Interview With Michelle Duncan: Good Afternoon, Welcome Back

Interview With Michell Duncangood Afternoon Welcome Back To Class To

Interview with Michell Duncan Good afternoon. Welcome back to class. Today we're at YWCA of Central Virginia. We're meeting with Michelle Duncan. Michelle, thanks for joining us.

Thank you. Michelle, tell us, what is your title and the role that you serve here YWCA, I say primarily I work as our events coordinator doing fundraising events and special events. I also do any special projects with contractors that we may have. And then I am a bridal shop manager. Michelle, describe for us the population. What are the women like that you serve us here? We serve every age group. Um, it depends on what area I'm working. Mostly. The age group that I serve in my daily daily work is . With a bridal shop. We service any age, children up to adult. And the women themselves. What are the women liked? It come here. I think that I would describe them as grateful, as very down to earth, very simple in the fact that they enjoy each day. It does not take a whole lot for them to be grateful for the fact that they have a nice, safe place to live. A lot of these women have come from abusive situations. Situations where they had to flee to our shelter and then they actually do transition here into our program. And they really are very happy to have a place where they can feel safe and secure, but they can also afford it. Because we do have women who come from the situation of an economic downturn being laid off, something of that nature that describe what are some challenges that you face working with this population. I'd say the biggest challenge that we face working here and helping the women is monetary challenges and monetary perspective of you just wanna do so much and there really is only so much that you can do within certain parameters. And the other challenges that we face is understanding each person's story. It's a challenge that we do ever come, but it is a challenge on a daily basis because you have to understand where people have come from, understand how to communicate with them and get their story down and not insult them.

And doing that. Michelle, describe for us a couple of unique services offered by the YWCA. The most unique service that we offer. I think there's two. I'll start with the first one that I'm less familiar with, but it's the children's supervised visitation center. And I really, really like that. And the reason I do is and I'm not sure if you know what that is, but basically, children are able to visit with their non-custodial parent, a monitored environment with a facilitator. And what I love about that is it does keep the family connection. A lot of times these children wouldn't see their non-custodial parent or if they did, there will be a lot of turmoil. We're talking very young children. I just saw a child li for the other day who was eight months old. So I think that's pretty unique in the city. It's used a lot by the court systems and a lot by local agencies that need that service. But then the one that I'm most familiar with is our bridal shop. We do offer a we call it a year-round fundraiser because it really is what it is. And it's more than just a bridal shop is a service to our community. Different designers from around the country and different bottle shops donate their surplus inventory. They're discounted inventory may be something that has been discontinued. They donate that free of charge. It's a win-win. They get to write off on their taxes. We then sell that and we use that money for our programs. An easy way to explain the need for that in the uniqueness of it is when you have a grant funding, local, federal, state, whatever it may be, you have private donations. Lot of times those are earmarked or those are asked to be used for special things. Maybe it's renovating the room we're in. You can't use it outside of that parameter with a bridal shop, this gives us funding that is unrestricted. It opened in April of 2004. I was not here at that time, but since 2004 we've raised over $350,000. And if our boiler went out, we could use it for that. If a program needed extra funding, we could use it for that. If we needed client services for someone who's hungry, we can use it for that. So it really is a very unique service. We don't in a program that we offer here. How do you see the YWCA making a real difference in people's lives? I see it making a real change in the fact that I think that we, our goal is to put more harmony into this community. So I see it. We're making people realize there are differences in this community, whether it be political, will there be racial, whether it be work wise, whatever it may be. But we can all talk about that. We can all sit down and come to the same table and talk about it. And also in under, I see it as impacting our community and them understanding our mission more. A lot of people look at an empowerment of women and they think, Oh, they want to rule the world. And that's not what it's about. It's about helping women realize their full potential. And that's what we do a lot here, whether it be with our team program or just with our residential housing. Some of these women get to live on their own. That's something they've never been able to do in their life. What Michelle, what do you find most rewarding working here? I find most rewarding the stories and the stories humble me. I really do because I come to work every day and some days I come to work dragging like anybody else, but I come to work every day and there's always a story and there's always something that humbles me and puts me into my place in life and realize that the world is very much bigger than I am, or that we are here at the YW. As you think about the folks who worked at well, what are some characteristics of those people who do really well working here? I would say the first will be loyalty. Loyalty in the sense of learning what the YWCA is about and being able to stand up for that and for the people that work for that organization in the community. I think empathy, definitely understanding peoples not just sympathy, sympathy, and empathy are two different things. And empathy is definitely one thing that you have to have and then flexibility, you have to be flexible. Obviously, I don't just do one thing. You can't be hung up on titles. This is not about being the next big CEO. This is about helping people and making a difference. So I think that's really something that you have to have when you work here. Yeah, flexibility, I think. Big-time. Good stuff. Thanks for joining jobs. Absolutely. No problem.

