Volunteer with Ian
Join Team Ian - A Group of Extraordinary People Coming Together to Help One Special Autistic Boy!
We are excited at the prospect of welcoming you as part of our team. Working with Ian through his Son-Rise Therapy Pr
ogram has helped him with his social and communication delays and brought him closer to us. It has also transformed our lives as well and taught us so many wonderful things like patience, understanding and how to live in the moment, among others.
Qualifications
The best volunteer in our view is not necessarily a person with extensive experience working with children. You do not need to have any previous background working with those with special needs. But you do need to be highly motivated and outgoing. We are looking for dynamic people, men and women over the age of 18 who are truly passionate about life and the prospect of touching Ian’s life, as well as enhancing their own through this experience. You also need to be willing to jump, run, play and be silly and creative. We also expect the “three e’s,” which stand for energy, excitement, and enthusiasm! You also need to be truly open-minded and non-judgmental so that Ian can be with people who accept him as he is and respect his limitations and needs. This is crucial to fostering his ability to connect, learn and grow.
Volunteer Requirements
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Volunteers must be able to commit a minimum of 4 hours per week working with Ian (two 2-hour sessions per week)
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Volunteers must be able to commit to a minimum of 6 months volunteering
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Volunteer must be able to attend group volunteer meetings twice a month (every other Sunday from 7-9pm)
Training
No previous experience working with special needs children is required because we will provide continual training for your success in Ian’s program. Through the use of observation and feedback sessions you will learn the basics of the Son-Rise Therapy program. We will work one-
on-one with you to insure you have all the information and tools you need to be successful. For your part, you will need to be open to learning and move on the feedback given. Additionally, we hold Team Ian group meetings twice a month. This is a chance for the whole team to gather together to share what is going on with Ian, track his progress, share special moments, brainstorm solutions for some of Ian’s challenges and celebrate our work as a team.
Who Has Volunteered with Ian?
We have had a wonderful variety of men and women work with Ian since the start of his program in August of 2005. We’ve had working professionals, stay-at-home moms, high school students, college students, and grandparents work with Ian. None of them came to Ian’s program with a background in special needs therapy or even much experience with children. What they did come with though and what we find most important in a volunteer is openness, warmth, acceptance, passion and a willingness to learn. To learn more about Ian’s current volunteers check out the Meet the Team page. The page includes bios and pictures of our phenomenal team members.
How to Apply to Become a Volunteer
Please use the Volunteer Application form on this website to apply. Please include as much detail about yourself as possible. Also, be sure to read the information on the Ian’s Playroom page before applying. Candidates are highly recommended to learn more about Son-Rise at www.autismtreatmentcenter.org to better acquaint themselves with the therapy.
Volunteer Selection Process
As part of the volunteer recruitment process, we invite volunteers to attend a Team Ian Open House at our home. The Open House allows potential volunteers to observe Ian during one of his Son-Rise playroom sessions. After the observation, there is a general Q & A session for volunteers to get answers to any questions they may have about Ian and his program. Pam (Ian’s mom) also goes over any additional specific requiremets of the volunteer position. The Open House is a great way for potential volunteers to get a feel for the type of work involved and it will better help them decide if this is the right volunteer opportunity.
After the Open House, potential volunteers are invited back for an individual interview, in which they have the chance to meet and interact with Ian in his Son-Rise playroom.
