I was interested in this partnership because of my own personal experience with this population. I wanted to expand my knowledge on what goes into the recovery process for individuals with addictions. Before this partnership I did not realize how much of the backbone of recovery centers are sober individuals who come back to volunteer their time. This partnership also showed me how many different organizations are out there to support the population. Going to the recovery enter opened my awareness even more. In my nursing career I want to be able to support any patients I may come across with an addiction and be able to offer my support. This partnership taught me there is always a chance to work interprofessional with recover centers, support groups, sober homes, and more. 

The most meaningful part of this partnership was being able to sit down and talk to individuals about their individual story. I found that people were open in discussing their history and the journey of their recovery. I was able to interact with the population in different settings such as at the front desk, in the café and in a group meeting. When answering phone calls at the front desk I was able to schedule individuals for activities or transfer them to someone who can help them more specifically. It made me feel happy to offer the little help I can on their journey. I also had the honor to read a piece of a man’s sober writing journal. I was able to read it and talk with him after about how writing has helped him on his journey. Being able to connect with the population was the most memorable part of the volunteer experience for me. 

I did meet my goal of communicating with the population in a therapeutic way. Having the opportunity to talk to multiple individuals helped me work on my goals. I learned techniques such as positive reinforcement, active listening, and empathy when communicating. I was able to experience how with some people you may have to take a different communicative approach. With every individual there is a different story, a different journey and different triggers. I learned to be able to adjust when communicating. I can integrate this into my nursing career when addressing patients and creating care plans. Every patient has a different background and as a nurse we must be able to adjust our treatment plans and how we communicate with patients.