Everyone Deserves to Know Their Life Matters: Volunteer Work at The Robert Clewis Center Needle Exchange

• Others' Circumstances: There is no typical client of the RCC. The people who use services at the RCC come from a series of vast backgrounds and bring countless life experiences. Each person should be treated as an individual with their own unique situation and needs. Some clients have stable housing, while others have temporary housing or no housing at all. Getting to interact more intimately with people who use the services of the RCC have made me more aware of the range of circumstances people are living through. If someone comes into the RCC agitated and yelling at other clients, it isn't because they're a horrible person. There is probably an enormous range of factors influencing their behavior. Maybe they haven't been able to eat in over 24 hours, maybe the slept in the rain last night, or maybe they just got harassed by the police.

​

• Empathy: Genuine care and empathy has become central to my work because of my experiences at the RCC. No matter what someone's background, they deserve a space they can come into and know that their life matters. It is common for people who use services at the RCC to have mental health issues stemming from the horrible ways they have been treated. Everyone should be valued despite what society may have been telling them for years. 

​

• Service: My volunteer work at the RCC is my way of serving the Seattle & King County community. This work does not go unnoticed, which was a surprise to me. It is common for clients to express their gratitude towards me for spending my time there and it is all too frequently mentioned that more people need to be doing that type of work. While I am a member of the Seattle & King County community, I am not a member of communities who the RCC serves and that is important to acknowledge. I am simply an ally of these communities hoping that my efforts will facilitate their prosperity.

​

• Scope of Competence: I began my volunteer work at the RCC with absolutely no experience in harm reduction. I had extensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS which is an issue affecting the community of PWID (people who inject drugs), which is what inspired me to begin the volunteer work, however; I did not have any knowledge of safe use practices. In the back of the RCC there is a poster with certain guidelines for employees, and the line which stands out to me most is a reminder that the clients are the expert, not you. They know what works best for them and they know how to ask for what they need. While I know a considerable amount after being there for 6-months, I recognize there is far more that I DON’T know than I DO know. There is always someone to learn from and ask advice to better yourself. Acknowledging that you aren't the expert on something is a strength and is necessary to provide the best care possible.

​

• Listening: A large portion of my time spent volunteering at the RCC is spent interacting with clients. I spend time listening to them in two senses. First, I listen to hear what types of supplies they need and will gently offer other types of supplies to make sure they are getting everything necessary. Second, a lot of time is spent socializing with clients. People love to talk and sometimes they just need someone there to listen and hear what they have to say.

​

• Personal Values: My work at the RCC has guided how I dictate my personal values. I value human life no matter the mistakes or ways you have hurt yourself in the past. I hope that by expressing these values in my personal and professional life that other people can understand the importance of my values as well. Furthermore, the RCC has shown me how much I value empathy in leaders and hope to exude in my own leadership roles.