Lecturer: Nguyen Ngoc Thuy Vy Student: Le Khanh Duy - 2412155087 Nguyen Quang Thanh Duy Nguyen Hai Duy Nguyen Tan Dung Nguyen Anh Dung Class: K63CLC7 HO CHI MINH CITY, OCTOBER 17TH, 2024 Contents CHAPTER 1:......................................................................................................4 SUMMARY OF THE COMMUNITY PROJECT......................................................4 1.1 The early stages of the project and the scope................................................4 1.1.1 Our foremost plan.............................................................................4 1.1.2 The Process of Doing a Reality Survey..................................................4 1.1.3 The Survey Results...........................................................................4 1.1.4 Changes in plan................................................................................5 1.2 The Bracelet Plan....................................................................................5 1.2.1 The Initial Idea of Making and Selling Bracelets.....................................5 1.2.2 The New Scope of the Social Project.....................................................6 1.2.3 Reasons for choosing the target beneficiaries' parties...............................6 1.3 Carrying out the plan..............................................................................6 1.3.1 Making and Selling Bracelets..............................................................6 1.3.2 Helping those in need.........................................................................6 1.3.3 The Values from the Social Project.......................................................7 1.3.4 Small Conclusions.............................................................................7 ABSTRACT CHAPTER 1:
SUMMARY OF THE COMMUNITY PROJECT
1.1 The early stages of the project and the scope 1.1.1 Our foremost plan The community project started immediately once the assignment was given, and the initial idea was to support low-income workers and needy people. The initial plan was to collect used clothes from multiple sources, repair them if needed, and sell some of them as secondhand items. The money that would be earned from such sales would be spent buying more clothes to be distributed among financially poor people. We aimed to create a cycle whereby funds raised through the sale of some clothes would aid in collecting even more items to give away freely to needy people.
1.1.2 The Process of Doing a Reality Survey
The first few days of the team's work involved surveys and outreach to understand the potential interests and needs concerning second-hand clothing. Most of the surveys were on campus and consisted mostly of students. We hoped that college students might be open to buying second-hand clothes, especially since they often look for affordable options. We asked around to gauge how many people would be interested in purchasing used clothes and to see if there were individuals or groups on campus who could use extra clothing. It was in a position to determine whether there was a good demand for the project for its success and identification of any key needs or preferences in clothing.
1.1.3 The Survey Results
From the collections, we established that our plan had several limiting factors. About College students: It emerged from the responses to the surveys that there were very few students on campus interested in second-hand clothes, even when sold at giveaway prices. In general, students felt that they preferred to purchase new clothes, and even for those students who did not mind wearing used clothing, there was still a lack of motivation to buy them from us. About our beneficial party: The people we were trying to help, like low-paid workers and needy people, did not have any great demand for more clothing. Most of them already had enough basic clothes, or they said they would appreciate other forms of support more, like food or hygiene products, which were more in line with their immediate needs. 1.1.4 Changes in plan Based on these findings, it became important that we faced our reality and changed direction because continuing as we had planned was not going to allow us to create any real value. This, combined with a disinterested response regarding buying second-hand clothes and lower-than-anticipated results of donations of clothes, suggested that the group’s time was better used elsewhere. We had a few discussions, reassessed our course of action, and decided to change it completely. Soon after the scrapping of the previous one, we developed a new plan to focus on a different fundraising method: the making and sale of handmade bracelets. The money raised from the sales of these bracelets would be used to buy foodstuffs like rice bread or any other necessities and distribute them among the low-wage workers and beggars. It now seemed appropriate to transition into this new plan because we could adopt what we had learned from our first tries and questionnaires. This would involve quite a drastic shift from the original idea, but the new approach would be much more practical and stand a better chance of bringing about real change. The decision to move in another direction reflected our flexibility and responsiveness to the situation and made the project impactful and relevant to the needs of the community. Thus, we learned that your original idea does not always work out and that being flexible is really the key to finding what works best to serve others.
1.2 The Bracelet Plan
1.2.1 The Initial Idea of Making and Selling Bracelets The new community project was an idea inspired by another initiative called "We The Icebreakers" which was the starting point of our new plan. In fact, the original project of WTI focused on making and selling customized bracelets with the profits being used to donate to the Vietnamese Fatherland Front to further help those in need. The WTI team had already put in place a framework where the making of bracelets serves not only to raise funds but also for community participation in a noble cause. Seeing the potential in this approach, our group decided to adopt and adapt it to fit the new direction we were considering. While we were much inspired by the concept of WTI, we wanted our project to be focused on another group of people who might require our support more 1.2.2 The New Scope of the Social Project We have chosen nightmen, sanitation workers, and some homeless people over orphanage children for our final project plan. Our goal was thus not only to provide basic needs but also an opportunity to connect and relate with those very people. This shift of target beneficiaries was based on the realization that as many challenges are faced by children in orphanages, several charity initiatives were already supporting them.
1.2.3 Reasons for choosing the target beneficiaries' parties
Nightmen, unsheltered people, and sanitation workers are examples of people whose lives are often found in the shadows of our lives- they don't draw much publicity or benefits for themselves, even though they were really important people to keep the city clean and functioning. We felt we could touch people more closely and personally about individuals who otherwise were missed. We found that these individuals, through their contributions to keeping the city clean and running, seldom receive the consideration or assistance they need and deserve. It was an effort to bring attention to their work and the challenges they face, while at the same time providing them with at least a meal or two during that evening.
1.3 Carrying out the plan
1.3.1 Making and Selling Bracelets In achieving this goal, the decision was made to make and sell handmade bracelets to raise funds so that the community may be meaningfully involved, and we could collect financial resources. Sessions of making bracelets are set up where each participant may choose their design, thus making their bracelets unique and personal. This helped attract consumers who, more importantly, were buying into a cause and not just a product. The making and selling of the bracelets became an activity that voiced our team and supporters together.
1.3.2 Helping those in need
We used the profits to purchase meals for night workers and the homeless when we had raised enough money. We distributed simple food, but nutritious ones, like rice, sticky rice, bread, and bottled water. This made sure that at least these people got a good meal, especially after they had worked for several hours or had an uncertain day. We did not stop here, some of the team members accompanied the sanitation workers during their shifts, and listened to their stories, and first-hand experiences. 1.3.3 The Values from the Social Project By talking to the workers, one learned about the plight of long hours of labor in construction sites without much appreciation from the public. Our conversations with laborers outlined the fact that our project helped create something much more than a source of food for them-it made them feel appreciated and attended to. Further, we spoke to homeless individuals about their personal stories, which really helped us understand the complex issues surrounding homelessness and only strengthened the importance of awareness.
1.3.4 Small Conclusions
Overall, our project was more than typical social work engagingly provided because it targeted groups that other organizations do not usually pay much attention to. Meeting the needs of night workers and homeless people reveals the importance of acknowledging others within society, especially those who work behind the scenes or whose challenges are veiled. It was a learning experience that taught us the value of empathy, community, and the importance of helping others in whatever way we can.
