Bonners Working Together To Make a Difference

Bonners Working Together To Make a Difference

October 8, 2019 Uncategorized 55

Often times Bonners are asked to combine talents and work with others at their site to make a task or project happen. Depending on how you prefer to work, this can make things easier or really push you out of your comfort zone, but working in a team setting is an essential skill to have.

If you have other Bonners at your site, how have you collaborated on ideas?
Do you know what the other Bonners’ responsibilities and projects are? If not, ask them and find out!
How do you contribute to the team?

If you are the only Bonner at your site, how do you work with other members of the organization to achieve your goals?
How does being a Bonner add to this team?
How do you contribute to the team?

 

55 Responses

  1. Nia Colon says:

    We have collaborated on ideas through meetings at the Boys and Girls Club. We recently had our meeting for the Halloween party and what games we were going to set up for the kids. Julia runs her program called SPEAK and last semester I helped her out with explaining to the kids what the plans are for the activity. I think having the team of Bonners really helps me. I find that it is an extra support system is needed.

  2. Pierre Dalce says:

    I have the distinct pleasure of working with multiple Boners at my service site. Each and every one at my site works in conjunction in order to fun our non profit smoothly. We are a team and we work like a team as well. Micheal and I work closely on projects because he specializes in outreach and I specialize in marketing and the two areas often either coincide or overlap. Team work is an essential skill not only in the work space but in life as well. Most of us have year long projects/tasks that take up most of our time however multiple side project appear during the course of the year and it takes all of us to quickly and effectively get these projects done so we can get back into our regular scheduled projects.

  3. Kathryn Casey says:

    Since my site is NExT there is a really good amount of collaboration since you are placed on a team. While on Aedan’s team each of us have our own section of research to focus on but we need to collaborate in order to have one cohesive deliverable by the end of the semester. I’m focusing primarily on background research which gives our project context.

  4. Harriet Koblenzer says:

    At Castle Island, there are plenty of times when our roles overlap or we collaborate to help one another out with a project. Michael is leading the event planning for our upcoming fundraiser, and with this event coming up soon it is all hands on deck, with myself Kylie and Pierre also helping out. With Castle Island being so small, and our team having interests under what you could consider the business/management department, we know each others responsibilities and projects.

  5. Skylar Nijhawan says:

    Seeing that my site is the MoreHouse, I work well with the other members in the office and always know who I need to contact for specific things. I think being a bonner adds to this team because as someone who is not a PA or someone higher I think it adds to the dynamic in the morehouse. I am contributing by attempting to make the office and the bonner meetings more mindful and adding art therapy and self care into everyones stressful days.

  6. Kathleen Callery says:

    I think collaboration is very valuable in community engagement and reaching success in change. I have a great opportunity at Catholic Charities where I indirectly get to collaborate with other Bonners and Vistas. I like being able to learn about and engage with projects going on in the capital region has to gown my experience in a few different ways!

  7. Liliana Sanchez says:

    In the past years, I have enjoyed sharing a project with a fellow bonner in my site. Working as a team does not necessarily make it challenging, in the contrary it is even more interesting and exciting because we share the same passions and that prevents a lot of things. For one, we both were very eager about the project and wanted to get things done so procrastination was never a thing. Secondly, working with someone is great because you can bounce ideas off one another and make the project even greater and more interesting. I loved working with Ivory on teen program curriculum even though it never became a reality, it was really fun working together on it and it made service enjoyable.

  8. Stephanie Da Fonseca says:

    Being the only bonner at my site has showed the organization what bonners can do. To begin they didn’t know what to expect form me but by working in a team effort and showing them what bonners are capable of they hve now entrusted responsibilities on me. We work hard and together as equals which is so important so that we can assist everyone who needs our help and achieve it at a faster pace. Other bonners that have bonners at their site seem to enjoy it, but I do like the interaction with different people. Bonner really expands the way you work and think.

