When we tell people that we are volunteering with the Peace
Corps, a common response is a sort of “thank you” for our efforts to “save the
world.” Of the volunteers I have spoken to, none of us really know how to respond to this... First because, I mean, what a bold statement. What do
you even say to that? Second, because we don’t believe that it is true…
Let me explain…
My understanding of “saving the world” comes largely from
super-hero comics. The scenarios almost invariably follow this formula:
- World exists with lots of “little, normal people” who navigate the tunnels of society much like ants in an ant-farm. They are largely ignorant to the dangers that await them when the page is turned.
- A hero enters the plot. This person has some sort of extraordinary powers, strength, or knowledge that grant him/her the exclusive means to be aware of and respond to the impending doom. Of course, little, normal people do not have access to these extraordinary powers. (Exceptions include the examples of benevolent, playboy billionaires who are able to “buy” their super-hero powers by means of fancy machinery, cool suits, and the freedom from needing a 9-5 day job to pay the bills).
- The hero uses these exclusive powers to fight this evil, while the whole community panics and runs frantically about in a haphazard effort to avoid absolute demolition. Their contribution tends to be (a) positive, yet largely insignificant; (b) neutral; or (c) helpless victims whose dilemmas merely distract from the larger fight at hand.
- The hero saves the day and goes into hiding to await the next tragedy that will require his/her omnipotent intervention. “Little, normal people” go about their regular lives in the ant-farm, much as they were before.
Let’s call this the “Super-Hero Model” (SHM). This model is
rife with problems that would fail miserably if used in actual service.
| Super Hero Cat Uses the SHM when Volunteering...Don't be Super Hero Cat (http://i.ytimg.com/vi/BdcCr-dsCUg/maxresdefault.jpg) |
Dissonance #1: Community Assets and Empowerment
The SHM is supported largely by the supposition that the
community is ignorant, powerless, and dependent on this hero for all of its
solutions. Yikes! How condescending?! The fact is that my community in South
Africa, just like every community in every country across the world, is full of
strengths and assets.
I work with a teacher who spends a few Saturdays each month
providing training for kindergarten teachers who want to improve their skills.
This same teacher has empowered multiple educators to pursue their teaching
credentials after encouraging them to volunteer at the local pre-K. She is also
working to start her own community day care—from scratch! We have a high
unemployment rate, but we also have opportunities for high school graduates to
volunteer and gain experience. I work with multiple teachers who are passionate
about gaining new and creative skills for the classroom. Our administrative
clerk has a passion for inclusive education and gender equity.
Whatever solutions we have must include and be strengthened
by these assets.
Dissonance #2: The Hero Has All the Answers
HA! Those who know me know that it takes me 15 minutes to
figure out the answer to, “Now,
what would you like off the lunch menu?” I guarantee you that I am not the
keeper of all the top-secret answers to life’s big questions. I do have a few
perspectives that I can offer from my academic coursework and my experience as
a facilitator, teacher, and administrator. HOWEVER, my perspective can be
skewed and imperfect AND I cannot create sustainable change in a bubble.
Volunteers NEED the perspective, assets, wisdom, feedback, involvement, and
ownership of the community in order for any of the work that I do to be
effective and sustained after my service. This means I need to shut up more. I
need to listen with an open mind. I need to find a culturally-appropriate way
to gather ideas for solutions (it turns out that my typical model of
“brainstorming” is very much based on the US cultural values and doesn’t always
translate well to a new setting.) If volunteers come into service believing
that he/she will “save the day” with all of his/her “awesome, new ideas!”, then,
he/she will become a metaphorical bull in the (cultural) china shop. It’s a
pretty painful sight…
Dissonance #3: Sustainability
Every movie ends with the hero lying in wait for the next
shoe to drop. The community is unchanged at the core-level. They have not
learned or gained anything that will empower them to “save” themselves. The
sequel is just like the first…
I used to tell my students that the goal of volunteerism and
social advocacy is “to work yourself out of a job.” We want to get the systems
in place so that volunteers aren’t needed anymore. Where the community is
working together, using existing and trained skills, to fulfill its needs. This
is not possible when a volunteer is functioning within the frame of the SHM.
