Here is a post from my very dear friend who knows first hand about assisting children with special needs. Thanks, Donnamarie, for this great post!

As a volunteer, there is nothing greater in this world than giving of your time to help children with special needs.

Special needs can cover a broad spectrum. You may be working with children whose issues might include:
• Behavioral issues
• Cerebral palsy
• Learning disabilities
• Autism and autism spectrum related disorders
• Speech related difficulties
• Blindness and many others

You will learn many important aspects about life in general when working with children who have special needs. You will develop a keen understanding and appreciation about the difficulties certain sections of your community face in their everyday lives. You will also acquire a wealth of knowledge quickly about how you can help to improve the lives of those less fortunate than yourself. Look here for some very basic advice about working with these children.

Start with the idea that the desire to help people with disabilities is a basic and very human characteristic. You might also wish to overcome stereotypical opinions that are held by some who only see the ‘issue’, and never the person behind it. When you take the steps to get beyond the stereotypes, you are not only helping the individuals directly, but also sending a strong message that will enable others to gain a better perspective of the difficulties faced by people with special needs.

When you learn that children with autism really are very emotional, and that LD children have brains that are just wired differently, you will learn exactly how to help them and you are bound to have a new and very different appreciation of life in general.

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