Last Post on Getting Volunteers!

FROM BECKY: Here are some more helpful things to take into account when creating the "Dream Team" of volunteers to work with your child for your Son-Rise Program.

Once you have decided who you want to now take on as a volunteer with your child, you are ready to really see how suitable this person is for your team. If you hold a one month trial period then you can get more of a feel for this person. You will see if they are open (moving on and implementing feedback), and if they are committed (coming to sessions on time, reliable, curious, etc).

After the one month trial period is over you can then make more of a commitment to them. If they know that the first month is about seeing if your program and the volunteer are a good fit for each other then it will be a more effective use of your time. Tell them at the beginning in a sweet and loving way that you really want this to work and that not everybody is cut out for the playroom. That's why you are going to have a one month trial period to grasp whether this program is suitable for them. You will be pleasantly surprised by how open they will be to this. The trial period takes the pressure off bith you and them if they end up not being cut out for your program.

You are giving them an incredible gift that they can't buy in any store anywhere in the world! Most of us Teachers and Child Facilitators at The Autism Treatment Center of America Started our Son-Rise Program journeys out as volunteers. For me personally, becoming a volunteer lead me on an amazing journey of self discovery and a voyage to creating more happiness in my life. I became more accepting of myself and others, I became more confident and lived with more purpose, I stopped worrying so much about what others thought of me and started doing more of what I wanted. I completely turned my life around in a very positive way. You are giving your prospective volunteers an opportunity to do the same. Know it, believe it, and own it!

Have fun finding volunteers and please let me know if you have any more comments or questions.

Lots of love,

Becky