  9. Brendan says:

    I do not have any Bonners at my site. From time to time, I talk with other Bonners about what they do at their sites, what projects they are working on, and what their responsibilities are. At my site, I am in constant contact with other members of the organization and assisting with any short-term or long term needs they ask of me. Currently, I am working on long term research that the organization usually does not have the capacity to work on, because of the workload of day-to-day responsibilities. In addition, if there are any short term day-to-day needs that the staff needs help on, such as assembling board packets, or updating website information, I am happy to assist with those as well. I think in being a Bonner, you learn how you can add value to an organization and be of assistance in anywhere the organization needs it.

  10. Hayley Pij says:

    Although TRIP has many different departments with a variety of tasks, we have still been able to find time in the past to work on collaborative projects.

    I am not as involved with TRIP as much this semester due to my social work field placement, but I hope that this collaborative work can continue on in my absence. Something that has brought TRIP Bonners together in the past has been working on special events. Whether it was a service day held at TRIP, our annual fundraising event, or bringing TRIP staff to Siena, we have been able to work together and share responsibility.

    I really want to focus on the site video and make it a collaborative project that we can work on as a site to get everyone involved.

    B-love,
    Hayley

  11. Kevin Ziobrowski says:

    While I have not collaborated with the other Bonners at my site due to our sites specialization of departments, I do know what they are up to. Jack and chandler work with the Produce Project, and Amelia is working on a youth education program about nutrition. I work with the healthy stores and produce market team, and I mainly work with distribution. However if other Bonners need data, I’m definitely someone they can ask.

  12. Maura Lynch says:

    Though I am not the only Bonner at my site (shoutout Rayan!!), we serve at different times and therefore hardly cross paths at CMA. I do, however, have two VISTAS at my site. Since they have both been there longer than I have, they guide me through what I should be doing everyday and how to do it efficiently. Max and I are working on Sparks Squad together- a STEM program for preteens- and we have both learned how to make a productive team together. Having people with similar goes and values at my site makes it both more enjoyable and worthwhile, as our projects become more sustainable. Love ya Rayan, Max, and Kendall!!!!!

    • Max says:

      Aww! We’re so lucky to have you and grateful for all that you do! Love working with you and can’t wait to see what else we’re going to accomplish!

  13. Erin Spence says:

    At Capital Roots, I have not yet had the opportunity to collaborate on a project with other Bonners. In the last few months, a few of our Bonners have moved onto new sites, but we have gained a couple new Bonners as well. Even though there are five of us in total working with Capital Roots, we each have our own tasks that we are responsible for and we all work with different departments within the organization. Jack and Chandler have had the opportunity to work with Produce Project and assist the team that works at the farm. Recently, I have been able to work with this team as well, so there may be an opportunity for collaboration in the future. I contribute to our team by being a supportive member to the other Bonners at the site with the work they are doing. Even though we are all doing something different, we contribute to the group and organization in our own ways.

  14. Mara Golden says:

    Abeer, Abby, and I all service with Unity House of Troy. As freshman Abeer and I focus on different projects that the Developmental Team is working on. As of right now, I spend a lot of time at Unity House by myself, but I am working with Abby on the Pop Up Shop at Siena. I am learning all of the behind the scenes and how everything is put together. There is so much hard work that goes into the Pop Up Shop and Abby has done an amazing job putting this all together! Hopefully next semester I will share more hours with Abby and Abeer at Unity House and will get to collaborate further. Together, the three of us put in a big contribution to Unity House. While working with each other and with our team, our organization, and communication skills improve.

  15. Lulama Nyembe says:

    There are several other Bonners at my site. However, we all serve with different departments within TRIP. This limits the opportunities we have for collaboration because we work on a variety of projects. This proves to be advantageous because we are able to get a better understanding of the organisation. Working with the various parts of TRIP allows us to know the different channels clients take and the resources available to them. By sharing our work with one another we gain a more holistic view of the roles Bonners play at TRIP what the organisation does. Other Bonners’ responsibilities include managing the social media, administrative duties, updating client records and managing systems.

