway from your CSL placement?
My biggest takeaway from my CSL placement was that the virtual setting does not always mean something negative in terms of connection for communities. Online service-learning provided me with a great outlet to gain first-hand experience regarding forming relationships online and taught me how to be more creative and adaptive in helping combat social issues behind a screen. I was able to learn how to more effectively connect with people when lacking the face-to-face experience and now understand that you are not limited to in-person work to make a positive impact!
How can you apply any newly gained knowledge/skills to your future endeavours (courses/employment/volunteering)?
My CSL placement has taught me to be more open-minded and reflective to new experiences, whether through school, employment, or volunteering. I have learned that some aspects seeming to be barriers may actually be tools you can use to develop stronger relationships with those surrounding you. I also recognize the importance of reflection and how vital it is to be able to reflect on an experience to gain value from it or to adapt your perspective. Self-reflection has enabled me to grow and increase my understanding of complex issues which in turn has allowed me to provide organizations with my full engagement and dedication.
What are some of the ways that COVID-19 has affected your community partner or your placement?
U School was directly impacted by COVID-19 and therefore moved all of their operations online for the first time. Instead of in-person work, mentoring included Zoom class interviews and online pen pal letters. I was initially worried about how this would affect my placement and held certain preconceived ideas as I felt I would be unable to engage and connect with the youth as effectively over a screen. However, I was proven wrong as the online environment actually helped youth open up more to me in many aspects likely due to the sense of security you can receive behind a screen. My placement coordinators worked extremely hard to make the transition as smooth as possible and although there were inevitable hiccups along the way, they ensured that students did not miss out on the opportunity to participate in such a rewarding and meaningful program. While I recognize the positives that stem from in-person work that cannot be replaced virtually, I believe being online has added some unique opportunities that have helped me connect with this community in ways I did not foresee.