Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

New York social worker transfers skills to Yerevan

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • New York social worker transfers skills to Yerevan

    New York social worker transfers skills to Yerevan

    Published: Sunday March 16, 2014


    Connie Koumjian and other AVC volunteers recycling flowers at
    Tsitsernagaberd in April 2013.

    YEREVAN - In her application to Armenian Volunteer Corps (AVC), Connie
    Koumjian, 59, wrote "The desire to serve the people of Armenia came to
    me gradually."

    After many years in New York City, she had just recently started to
    attend Armenian Church where she also sang in the choir; and this
    awoke her interest in Armenia, the land and the people, the culture
    and traditions. It didn't take long for her to decide that she needed
    to learn more, so she signed up for a volunteer trip to Armenia
    through the Fuller Center for Housing.

    Connie spent one month in Armenia in the summer of 2011, working on a
    house-building project in Vanadzor and then discovering the art of
    iconography in Yerevan. But it wasn't enough. Back in New York, she
    realized that the trip had given her great joy and that learning about
    her heritage as an Armenian was a very enriching experience. And so
    the decision was made; she would return to Armenia for a longer-term
    stay to live and work with her brethren, this time through Armenian
    Volunteer Corps (AVC).

    Connie arrived in Armenia in March 2013 with a keen desire to serve
    her homeland. Over the course of 10 months, Connie was able to
    experience life as a resident of Armenia. For the first two months,
    she lived with a host-family, but once she was acclimated and
    confident that she could get by independently, she moved into her own
    apartment and began living like a 'native' - paying rent, shopping and
    cooking for herself, chatting with neighbors, making friends...and of
    course, going to 'work'.

    Work in Connie's case involved multiple volunteer placements. Based on
    her background as a social worker in New York City where she had
    worked in a variety of settings with disadvantaged and immigrant
    populations in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Manhattan, assisting them with
    family issues and addiction-related problems, as well as her extensive
    volunteer work, AVC was able to arrange service opportunities that
    would benefit from her years of experience.

    In Yerevan, Connie spent part of each week helping at a soup-kitchen
    and a center for the elderly. She admits that at times the work was
    quite hard, but it was always very fulfilling. "The workers at the
    jasharan (soup-kitchen) were very warm and kind; I developed rewarding
    friendships there with both the staff and the guests and had many
    interesting conversations -- and they helped me practice my Armenian!
    I was welcomed at the dzeranots (senior center) and made some very
    meaningful contacts there; that experience gave me interesting
    cultural insights into Armenia."

    Connie also volunteered at Real World Real People (RWRP), a
    non-governmental organization whose mission is to improve the quality
    of life of people living with HIV and their families through social,
    psychological and legal support, and improved access to treatment,
    care and prevention. Although Connie's Armenian skills limited the
    amount of direct consultations she could have with beneficiaries at
    RWRP, her extensive experience enabled her to focus her efforts on
    program development - specifically working on developing and
    implementing a 12-step recovery support group for people recovering
    from substance abuse (alcohol/drug abuse), a first for Armenia. The
    process included obtaining the donation and delivery of the necessary
    books and training materials to Armenia, which Connie secured through
    her global network of contacts.

    In her free time, when she wasn't studying Armenian or out exploring,
    Connie also found time to pursue her love of iconography/miniature
    painting through weekly classes, lots of independent practice and
    meetings with some of the best iconographers in Armenia today.

    Of her experience, Connie says, "As a Christian, I have always
    considered it important to serve. I enjoy sharing with others their
    experiences, learning about their needs and being in a caring
    relationship with others. Serving in Armenia was extra special for me
    as it afforded me the opportunity to know the country and culture of
    my heritage more intimately. I am proud to have served as an AVC
    volunteer in Armenia and to have been able to share my love, concern,
    skills and time."

    Connie is now back in the United States where she has resumed her work
    with the marginalized and less fortunate. Before she left Armenia,
    Connie promise that she would practice her Armenian as much as
    possible and, more importantly, that she would return very soon!

    Founded in 2000, the Armenian Volunteer Corps (AVC) is Armenia's
    premier volunteer placement organization. AVC invites individuals 21
    years of age and older, of all backgrounds from across the globe, to
    volunteer in Armenia for two weeks to one year. In addition to
    placements, AVC provides all logistical support from airport pick-up,
    to host-family living arrangements, Armenian language classes, and
    more, in partnership with its sister organization Birthright Armenia.
    To date, over 550 volunteers from 34 countries have served in hundreds
    of organizations throughout Armenia. [For more information, visit
    www.armenianvolunteer.org]

    http://www.reporter.am/go/article/2014-03-16-new-york-social-worker-transfers-skills-to-yerevan

Working...
X