  16. Tori Mangelli says:

    At my site, Girls on the Run, I am the only Bonner there. Since my site only has three part-time workers, they depend on me a lot which I like. Usually, the program coordinator will give me an overview of what we are going to do that day, and by the end of the day, we are both surprised by how much we can get done in two hours. As a Bonner, I really feel like I’m playing a big part in the organization. I currently am sending out and editing all of the coach and parent newsletters and organizing the information for the new Spring 2020 sites that are issuing the Girls on the Run after school program. I feel like I am a major part of the team and I know the work I do allows the women in the office to get so much of their other work done. Also, a new Executive Director just got hired, so I am able to learn alongside her. She has already talked about me running their social media and advancing my jobs sometime in the near future.

  17. Chandler Edbauer says:

    I have other Bonners at my site but I do not often collaborate with them. We do however talk about what we are doing together. I like to know what some people are doing if it interests me. I know of most of the projects our team works on like produce project, squash hunger and the hub. Often me and Jack talk about what we do at the produce project. I feel like I contribute to the team throughout the produce project by helping set up for the kids to come and work. Being a Bonner means so much because it means I am willing to serve no matter what and help anyone I can.

  18. Meredith Payson says:

    I have two fellow Bonners at my sight, Kiara and Tristan. We have not collaborated on anything yet because I think I’m just very new still and they have much more experience than me but I hope to make moves in the coming year.

  19. Sydney Maughan says:

    I’ve collaborated with other Bonners at my site about possible projects they or I could work on for someone but I have not collaborated with other Bonners about taking a task or project. I vaguely know of other Bonner’s responsibilities but because I only see one other Bonner, for less than an hour while I’m at service. But I do know about past responsibilities and projects of Bonners. I contribute to the team because I work with the organizational aspects at TRIP; filings, labeling, mailing, scanning, etc. I also have worked with several different people at TRIP.

  20. Nancy Rasmussen says:

    I do not currently have any other Bonners at my site, but am excited to have future Bonners join my team! Madyson is my site supervisor and she’s amazing! She is super organized (like me) and we bounce ideas off of each other all the time. We have a huge Google Spreadsheet where we put our ideas for the launch of the Troy Prep Writing Center! This helps a lot with organization. Being a Bonner is very helpful in my position because I have background knowledge on how to have a discussion with someone who has different views than me. I also have knowledge of how to act professionally which helps me a lot when I sit in on staff meetings!

  21. Kiara Woodward says:

    At Green Tech there is a brief time where Tristan and I get to team up. During this time we try to maximize having two people as a resource. It is nice to be able to bounce ideas off of another Bonner and gain new insights. I contribute to the team by staying present and trying to bring new ideas to the project. Lately, the goal has involved signing up for the SAT and ACT as well as applying everyone to Hudson Valley Community College.

  22. Taylor says:

    I have many Bonner’s at my site. Although I do not always get the privelage to work with them I do know their responsibilities. But TRIP does have their Bonner family. During our site meetings we discuss how we can help the organization as a whole.

  23. Amelia Butler says:

    As Bonners, we all know the importance of teamwork and cooperation. We work as teams within our classes and as site teams. At my site, Capital Roots, there are 5 of us who all work on various projects with different staff members at the organization. We often do not get to spend a ton of time working together while we are serving. We do sometimes get to collaborate on projects, such as volunteering to help at the Autumn Evening event or teaming up to bundle collard greens for hours on end (thanks for the help Kevy Kev). As site team leader, I generally try to keep track of what my fellow Bonners are doing at Capital Roots, but sometimes it gets hard to keep track of everyone’s projects and jobs at the site. I think, as a team, we work as a general support system for the organization filling in gaps wherever they come up and being flexible with whatever is thrown our way. My role within the team is to do what I am supposed to do but also act as the support system they need as site team leader.

  24. Kylie Gilbride says:

    The Castle Island team is one that is extremely collaborative and cohesive. Although we all have different areas of expertise, there is still a common ground and always opportunities to work together or seek guidance. I have had the privilege of watching Castle Island grow as a site as well as a team and am so proud of all the progress that has been made.

