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TeamWorks Focus
Join a group of volunteers in service and reflection around a single issue that is facing our community.
TeamWorks Focus: Habitat Restoration SF (March/April 2010)
Now accepting applications!
A TeamWorks Focus series will be kicking off in San Francisco in March 2010. All volunteers must be 18 years or older, commit to ALL the dates listed (most are weekends) and complete the application.
TeamWorks Focus offers volunteers an opportunity to meet new people and give back to their community. This series will focus on habitat restoration; including removing invasive species of plants and planting natives, plant propagation, exploring urban farms, and more. All participants will be trained as HOBA project leaders and will be involved in active discussion about what is happening to our Bay Area environment.
Past TW Series
Summer 2009 : Eco-Activism
A team of 11 volunteers explored the role of gardens and farms in our communities! They worked with organizations throughout the Bay Area that are actively transforming the health and beauty of our neighborhoods by encouraging active involvement in local environmental issues.
Members learned about health and food access disparities facing our communities. TeamWorks took direct action with local organizations addressing these issues through creative solutions such as urban gardens, youth education and community farms.
Read About Their Experiences Here!
Fall 2008 : Disaster Response Silicon Valley
Eleven HandsOn Bay Area volunteers participated in the TeamWorks Focus on Disaster Response series in the Silicon Valley. Participants deepened their understanding of how unskilled volunteers can help a community recover from a disaster. Hurricane Katrina provided a framework for this series. Volunteers were led by Project Leader Meichu Cheng and Coach Aimee Bosch, both seasoned TeamWorks leaders.
The series included direct service with the San Mateo County Food Bank, Habitat for Humanity of the Peninsula and Habitat for Humanity of the Silicon Valley. Volunteers also attended a training by the Red Cross, “Be Red Cross Ready”, a film screening of When the Levees Broke, and an interactive panel discussion featuring returned Katrina volunteers Annie Suzio-Granett and Michael Espinosa.
Volunteer Dan Caton helped build the team spirit by making HOBA Team safety/work vests, which were a big hit (see attached team photo)! Volunteers liked the experience of working with Habitat for Humanity, which was a unique project to this series. The team especially enjoyed hearing about the experiences of the returned Katrina volunteers during the panel and felt they learned new information on how to respond to a disaster.
Overall, the volunteers enjoyed their experience and said they would like to participate or lead a future TeamWorks series. A special Thank You to Kaiser Permanente whose generous donation made this TeamWorks series possible and our volunteers better prepared!
Fall 2008 : Youth and Education Silicon Valley
In Fall 2008, volunteers deepened their appreciation of the challenges that school systems and communities face in Silicon Valley and the impact it has on youth.
Spring 2008 : Disability in SF
Volunteers gained an in-depth understanding of the many different types of disabilities through a combination of volunteer projects, issue-based educational opportunities and discussion.
Volunteers learned more about how best to interact with individuals with different disabilities and how we can better accomodate their needs in our community.
Summer 2007: Immigration on the Peninsula
The San Mateo Immigration TeamWorks worked with the communities of San Carlos, Redwood City, Menlo Park, and East Palo Alto to bring volunteers into hands-on work and discussions of immigration in their communities. The team also had a celebration of community by exploring multi-culturalism there.
Summer 2007: Immigration in the East Bay
This series brought volunteers together for service experiences that focused on issues of immigration and cultural diversity both in the East Bay and on the national stage. Through an intense curriculum of volunteer projects, issue-based film screenings and thoughtful team-led reflections, the group dedicated one day a week over a two-month period to developing a better understanding of the complex dimensions, community challenges and current legislation around immigration.
Spring 2007: Urban Environment in Silicon Valley
What used to be known as The Valley of Heart's Delight is now known around the world as The Silicon Valley; what is the result of this transformation and what can we do to minimize our footprint on what is now a thriving urban environment?
This TeamWorks focused on getting to know our local Santa Clara Valley urban environment, how to be a steward of the land, and why it matters.
Spring 2007: Urban Farming and Food Access in the East Bay
Volunteers got their hands dirty working with Urban Farmers in Oakland, Berkeley, and Alameda to help make healthy food accessible to all people. TeamWorks volunteers performed tasks like digging beds, planting, weeding and working to support outdoor ecology and nutrition classes for kids.
They kicked off with a tour of the Downtown Berkeley Farmer's Market and discussion with local farmers. The group also read 'Omnivore's Dilemma' by Michael Pollan and attended an interview with the author.
For general questions, please Contact Us.
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