Internship Update/W&M DC Summer Institute Blog #2
Continuing from my last post, this one is also an assignment for my DCSI class. The task is to provide an update on how my internship with DC Central Kitchen is going using these prompts:
* What frustrates you about the organization?
If I was forced to pick some negative aspects, there would only be two, and they are both related to money. #1 Space is very limited for our organization. An example, in order to expand the number of students served in our Culinary Job Training program, we partner with other organizations with commercial kitchen facilities because we only have the physical capacity to run four classes of 25 students per year at our facility. #2 Despite our benevolent mission, just like any organization except the US federal government, we are limited by our budget.
* What project do you wish you could complete and why?
I think I already get a large variety of projects that use a lot of different personal skills: intelligence, problem solving, writing, creativity, research, analytics, communication, motivational speaking, etc. I have over a dozen on work Outlook task list, but if I could pick one more to add to the queue, it would be an in depth research project on the factors that determine success (graduation of the program and prolonged employment post-graduation) to see where we need to improve and common characteristics of unsuccessful students.
* What’s been your best day so far and why?
My best week so far has been when our Program Manager left for vacation and I took over her recruitment responsibilities. It was six days of four applicant interviews/day and the associated intake work along w/ some scheduled project deadlines of my own. It was very busy, but it’s been my best week because I was contributing to the mission, helping my co-worker and new friend out, and gaining invaluable nonprofit experience on a rapid basis. If she hadn’t taken that time off, I doubt I would have been thrust into those kind of responsibilities.
* Do the staff adhere to the mission of the agency?
Absolutely. What impressed me most from the time I started was how invested into the success of the students everyone on the Culinary Job Training team was.
* Is there a person at the organization who you really admire and why?
I admire everyone on the team and would love to work with them beyond the summer, but this would be a good time to point out my Director, Marianne Ali. She has been chosen by the White House as a Champion of Change (http://www.whitehouse.gov/champions) for her work at DC Central Kitchen. The biography of her which will be posted to the site this upcoming was written by yours truly.
* If you could change one thing at your organization what would it be and why?
The physical space for DCCK. We are spread out over three locations, and space is ALWAYS tight in our main facility on 2nd St. I would raise the funds and then develop a new space where everyone and every operation could coexist in the same building.
* Do you see yourself working for the organization or an org. similar to it after graduation?
Yes, if I can make a living doing so. I support the mission, love working with the CJT team, love the idea of using food as a tool to reduce the soup kitchen lines, enjoy hearing the success stories, and would be thrilled if I could make a career out of giving people who need help the opportunities they need to succeed and regain their independence.
* Is the organization addressing a social and/or political need? How?
Yes, read about all of them at www.dccentralkitchen.org
* Would you give money to the organization if you had it to give? Why?
I already donated money to help with a fundraiser that raised $30,000, enough to purchase a year’s supply of chicken for DCCK. I also ate crickets and a grasshopper burger as part of their Pestaurant fundraiser that raised over $6000. Note: Just so we are straight: DCCK does not use crickets, grasshoppers, or any other type of insect in its food!
A more elaborately flowing post to follow in the next couple of weeks!
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Great post Daniel! I really enjoyed that your blog was organized by question. I’m glad to hear that your work has allowed you to use so many of your personal skills. The use of creativity in the workplace is something that I find very (if not the most) important. I consider myself a very creative person but I have not utilized this skill much in my current internship and I am making it a mission to try to find an outlet for its use. It seems like you have provided some great creativity to DC Central Kitchen with your ideas for new projects! I found the description of the week when your Program Manager was away to be really inspiring because you accomplished so much with the gain in autonomy! Your internship experience sounds phenomenal and I am so glad that you have found passion in your work. Keep up the great work!
Mark, the by-the-question format was for convenience lol, but it is very readable this way. Regarding creativity, I am not sure what kind of tasks you are assigned, but it could be something very simple that lets you use your creativity. My boss promotes autonomy (probably because she is very busy hah), but I feel this significantly contributes to a work environment where creativity can be used more and is also valued more. If you are in a work environment where everything has a protocol/policy/handholding instructions, there is no creativity. I’ll give you some examples of how I’ve used it. The most vivid example is a department-wide report that will be viewed by our C-Suite and Board that simply gives an update on what’s been going on in the CJT program. I cannot post it here, but I really went to town on this project. I went with a powerpoint format, tons of nice photos, an embedded rap video that two students made on food safety, simplified text information, and aesthetics that really made the content “pop.” I’ve also had the opportunity to use creativity on flyers for a few events/programs, in some small writing pieces, and even in excel where you can use creativity to decide how you want to convey your information. Creativity in problem solving and thinking of strategies has also been important.
Yeah, Sarah’s week of vacation was mutually beneficial for both of us. Even if you don’t get some big opportunity for responsibility like that, try to take advantage of smaller ones by paying attention to what people in the office are doing and offering your insight and help, when applicable. This strategy and excelling when you are given tasks is the reason why I now have about 15 different projects on my plate. In most environments, you will be recognized when you are working hard and doing great work, and that only leads to better opportunities in the future.
I’ve been given Thursday off (woot 4 day weekend) for my hard work and will catch up with our group’s blogs today. I really appreciate the enthusiasm and support in your post. Thanks, Mark!
Hey Daniel! I really liked how you started out your blog… the phrase “If I was forced to pick some negative aspects,” describes part of my blog post, too. I struggled with calling out a negative aspect of an organization that is doing such amazing work, and I’m sure that I would have felt the same had I been in your shoes. How do you fault a group of people that are trying their best to create positive change? For me, that was a difficult question to answer and definitely something that I had to reflect on. I’m so happy that you have gotten to take on a good amount of responsibilities and that you have been able to handle them all. Talk about sink or swim, what a great learning opportunity to step in while your program manager was out of town. I look forward to hearing more about these opportunities in your following posts!
Hi AMANDA!
Yes, that was the toughest question considering both our organization’s grand missions. Part of our Job Training Program is funded by incentivized grants, which is good from the grantor’s perspective as it creates benefits for good results, but it can be negative for the grantee, depending on the details of the grant structure, as they are forced to make tough decisions based on money. As I said though, at the end of the day every organization operates like a business, and if they do not take advantage of these grants, it jeopardizes carrying out the mission as a whole, so I understand.
The best part of Sarah’s week off was that I was able to interact with the people that we are trying to help via an interview format. I think work variety is important for happiness, and it was a good change from sitting in front of a computer all day. I also got to go with her on recruitment events to give my little speech on failure and seizing opportunities. Both of those experience have definitely been amongst my favorites.
It’s hard to believe, but summer is already more than halfway over for our internships. I hope everyone gets as much value out of their internships as they can in these remaining weeks. And thank you for your kind words and interest! Looking forward to reading your first formal DCSI post soon.
I am sorry this post is so late. For some reason I was unable to access your blog post! Like everyone else, I really enjoyed your post. It is just so nice to hear that you are having such a productive, inspiring, and invigorating experience. I am so so happy for you. It sounds like you have a lot to do, especially the week that Sarah was out and I have to say I am a little bit jealous. Like Mark, I have not be able to use a lot of creativity in the work place so I have had to find other ways to keep myself occupied. My goal this week is to read some scripture and somehow relate it to the Constitution, Federalism, the Framers, etc. I refuse to not make the best of things. You are flourishing, Daniel, and that is very very cool. Thanks for sharing your insight.