  25. Nicole Pazarecki says:

    Bonner Collaboration is a great thing to have at a site. Me personally, I do not work with other Bonner’s at my site because I work on in a different department , but I would love to start a project at TRIP to have Bonner’s work together on. As a site team leader, I am open to hear my peers ideas of starting something or there ideas at TRIP.

  26. gingy spice says:

    I have been the only Bonner at my site until this semester so I’ve found the dream team and I having conversations about general operations at RISSE and telling stories of the silly things that have happen to us! (LICE @ sam l) There have been many changes at RISSE and at times where Alexis, Sam and I are frazzled we usually use each other to decompress. I do know what my ladies are working on and their future plans for programming for the kids. I serve our team as the site team leader. I can offer guidance when the girls aren’t getting the answers they need from Maia. Being Bonners at our site gives us a world lens. Since we’re working at a refugee center, this world lens is crucial. We have important conversations about the lives of people we are able to work alongside with every week.

    I LOVE RISSE and I LOVE my RISSE girls 🙂

  27. Abby Hoekman says:

    It is common at Unity House that multiple people work on a project together at any given time. This semester we have begun to collaborate on ideas through the planning and preparation of the pop up shop for this fall semester. As I am creating a master document to make this event a more sustainable source of funding beyond my time at Siena, I have asked for feedback from Mara and Abeer. This feedback has been very valuable to the development of the document for future Bonners. One aspect of Unity House I enjoy is the organization of the development office, each staff has a relatively clearly outlined set of roles whether it be volunteer coordination, event planning, or grants. This is especially helpful for when we are struggling with a task and know exactly which member of development to collaborate with to be successful.

    • Jamie del Rosario says:

      I love that you are taking a successful project from your service and working to make it sustainable as a junior. So awesome to see the things you’ve been accomplishing.

  28. Tristan Hunzinger says:

    While there are two other Bonners at my site, there is only one short period of time each week when I get to work with Kiara. We utilize this time to help be more efficient in whatever task we are working on and getting as much done as possible. I enjoy working together, putting combining our different skill sets, and helping as many students as possible. Cooperating and working as a team is an important skill to have, and I enjoy being able to do this once a week at Green Tech with a fellow Bonner.

  29. Cody Romani says:

    Currently, I do not have other Bonners at my site. There are four Bonners that serve with Catholic Charities. We are all located at different spots in Troy and Albany. We do not work in the same building or on the same projects. I do not exactly know what the other Bonners’ responsibilities and projects are. I look forward to inquiring about their projects and what they all do at their site daily. We all work together and check in on one another. To begin the semester, we all sat down with our supervisor and learned some approaches that will come in handy while doing service. Since I am the only Bonner at my site, I work diligently with those I serve with and communicate well as a team. We help each other when we are in need of assistance. Where my sites need me, I go. Being a Bonner helps me understand the importance of my site and the underlying issue of poverty and hunger. I contribute to my team by giving it my all and by fostering good relationships with my team and those who I serve with.

    • Jamie del Rosario says:

      Definitely good to get to know what other Bonners are doing within your organization! You never know if an opportunity to team up or collaborate for an event or project might come up.

  30. Justin Kenyon says:

    Currently my only project is working on my capstone. This project requires the use of many skills. The current stage of the project requires the use of communication and research ability. For my project since its a capstone it would be difficult to collaborate with other unless if I was to build a Next team. The project is pretty much built for one person.

  31. At the moment there are four other Bonners at my site. The majority of the time, I am with Bella and we collaborate on things such as crafts for the kids, splitting up duties such as homework, serving meals, and interacting with the children during gym time. Although all the Bonners don’t get to meet very often, the program is still well developed. The kids enjoy the current clubs and are excited about the future ones. The site would be better though if all the Bonners at my site came together to plan things or even just have a meeting over a meal to see how we can improve the site. By collaborating more often, it will make programs easier on the staff, make the current programs more interactive for the kids, and make us closer.

