The First Step: Getting Started! Step By Step Orientation/Initial Impression

Step By Step is an organization that assists struggling young mothers and their children in all aspects of their lives. The mothers are 14-24 years old and typically face a series of emotional, physical, and/or financial hardships. Step By Step (SBS for short) provides mentoring, support groups, crisis intervention, transportation to meetings as well as many other services to help get these young women back on track. The overall mission of Step By Step is to improve the lives of every mother and child who walks through their doors. SBS summarized themselves best in their Facebook description, “Step By Step is where young single mothers ages 14 to 24 find the encouragement they need to accomplish their dreams!”

My first impression came when I attended an orientation meeting for new and returning volunteers. The meeting was held in Tates Creek Christian Church, who provides Step By Step with a kind of “home base” in their facilities.. Within seconds of entering the church, we were met with the charismatic and enthusiastic program director, Ms. Tanya Torp. From the very beginning, Ms. Torp made me and all the other volunteers feel comfortable and welcome.  

As the orientation progressed, it became more and more obvious what an uplifting environment Step By Step is. Rather than focusing on disadvantages and challenges, the staff and mothers at Step By Step meet every obstacle with an infectious “Can Do!” attitude. This positivity made me even more excited to volunteer for SBS. I couldn’t wait to volunteer the following Thursday!!

My first day at Step By Step began with my room assignment. I was placed in the 18-month-old to 3-year-old room along with six other volunteers. We started out in the “foam room” that had various slides and playhouses for bigger kids. The first children to arrive were two sisters, ages 2 and 3. Both of these girls stole my heart at first glance! Although they were both cautious of the new volunteers at first (we were strangers, of course), I bonded with them over a play ball and slides. Both girls were incredibly sweet and affectionate, and reminded me again and again why I wanted to volunteer with this amazing organization.

Three hours later, I was exhausted. Even with plenty of other volunteers and toys, there was never a dull moment. Feeding, watching and providing entertainment for toddlers is no small feat! The reward for this service learning project is worth it. Getting to know these amazing kids and their mothers while helping them and their families is already an amazing experience.

Click here for more information on Step By Step!

The First Step......

 

   Step 

        By 

           Step.....

                 When I was told I was going to be working with Step By Step I'll admit it I was scared. "What if the kids don't like me?" "What if I accidentally yell at one of the kids, they have already been through the ringer?" These were just some of the things that went through my head, but when I showed up for the first meeting, all these concerns and questions went away. The director of Step By Step, Tanya Torp, opened up the orientation by saying "Listen, I am going to be honest with you, this is no easy task by all means. You will get emotionally attached and it will be hard, but I believe in you".  Within twenty minutes, I figured out exactly what Step By Step was. Step By Step is a place where singles mothers of lower income, come to get help with money management, jobs, and parenting tips. The ages of the women range from 13 to 25. This is a place where women come to take care of themselves for a change and they know that their children are being taken care of by trusted volunteers. As the volunteers works with the children to make sure that they are acting good, Tanya takes the mother and asks them how and where do the mother want to see themselves. Some of the mothers have never been asked that question because they have been on their own since the beginning. So not only does this program promote good parenting, it also promotes women control and women power.

                A mother is someone who is always there for their child and who makes sure that they are showing affection through care and love. And that is exactly what Step By Step is, its a mother to all these lost mothers. Step By Step has been a lifesaver for more women than anyone knows. This program has help countless women figure out what they want in life. This is one of the many reasons why I was drawn to it. Even though I only went to the orientation, I could tell that this program is going to change my life. Therefore, I can't wait to share this experience with people and post blogs about it and how it is going to affect my life as a whole. 

             
                Be sure to help support Step By Step, you can do this though their website or even connect with them through their social media. 

