Volunteering at Autism Place
by Casidy (Sept 2016)“I’ve been volunteering at the ASTT for about a year and everyday I have gone has been a wonderful experience. It helped me to be thoughtful and caring, to have an open mind and be understanding. I have also learnt a lot of new things that I didn’t even think existed. Just attending the orientation made me truly understand what it means that everyone is unique. I learnt how to cook and clean as well as things like patience, how to take initiative and how to really listen to someone, not just their words but their body language. I was also re-introduced to simple pleasures in life like painting, arts and crafts, slides, swings etc which made my time there even more enjoyable. A lot of people go there to get their 40 hours of volunteer work but I went because I really enjoyed it and the people there,both on the spectrum and not. There were some people I had seen before that attended the camp and Saturdays that I did not even know were on the spectrum. Listening to the parents speak about their kids made me realize how much harder it is for them and the struggles they face that “ordinary” parents don’t. It made me understand that the few hours I spent with their kids had so much positive impact and helped the parents as well as the kids in a small but significant way. At the same time, I can surely say that they have also impacted positively on my life and the person I have become, the entire ASTT experience has made me a better, more all-rounded person”.