  32. Marykate Del Gais says:

    Currently, I am the only Bonner at my site. However, I am hoping that will change in the future because I feel as though working with another Bonner will help achieve more goals in the office. Personally I believe working in a team helps each individual grow as well as the group. It allows everyone to bring their best work to the table. It gives everyone a chance to learn about one another’s strengths and focusing on areas of improvement. There are only four other people at my site and they are all working on different projects. With such a small staff, I feel comfortable whenever I am in need of an opinion or help with anything. I state my opinions when asked and I help each individual with their projects to the best of my ability. Being a Bonner adds to this team because it allows me to effectively communicate within my site and create a passion for the new information I am presented with each day.

  33. Andraya Perez says:

    Being a PA, most the people I work with are Bonners. The lovely Katie, Jamie, Kate and Dana are the people I work with the most at my site. The other PAs, Katie, and I get to split up our responsibilities early in the semester and get to have other PAs support us on our projects. We get to collaborate together on projects together all the time! We also have weekly meeting where we get to talk about how things are going in Bonner and what’s important during that week for the Bonners.

  34. Jack McKenna says:

    Although I am one of five Bonners at my site, we all work on different projects. With that said, we don’t collaborate very often, but we all have the same goal, we just come at it from different angles. Capital roots is a site that has a lot going on all at once, between the Produce Project, Squash Hunger, the Veggie Mobile, and research on pollution, there are a lot of roles to play. We work as a team in the sense that our roles and what our projects accomplish directly affects the other projects and what they have the capacity to accomplish. So while I may be focusing on youth development and empowerment with the produce project, the produce we harvest is used for all/most other projects, like the Veggie Mobile and Squash Hunger. Everything is connected and the Bonners all work together, it may not always be side by side or through collaboration, but we work together to reach our goal.

  35. Aedan Raleigh says:

    Being a Bonner and a Project Coordinator in NExT, I am currently working on bridging the programs to make it easier for them to involve each other. So many partners that NExT collaborates with identify a need for direct service that Bonners could help to fill, and so many Bonners mention topics that affect the communities that they serve that NExT fellows could do more research for. I believe that more communication between the two programs, could facilitate the ACE office’s ability to better serve the community that we work with. That being said, I think that my experience with direct service as a Bonner has informed my work in NExT teams to research the Capital District communities.

  36. Isabella Barone says:

    At the Boys and Girls Club, there is a lot of support in the form of other Bonners at my site. It’s a big site, which can make coordination between all of us slightly difficult, but it’s reassuring to know that I have a team behind me for every step. As I’m new to the site, I haven’t had much of an opportunity to do a big group project, but we share the small and every day tasks of the site. For example, I was struggling to explain a concept to a kid during their homework hour, and I was able to call over another Bonner to help explain it. The support at BGCCA is really amazing, and I hope that I am able to provide the team the same support they provide me. I look forward to working on big projects as a group in the future!

  37. Samantha Lunt says:

    At RISSE I serve with Kayla and Alexis. We have not been able to collaborate much since we I am not there at the same time as them. As a freshman and new to RISSE I am still trying to find my place and where I am needed most. However, Alexis and I have been talking about some ideas we have to work on helping to get the after school building more organized. I hope to be able to collaborate more with Alexis and Kayla in the near future to come up with new projects and ideas.

  38. Dana Wakeman says:

    Catholic Charities is a unique site because even though we have 4 Bonners at CC, we are all at different satellite sites. Therefore, we do not work in the same building or even on the same project. However, we continue to work as a team by providing support to one another in terms of how to advocate for ourselves, to develop projects, and to communicate with our supervisor. I think it could be very useful to see how our projects could connect in all of our different locations. And, being the only person at Mercy House, I tend to work a lot more with the other staff members and specifically the case manager rather than my fellow Bonners.

  39. Grace Harris says:

    So I am in a unique position being a social work senior, where I am just getting used to my Bonner site and really being at the social work placement for the most part. However I have been able to utilize Bonners by reaching out to other Bonners for Wizarding as well as the Heritage home. Bonner has given me much of the skills and confidence needed to recruit others for projects as well as given me the knowledge for who would be good for certain projects. I am grateful for such an extensive network of dedicated and hardworking individuals who I know would be more then happy to help when needed.