* Quinn Incardona* 

The Most Rewarding Work: Initial Service Learning Project Reflection

The Most Rewarding Work

By: Emily Scott

     Over the course of this semester, I have been given the opportunity to volunteer with an amazing local organization known as Step by Step.  Up to this point, I have completed the new volunteer orientation (Thursday, September 3rd, 6-8 pm) and the my first session (Thursday, September 10th, 6-8:30 pm).  I would like to use my first blog post as a way to elaborate on my experiences.
     The orientation was designed to be more informational and to teach the volunteers about how to handle certain difficult situations.  Ms. Tanya Torp, the woman responsible for leading the organization and its sessions, also led the new volunteer orientation.  Ms. Torp began by teaching the new volunteers about the history of the organization.  She said that it was founded by a single mother and two of her friends who wanted to provide a safe space for other young, single mothers.  This group of moms didn't want any single mom to feel that she was unaccepted or unwanted, so they began this local organization in hopes of accomplishing this goal.  Step by Step works with these mothers by offering them a support group and simply a place to relax and laugh for a couple hours every other week.  Ms. Torp also shared some of her favorite Step by Step moments.  Many of these stories were truly inspiring and made me even more excited to have the opportunity to work with such motivational mothers and children.  All of the volunteers then took a tour of the facility.  Our final exercise involved acting out a variety of scenarios illustrating situations that we may be placed in as volunteers. This exercise was designed to teach all the volunteers the most effective ways to handle potentially messy situations.  Below, I have attached a picture of my group performing our scenario at the orientation and a picture of Ms. Tanya Torp advertising for her organization. These images and many more can be found on the Step by Step Facebook page, which is the organization's primary social media page.  Ms. Torp does a great job of keeping the page up to date with upcoming Step by Step activities.  The Facebook page is also used as a means of encouragement.  Ms. Torp will often congratulate children or their young mothers through her posts on their achievements and successes.  Additionally, Ms. Torp keeps an updated website with more of the organization's logistics.  She reaches out to the public through the use of this website in a loving and Christian manner.  Ms. Torp includes many helpful links for mothers in crisis and even lists her phone number as a way to reach out to the community.  For volunteers, Ms. Torp attaches links to the Step by Step application and includes important information about the expectations of the volunteers.  Both the Facebook page and the Step by Step website are wonderful ways to learn more about this organization and potentially get involved.

Above: Four volunteers acting out a scenario assigned to them by
Ms. Tanya Torp.  I am the one kneeling behind the chair, acting as
a child who has separated herself from the group. 

     While the orientation was informational and also fun, I'd like to dedicate the rest of this post to my first Step by Step session experience.  I stepped into the church last Thursday evening feeling anxious and nervous, but excited all at once.  I walked up to the table and proceeded to sign in.  I was told that I would be working with the three and four year old children that night.  In that moment, when I was assigned to my favorite age group of children, I knew I had nothing to be nervous about and my anxieties vanished.
     I walked into the classroom for three and four year olds and there was only one little girl in it at the time.  Her name was
Somora, and she was the most charismatic and adorable child I think I've ever seen.  She was not afraid to be herself and loved getting all of the attention from the volunteers that she may not have received at home or in school.  One of Step by Step's main objectives is to make every child feel

Above: Ms. Tanya Torp, head of local Step by Step

organization, reaching out to mothers in 

distress and doing some advertising.

welcome and wanted.  All of the volunteers tried to carry out this objective by playing with Somora and giving her our undivided attention.  After we had all played "school" with Somora, a couple new students came in and joined.  We all tried to make the children feel comfortable and loved around us.  They all enjoyed playing with one another and got along remarkably well.
     Around 6:30-7 pm, it was time to eat dinner.  The children were served pizza, applesauce, and a cookie.  The volunteers all tried to get them to eat, but most were anxious to get back to their toys and individual games.  The two and a half hours that I spent at Step by Step Thursday night went by very quickly, as the extremely energetic children kept us active and always on our toes.  The job did become difficult and tiring at times, however.  I would occasionally have to take a moment and remind myself that, by sacrificing just a small portion of my day to these kids, I was helping out an entire family.  The organization's leaders work with the single, young mothers while the volunteers play with the children, so just by running around with the kiddos, I was also allowing those moms a chance to relax, rejuvenate, and support one another.
     There was one particular little girl that I became especially close with by the end of the night.  I played with her, ate with her, and talked with her about any and everything.  We became the best of friends in only a couple of hours.  Her sweet, energetic personality made me realize that, despite a difficult life style, she was happy and looking forward to a bright future.
     Around 7:30 pm, it was time for a change of scenery, so we took all the children into the "foam room." This last hour was even more energetic than the first two.  As soon as those kids saw the slides and tiny play ground equipment, their eyes simply lit up.  They each began to sprint towards their favorite part of the room, trying out all of the slides, swings, and rides.  The volunteers pushed them in the swings, caught them at the bottom of the slides, and simply laughed with them for the rest of the evening.  As the mothers began to finish up their sessions and move toward the classrooms to pick up their children, many of the kids were not ready to leave.  So many were already looking forward to the next Step by Step session.  Hearing and seeing that the children had all had so much fun and knowing that I contributed to their positive experiences brought a smile to my face.  Needless to say, my first session as a Step by Step volunteer was a positive one and could not have left me any more optimistic about volunteering with this organization throughout the remainder of the semester.

It Takes A Village: Initial Written Reflection

Motherhood is one of the most challenging, fulfilling, and demanding journeys that any woman can embark upon. Between late night tummy aches and never seeming to have enough diapers to spare, this fact reigns especially true when parenthood is entered alone and at a young age. With societal stigmas bearing weight upon their shoulders, it seems as though young, single mothers have no one else to turn in such a crucial time of need. A common saying is that it takes a village to raise a child; but what happens when that village has a sole population of one?

This is where Step By Step, a local mentoring ministry for at risk single mothers aged 14 to 24, steps in to provide these women and families with a place for solace, guidance, and most importantly: love.

