Now slip me snug about your ears,
I've never yet been wrong,
I'll have a look inside your mind
And tell where you belong!
In the Harry Potter series, the Sorting Hat selects which house suits the student. In the North Florida Health Corps, the host site chooses the member, which is kind of an odd thought since I have always believed that each member in NFHC was meant to be at his or her host site. Members’ personalities, educational backgrounds, interpersonal skills, goals and visions seem to align perfectly with each host sites’ equivalents. Very simply, we are good at what we do.
Serving at Hubbard House was an entirely new experience for me. For starters, I did not have an educational or public health background. I had no personal connection with dating violence or relationship abuse. I was (and still somewhat) terrible with directions! Honestly, I was not really prepared for what I was about to take on. I had selected two other host sites during the application process; I was very sure about one of them, but I thought I’d give Hubbard House a try too, which was a very good thought. In talking with the member at the other host site, I realized that I wouldn’t have been a good fit for that position. It seemed like I was meant to be at Hubbard House.
My service term has been amazing. I learned new things, met incredible people, and found a passion I never knew I had. I discovered my love of teaching youth. Furthermore, serving at Hubbard House led me to my new job with The One Love Foundation, something I am very excited about. I feel like I’ve found what I want to do in life; as some of the members have said, I have “a big boy job!”
North Florida Health Corps was one of the greatest decisions I think I’ve ever made. I discovered my passion, acquired a job, and had an experience that seemed to be perfect for me. I was truly ‘sorted’ into this!
This blog post was written by 2014-2015 NHC member Shane Kennedy.
Shane served at Hubbard House as the Youth Prevention Facilitator.
Now slip me snug about your ears,