This Monday I was finally able to attend to volunteering orientation. The orientation basically gave me an overview of what is going on in the Montrose Counseling Center. The main functions include life counseling, HIV counseling, anti-violence services, a 24-hour telephone line for gays and lesbians, SPRY senior services, outpatient chemical development treatment, HATCH youth services, GLBT foster care referrals for parents and youth, case management, education, prevention, outreach and employee assistance program. I did not expect the MCC to be involved in so many different programs. From a cell bio perspective the two most interesting services would probably be HIV counseling and chemical dependency treatment. There are many volunteering options but I think I will just come by the office and help with clerical, administrative work in the beginning since that would be the easiest fit into my schedule. I also like the fact that I can be flexible with this kind of volunteering work. At the same time it would probably be a lot more interesting to get a little bit more involved and to get a better view on what is actually going on at the MCC. I will try to do this as time permits. Furthermore there will be special events that require volunteers and maybe I can attend some of those. The main thing I got out of the volunteering orientation was the fact that there are so many different problems people have to face and the MCC approaches so many of them. I mean of course the MCC does not cover the whole spectrum and is mainly focused on serving the GLBT community but it was still somewhat astonishing to realize how, literally, close this entire world of people in need is. The MCC is only a couple blocks away from the private catholic university and yet the people going to either one seem to be living in completely different worlds.
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