My Interests After my Experience

My interests were initially in looking at how non-profit organizations, particularly international NGOS, worked to engage with the community and solve issues within. By working with PeaceJam, an international NGO, I was definitely exposed to how these organizations try to make sustainable and lasting change within these communities. I think the biggest takeaway from working with PeaceJam is that change does not happen alone. The best way for NGOs to make lasting change is through collaboration. This includes getting insight from members of the community, working with known community institutions, and finding private partners that are willing to invest in the change. During the digital equity forum that I attended, this dynamic was especially evident. The picture included on this blog is an illustration of this dynamic that I drew during the forum. You will not be successful in solving community issues if you don’t include the community itself. This dynamic is something I definitely plan on emphasizing in my CapStone as something that is essential to community engagement. As I continue to try to make change within my organizations, research, and internships that I plan on being apart of in the fall, this idea that a community needs to rely on partnerships to make positive change is not something I will forget.