Volunteer
Reflections

As part of your volunteer experience with The Family Van, we ask volunteers to complete three reflections throughout the academic year. These reflections are an opportunity to pause and consider what you are learning through your time on the van, the relationships you are building with clients and staff, and the ways your experiences are shaping your understanding of health, equity, and community-based care.

Reflection also provides space to process meaningful moments, identify personal and professional growth, and connect your volunteer service to your broader goals and interests. Your reflections help The Family Van better understand the impact of the volunteer program and allows us to elevate volunteer voices in our storytelling, communications, and program development.

Logistics:

  • Volunteers will write an initial, mid-point, and final reflection. All reflections should respond to the corresponding prompt below.

  • Each reflection should be approximately one page, typed.

  • Please include your name and the reflection type (initial, mid-point, final) at the top of your document.

  • Please use the following file naming convention: YYYY-MM-DD_LastName_Reflection Type

  • Please email your reflection to VolunteerFamilyVan@hms.harvard.edu.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask!

Initial Reflection

Due: Sunday, September 27 at 11:59pm

Mid-Point Reflection

Due: Sunday, December 13 at 11:59pm

Reflect on your first few weeks volunteering with The Family Van. Consider how you felt coming into this experience and how those feelings may have changed over time. What moments, interactions, or observations have stood out to you so far? What have you noticed about the communities and neighborhoods we serve?

You may also reflect on how this experience compares to your expectations, any assumptions that have been challenged or reinforced, and what you are beginning to learn about community-based health care. As you look ahead to the rest of the volunteer term, what are you hoping to learn, contribute, or better understand through your time on the van?

As you reach the midpoint of your volunteer experience with The Family Van, take some time to reflect on what you have learned so far. Consider how your understanding of community-based health care, health equity, and the role of mobile health programs may have evolved since the beginning of the year.

What experiences, conversations, or observations have had the greatest impact on you? Have you noticed any recurring needs, challenges, or strengths within the communities we serve? Are there particular topics, activities, or aspects of the volunteer experience that you would like to learn more about during the remainder of the year?

We also welcome your feedback. What has been most meaningful or valuable about your experience so far, and are there opportunities where you would like to see additional focus, training, or engagement.

Final Reflection

Due: Sunday, April 25 at 11:59pm

As you complete your volunteer term with The Family Van, reflect on your experience over the past year and the impact it has had on you. Consider the moments, relationships, and lessons that stand out most, how your understanding of community-based health care and health equity may have evolved, and what you will carry forward from this experience. You may also reflect on the ways you contributed to The Family Van's mission and any insights or advice you would share with future volunteers.