Immanuel Baptist Church

Directed by the compassionate and lively Tanya Torp, Step By Step (SBS for short) presents teen and young adult mothers with a safe haven free of judgement. As soon as these mothers walk through the doors of Immanuel Baptist Church, they are loved as they are, and they are loved well. Step By Step offers them a number of programs directed toward healing and spiritual growth, including mentorship, support groups, workshops on parenting, life skills, etc., Bible studies, weekend retreats, crisis intervention, and more. One of the organization's goals is to empower the women in the program to meet their ambitions and support one another in their adversities, and to ultimately transform their lives for the better.

My first service learning experience with this group took place this previous Thursday night, September 10th. As a volunteer, my duties are focused on interacting with the children while their moms participate in group activities. I was placed with the 3 to 4 year olds, and I can honestly say that it was an absolute blast! The children were provided with a meal, a room full of toys, and some new best friends. From reading books about farm animals to dramatically playing pretend in the indoor playground, the volunteers and I worked to ensure that our kids had the time of their lives. For a few hours, I watched as Step By Step became their village: loving, caring, sharing, and having fun. Despite any and all hardships that may exist in their lives, the kids at SBS have an evident passion for life, and I'm so thankful to be able to witness it for the rest of the semester.

With their tagline, "Got kids?", SBS is very active on social media. For further contact information, please visit their website or their Facebook page. I can't wait to see what next week has in store!

Reflection of Volunteer Orientation

             Step by Step is an organization housed in a local church in Lexington, KY. Step by Step serves single mothers ages 14-24 through programs such as goal-setting, different activities, life skills training, retreats, counseling, and prayer and spiritual guidance. Step by Step advocates by certain statements of faith, letting all mothers know that “Lost people matter to God, therefore they matter to us [Step by Step].”

             After attending orientation at Step by Step last Thursday, I learned a lot of really helpful skills that I think should be advertised to more than just a group of volunteers. You can see one of the activities we did and our schedule for the night below! The orientation consisted of learning different techniques to discipline children without touching the child or yelling the child. If I ever have kids, I know I will be using the skills that I learned from Step by Step to handle their behavior issues. One thing that I also learned that really touched my heart was that you don’t have to be a Christian to volunteer with this Christian organization. This meant a lot to me because I am not religiously affiliated, but I am still generally a good person; I want to help those who need it and be a leader in my community. Also, I think that by spending a lot of time with this organization, I will be able to find more out about religion, specifically Christianity. This is important to me because through this organization, I might be able to find a relationship with God.

I was actually very surprised to find out that this organization was religiously affiliated during orientation because there was no mention of that fact previously. If I had known, I honestly wouldn’t have put this organization down because I don’t want to offend any group’s beliefs. I put this organization down as the number one place I wanted to volunteer with because it is close to my dorm and I enjoy learning about the growth and development process of children (that’s my inner doctor speaking). In general, I just really enjoy helping people out and doing volunteer work, so I thought I would fit well into this organization. As I stated earlier, I was a little uncomfortable during volunteer orientation because of the group’s religious affiliation, but once Ms. Tanya came out and said that it was okay if we weren’t religious, I felt 200% more comfortable. It really opened my eyes as to how accepting Christians can be. Not only are they helping these mothers, but they are allowing me to be a part of that. I felt at home.

Now that I have already volunteered with this organization once, I just wanted to reiterate on how much I love it. I volunteered in the infant room with about 10 other girls my age. The girls were so easy to talk to and so relatable. This made me feel comfortable right away. Once the baby I was "assigned" to got to the room, I fell in love with him. He was so small and perfect and I now understand the saying "love at first sight." He was two months old. His fingers and toes were so small. He had the most beautiful gray/brown eyes and black curly hair. He fit perfectly into my arms. I spent the entire two and a half hours taking care of him. I changed him and fed him, and toward the end of the night I rocked him to sleep. This made me so excited for in the future when I have kids; I'm looking to adopt! I thought it would be different holding someone else's baby; I had always been nervous about adopting because I thought I would get caught up in the fact that "my child isn't technically mine" during the adoption process, but if I were able to take that sweet boy home and raise him on my own, I would. I just instantly felt connected with him, and I know I will be a loving mother whether my children are biologically mine or not.

             There is quite a bit of information about Step by Step posted on the internet; they have different educational websites and a Facebook page that is for the specific location I volunteer at in Lexington, KY. That page can be accessed by clicking on the first three words- "Step by Step"- at the beginning of this post. Both of the pictures shown below are copied from posts on the Facebook page. Step by Step does a pretty good job with updating their Facebook page. The only thing I would want differently is for Step by Step to post pictures taken of us volunteers taking care of the children last Thursday. I was told that they would be up today and to "keep my eyes peeled", but I still was unable to find them. 

This is a picture of the "Concentric Circles" activity. We did this in order to meet new people and talk about different aspects of ourselves. I am in the black dress with the rainbow tribal print on it!

This is a picture of our agenda for the night!