Blog Assignment 5

With regards to our group project, my primary role is that of a researcher and a writer. So far, my main responsibility has been to write the memorandum and to collaborate with the group in coordinating our individual jobs. The description of a researcher states that I am supposed to look into the usability of the website. I am still trying to figure out exactly what that means and what it entails. The organization that we have partnered with for the group project is called FACESS and they are a brand new organization that is working with the Disabilities Studies Department at USM.
Two potential directions that I have considered for our group involve the website and the family resources center that will be opening soon. Both of these have the potential to be the biggest draws for the general public and I believe that we should focus a lot of our efforts on the website, using it to make the public aware of the opening of the new site. In addition, a Facebook page might be an intriguing idea until the website is completely up and fully functional. Because this organization is so new, there is no information about it whatsoever on the Internet. As a mother of a child with a disability, I have often wished that there were a place that I could go to that would help me find resources in my community. FACESS is just that! It is a place for children and their families, who have disabilities. They assist the family with finding resources for their children. It is geared towards those families who have financial need and assistance is available up to the age of 23.
After we resolved our initial communication difficulties, our group began to communicate very well. Kaitlin acts as our main point of contact and we work through her to distribute needed information. We organized a group chat that all members attended and it turned out to be a very productive meeting. We have planned another meeting for the 7th of July.
Our group dynamic is pretty cooperative and very congenial. So far, it seems as though we function well as a group, but at times, it feels as though we are not moving very quickly. In addition, because there is no information on the web regarding this group, sometimes it feels as though we are working blind. We have been able to glean some information from the director of the organization, and I am hoping that Kaitlin and Mitch’s meeting with the director will get us even more information that we can use to make this a great project.
I am extremely excited to be working with this organization and with my group members, as well. I believe that we can help this organization a great deal. This project is going to end up being, not just an assignment, but also a real resource that this organization is going to utilize to reach out and help an entire community!