Obama's Summer Organizers Program

[phatlip]

For the past several months, I've been thinking about getting into some community service. Well, I just read about Obama's Summer Organizers program and thought it would be an excellent way of helping my community and making progress towards things I believe in.

I figured I could most definitely volunteer a couple of hours each week and really make a change. Well, I read into it some more and noticed it was REQUIRED that you volunteer for 40 hours a week if you choose to participate in the program. Wow, that's full time. But it's obviously paid then right? What person would and could FINANCIALLY work full time for free? Good question. Apparently that's what Obama expects because you get paid ZERO for doing it.

Now, don't get me wrong. I didn't expect to get paid at all. But I wont' and CAN'T work full time for free. I don't personally know anyone who can financially do that.

I just wanted to blow off some steam because I think this is extremely stupid. Why can't I help out only a couple of hours a week? Again, I didn't go into this expecting money or anything. I just wanted to help my community but 40 hours of free work each week is simply asking too much and now I won't be able to perform community service in this outlet AT ALL because of this ridiculous requirement (I realize there are other things I can do other places, but still).

This really frustrated me. I just wanted to share with everyone else.

http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/summerorganizers

[tokenuser]

Aren't internships generally fulltime with no pay?

[masherscf]

You asked me about getting into grad school. Grad schools love to see shit like this. Not getting paid for it make them love it more.

[ariastar]

Summer Organizers will be trained on the principles, strategies and tactics of effective grassroots organizing. Summer Organizers will be asked to commit to 40 hours per week...

There's training in this program, and they probably want to avoid the people who are planning to be there a few hours one week, a couple the next, none the next, maybe a couple again the next week, etc.. Whoever will be doing this training probably will be volunteers too, and they want to weed out the serious participants from the ones who will fade out and be gone halfway through.

It's an internship.

If you can't volunteer full-time each week (and I agree, for many people this is difficult, if not impossible), then you can still find local organizations and donate your time directly, such as a soup kitchen or a mentoring program. I think you're do well in the Big Brother program.

[rabidbadger]

Or teach illiterate adults to read to their kids. That's what I wanna do. Your local library can direct you. And that way you help two, two, two generations (and all that come after) in one. A new taste treat!

[ariastar]

Originally Posted by rabidbadger

Or teach illiterate adults to read to their kids. That's what I wanna do. Your local library can direct you. And that way you help two, two, two generations (and all that come after) in one. A new taste treat!

This one is a really good idea. Some areas have an alarmingly high rate of adult illiteracy. How this country has failed so many people in education... Some of my relatives who made it all the way through sixth grade before deciding they had enough "edge-i-cate-in" can't even read more than either own names.

[klitzy]

Ha! I just applied for this last minute. I feel like I am whoring myself out to every company, internship, job opportunity that comes my way. I am literally sending my resume to everyone/everything that will look at it. Bad idea? Good idea? Thoughts?

[masherscf]

Originally Posted by Klitzy

Ha! I just applied for this last minute. I feel like I am whoring myself out to every company, internship, job opportunity that comes my way. I am literally sending my resume to everyone/everything that will look at it. Bad idea? Good idea? Thoughts?

My last job search.

50 applications, 5 interviews, 3 second interviews, 2 offers.

[klitzy]

Originally Posted by masherscf

My last job search.

50 applications, 5 interviews, 3 second interviews, 2 offers.

Hooray. Don't feel quite so bad now going around giving out my resume to any stranger that walks by. Feels so scandalous though. Sexual innuendo just feels so right in the context of applying for jobs.

[ariastar]

Originally Posted by Klitzy

Ha! I just applied for this last minute. I feel like I am whoring myself out to every company, internship, job opportunity that comes my way. I am literally sending my resume to everyone/everything that will look at it. Bad idea? Good idea? Thoughts?

Good. Even if you're working for free, it helps keep your skills current and to develop new skills and adds to experience.