  40. Alexis D'Aloia says:

    Being new to RISSE, I haven’t had the chance to collaborate much with Kayla or Sam yet. However, Sam and I have been talking about working together to get the after school program building organized. As for Kayla’s responsibilities/projects, I know she is working hard to revamp their volunteer training and education to help volunteers be better equipped to serve alongside RISSE. She also mentioned to us wanting to get an area near the school paved for the children to have a safe place to play all year round, although she primarily serves with the adult program at RISSE in the main building. I’m still finding my place in how to contribute to our team, but I’m hoping to bring new ideas to the table to implement in the after school program to build more structure.

  41. Abeer Jafri says:

    Abby, Mara and I all serve with the Unity House of Troy. Mara and I both are new this year, so we share responsibilities of helping the Development team with their projects, currently. Since we are not at Unity House at the same time, we do not overlap much in terms of projects, but I’m sure we will collaborate on the upcoming video project, as well as other events in the future. Abby serves at the same time as me, so we are able to work together a lot. Her current project is the pop-up shop, which is coming to Siena in November, so I have been helping her with that; a lot of hard work goes into it! I think as a whole, the three of us make big contributions to Unity House, and combined with the awesome staff, the organization keeps improving because of the collaborative work ethic within.

    • Jamie del Rosario says:

      There will definitely be some collaboration going on for the video project! Might be a good time to get to know more about what each other are doing. Keep up the great work!

  42. Michael Averill says:

    At Castle Island, our team is very united. This semester, all four Bonners at our site; Kylie, Harriet, Pierre, and myself, serve at the same time on Wednesdays. We collaborate on multiple projects and work directly with our supervisor Diane in the office, helping to run Castle Island on a day-to-day basis as well as looking at long-term development of our school. I would consider our team to be very collaborative.
    Each Bonner has a specific role at our site. Kylie works on legal aide for the school as well as her Capstone Project, Harriet works on Accreditation into the Montessori Society, Pierre develops marketing materials and social media, and I work as the Outreach Coordinator, facilitating events and building connections with sponsors and other community partners. There is often overlap in the work that we do each week and our team is very responsive to each other’s needs.
    Castle Island Bilingual Montessori continues to grow as a site because of the strong sense of teamwork within the organization.

  43. Ivory Moore says:

    There are other Bonners at my site, but we work on specific individual aspects of the project. We never had a chance to meet at the collaboratory and work on our projects collectively, but Aedan and I have recently set up a meeting to collab on our abstracts so that we can possibly present our capstones on Capitol Hill. (exciting!)

  44. Jamie del Rosario says:

    Being a Program Associate, my entire job relies on collaborating with other Bonners to help run and improve the program. Dana, Andraya, and Kate are the Bonners I work with on all of our main projects. Each of us has about four or five projects that we run point on, and then two or three projects that we support, which means that we are working together on a lot of the responsibilities. Right now Dana is helping me with Accountability, Kate is doing the networking side of Community Partners, and Andraya is taking the reins on Leadership Development. Being Bonners means that we take on these tasks with a certain kind of passion that is familiar among those who understand the meaning of b-love. We do still have to learn how to work with different styles and personalities, but the common goal makes intentions take a forefront seat.

  45. Marlie Frisco says:

    I do not currently have other Bonner’s at my site, but look forward to potentially adding some in the future. In my opinion, working in a team is essential. While it may be difficult at times, working in collaboration allows you to utilize each others strengths. Recalling on being a part of the Team at Castle Island, it was helpful being able to ask other Bonner’s about their opinions on certain projects we were working on.
    Currently, I rely on my site supervisors and other knowledgable employees at my site to guide me and provide me with the information I need. I bring new ideas to the table. We all share the same goals so I hope to be an additional person to help them come to fruition. Being a Bonner is helpful to my position because I have background knowledge of the various socioeconomic status of the patients at Whitney Young.

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