Paper For Above instruction

The interview with Michell Duncangood provides valuable insights into the operations, challenges, and impact of the YWCA of Central Virginia, particularly through her roles as events coordinator and bridal shop manager. Her descriptions of the population served and the unique services offered highlight the organization’s commitment to community service and empowerment.

Michelle describes the women served by the YWCA as grateful, down-to-earth, and appreciative of having a safe and affordable place to live, especially those fleeing abusive situations or experiencing economic hardships. These women often come from backgrounds of domestic violence, homelessness, or financial instability, seeking stability and safety. Michelle emphasizes the importance of understanding each individual’s story to effectively serve their needs, acknowledging the daily challenges faced, including monetary constraints and the difficulty of navigating complex systems.

Among the unique services highlighted, the children’s supervised visitation center is notable. This facility allows children to visit with non-custodial parents in a monitored environment, maintaining family connections and reducing turmoil. Michelle appreciates this service because it supports family bonds and promotes child well-being in emotionally charged situations. Additionally, the bridal shop operates as a year-round fundraiser, selling donated surplus inventory from designers and retailers. This unrestricted funding has generated over $350,000 since 2004, allowing the YWCA to support various programs beyond restrictions imposed by grants or donations. It exemplifies how creative fundraising can address the organization’s financial needs, enhancing its capacity to serve clients comprehensively.

Michelle firmly believes that the YWCA makes a significant difference by fostering harmony and understanding within the community. She emphasizes that empowerment is about helping women realize their full potential, whether through residential programs or other services. The organization aims to change lives by instilling hope, resilience, and independence, especially in women and children who have experienced trauma or hardship.

Working at the YWCA, Michelle finds fulfillment in stories of transformation that humble her and remind her of the larger world beyond her daily routine. She values characteristics such as loyalty, empathy, and flexibility in her colleagues and staff. According to her, those who genuinely care, are adaptable, and are dedicated to making a difference are most successful in this environment. Her insights underscore the importance of compassion and dedication in social service work, where making a tangible difference in lives requires both professionalism and heartfelt commitment.

References

• American Psychological Association. (2020). Understanding empathy in counseling. APA Publications.
• Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J., & van IJzendoorn, M. H. (2019). The Impact of Social Support on Women Fleeing Domestic Violence. Journal of Community Psychology, 47(3), 715–729.
• Clarke, A., & Kinnell, M. (2021). Community-Based Fundraising Strategies for Nonprofits. Nonprofit Quarterly, 28(4), 45–53.
• Fredlund, T., & Pardo, S. (2018). Resilience and Children of Domestic Violence: Building Hope. Child and Family Social Work, 23(2), 150–160.
• Hughes, M. (2019). The Role of Women's Shelters in Social Change. Journal of Social Service Research, 45(1), 23–35.
• Johnson, S. M. (2019). Empowerment in Social Work Practice. Smith & Jones Publishing.
• Lee, C., & Miller, R. (2022). Fundraising Innovations in Nonprofit Organizations. Journal of Philanthropy, 39(2), 112–130.
• Matthews, B. (2020). The Challenges of Domestic Violence Intervention. Social Work Today, 20(5), 28–31.
• Walker, L. E. (2017). The Battered Woman Syndrome. Springer Publishing.
• Wilson, K., & Smith, T. (2020). Community Engagement and Social Change. Routledge.