Jackie Wilmes
Social Services Specialist
Voluntary Action Center
Columbia, MO
Jackie was the lucky recipient of this year's MAK-AIRS scholarship to the AIRS conference, and shared the following about her conference experience...
Being chosen to represent Voluntary Action Center at the 2014 National AIRS Conference after Voluntary Action Center won a scholarship through MAK-AIRS to attend the event was amazing. My mind flooded with the opportunities that were before me: traveling on my own, meeting new people, learning new things, visiting a place I had never been. The possibilities seemed endless. I was ecstatic that this chance had been given to me.
As time grew near for the Conference the worrier came out in me, but as the Conference began a new level of excitement hit me. Being somewhat new to Voluntary Action Center and a “recent” graduate in the Social Services field I was still somewhat unaware of what all I&R had to offer. The Conference and what it taught me blew me away. The Conference gave me opportunities to learn, connect, communicate, and grow.
I quickly learned, as with much of what Voluntary Action Center does, our agency was truly unique. Much of the information seemed based towards call centers such as 211 and their affiliates. I knew 211 existed but had no idea of the extent that they can provide. Learning about these differences led me to wonder what kind of connections could be made in our area to better serve our clients and make our assistance more connected and efficient. Through the sessions I attended I was able to learn more about databases, referrals and follow up, marketing, outreach, and transportation. The sessions and activities at the Conference allowed me time and space to communicate with other attendees. I got to ask questions about other agencies and how they worked and functioned. It was wonderful to meet people with the same interests and working in a similar field and experiencing similar obstacles.
As the time approached for the Conference to end I scrambled to make a choice for my last session. I sat down in a session and I quickly realized this was not one of the sessions I had intended to attend in that time slot. I decided I would just stick it out and attend this session anyway. It turned out to be one of my favorite sessions from the Conference. The session was called “From the Training Room to the Call Center: How to be a Success!” While I do not work in a call center, that did not matter. The main focus of the session was to discuss learning styles and how to help everyone learn their own way yet still provide consistent service. The presenters were great and enthusiastic. This session was the perfect end to my time in Atlanta. This session, and my time at the Conference, reminded me that we are all growing and changing. We are all doing the best we can each day to impact the lives of the clients we serve. We all attempt to come together, despite varying viewpoints, and help people in need.
It was great to be introduced to a world of service possibilities outside of my area. I greatly appreciate all of the opportunities that were provided to me in this trip. I look forward to the possibilities that are even still yet to come from the things I learned and the people I met at this Conference. Thank you for allowing me this chance to learn, connect, communicate, and grow. I will always be grateful for the opportunity.
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