So, if we are not “saving the world,” what are we doing here?
- We are living within and alongside a culture other than our own. Impact: I am creating (and gaining) a more realistic, human understanding between people who have very different identities and stories. The barriers of “otherness” can break down more easily when you are living in community.
- We are role modeling and teaching a specific set of skills. Impact: Our teachers are learning new skills for classroom management, computer use, and lesson planning in the hopes that their teaching will continue to improve from one academic term to another.
- We are encouraging/requiring an increased usage of the English language in schools. Impact: Learners and educators have an additional reason to practice their English, as required by the Department of Basic Education.
- We are learning and growing a whole heck of a lot in the process. Impact: On a very selfish level, I am meeting my own desires by serving abroad. This growth and change will likely have a positive impact on my future place(s) of employment, life choices, etc. In the meantime, it is an awesome and powerful journey, which I am very blessed to have.
- We are sacrificing a few “creature comforts” to which we have become accustomed to in the US to adapt to this new community. Impact: Minimal. MILLIONS of people live this way every day. What’s two more of us? The biggest impact I predict is the reminder to Joe and I (and others in our lives) that we don’t NEED those creature comforts...and gain more appreciation for them in our lives.
We cannot know how this impact will ripple out into the
future. We just have to try to do/learn the very best that we can...
_______________________________________________
Post-Script... For community development nerds out there who are interested in resources related to this discussion, here you go!
Nerd Resources:
Post-Script... For community development nerds out there who are interested in resources related to this discussion, here you go!
Nerd Resources:
- Peace Corps Approach to Development. The current philosophy of the Peace Corps regarding the role of a volunteer in community development (hint: it is a quite different from the original philosophy...). The link is long, so click HERE. A PDF will download. Start with the page that is numbered 7.
- Asset-Based Community Development Model. A major resource for approaching development from an asset-based (rather than deficit-based) perspective and philosophy: http://www.abcdinstitute.org/
- Bennett's Developmental Model for Intercultural Sensitivity. Learn more about this "bull in a china shop" phenomenon: http://www.communicaid.com/cross-cultural-training/blog/cross-cultural-theory-developmental-model-of-intercultural-sensitivity/#.VKtmOmQhlK8
"Every movie ends with the hero lying in wait for the next shoe to drop. The community is unchanged at the core-level. They have not learned or gained anything that will empower them to “save” themselves. The sequel is just like the first…"
ReplyDeleteAs I was reading your post, I was thinking exactly this. When we do for other what they should do for themselves we actually disempower them. They become dependent on us to jump in and save them the next time. They have no responsibility for the outcome, only that the outcome not be negative for them. "Let him get shot with the laser or hit with the falling car, not me." "The crowd around me has no value, because they can't save me. They are just trip hazards as I attempt to run away." Since you know my politics, I think you know where I'm going with that train of thought, so I'll leave it alone.
But you are saving the world. As you point out the SHM doesn’t work. Saving the world is much simpler than that, and you do it every day. Love your neighbor as yourself. The parable of the Good Samaritan, changed the world. The Samaritan didn’t protect the injured man, nor did he care for the man for the rest of his life, he simply helped the man overcome misfortune. With no fanfare, nor expectation of repayment. If you make yourself available and willing to help where needed and through those actions inspire others to do the same, you have saved the world, or at least changed it for the better. I see in your posts and blogs many examples where you have made the world better. Saving the world is a collective and cumulative effort. One doesn’t have to go to a foreign country to do it, although I think in some ways it is much easier to do so. One must see the opportunity and take it. Sometimes just a hug can save the world, or at least one person’s world.
Great reflection and reminder for readers to place feedback in to appropriate context. Such context can be gained by us readers through resources provided and previous reflections you all have shared - so thank you :)
ReplyDelete