Kathleen YoungBack to Member List
Hometown: Troy, Michigan
Educational background: B.S. in Biology, Health, and Society – University of Michigan
What is your title and role at your host site? As Care Coordinator at Hope Haven, I will be serving children and families through clinical, educational, and community programming. In my role, I will create and facilitate an after-school wellness program for children aging from 3-22, addressing physical and mental health. I will assess the health and wellness needs of these clients in the Out of School Time program. Another aspect of my role is facilitating and conducting outreach for the Social Skills mixed-reality pilot project, using VR with real interaction to target mental health issues alongside mental health counselors. I will also facilitate community workshops on assistive or adaptive technologies for senior citizens. Overall, my service goal is to pilot initiatives that aim to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities served by Hope Haven.
Why did you join the National Health Corps Florida AmeriCorps program? One of the best parts of my undergraduate experience has been serving others through volunteering, and I knew I wanted to be able to devote a full year to pursuing it. I found National Health Corps while researching Americorps programs I was considering. The NHC sounded amazing and had goals aligning with ones important to me: providing direct service to others, providing health and wellness education, and connecting with others who shared similar passions.
What are you hoping to gain from your year of service? Above all, I hope my work can improve the quality of another person’s life. My personal goal is to gain new insight from working with others in a new environment and learn to adapt to new situations. I want to better understand more populations of people and develop my interpersonal skills. I hope to also better my professionalism, cultural awareness, and leadership skills through my year of service and for the future.
What are your plans after AmeriCorps service? After AmeriCorps, I hope to be attending medical school and continuing to serve others.
Where do you envision yourself in 5 years? I hope to be finishing medical school and preparing to start residency!