From August 2019-May 2021, I volunteered as a student tutor as Oasis Católico Tutoring located in Pinewoods Community in Athens, GA. I began volunteering there to met an experiential learning requirement for my Community Health class, but I ended up loving it so much that I stayed after the semester was over.
Pinewoods Community consists primarily of low-income hispanic immigrant families, and many of the adult residents speak little to no English. The tutors help the Pinewoods children complete their homework because the language barrier makes it difficult for the parents to contribute often times. Although we help through school work, our main goal at Oasis is to heal the hearts of the children. Many kids experience difficult living situations, and it is our job to be a support system for them. I became so close with my students, and I honestly think they were the ones healing my heart.
Volunteering at Oasis inspired me to create my program plan to increase diabetes-self management behaviors in a Hispanic Immigrant community, and I used Pinewoods residents as my hypothetical population. To access a copy of the program plan, click here.