volunteer
Autism Awareness Month is a great time to educate yourself about autism, spread awareness, and to support those impacted by autism. However, these efforts do not have to end when April does, and can still be very impactful throughout the year. Milestones has provided some effective ways in which you can participate in autism awareness and continue to support the autism community all year long.
1. Educate yourself – You may have heard of the phrase “Each one, teach one.” Once you learn information about autism, it would be a great duty to help others become more knowledgeable as well. It is also very important that when you talking to people that you are providing accurate and up-to-date information. As an educational organization, we can attest to knowing the importance of having accurate and evidence-based information about autism-related topics. One of the ways that you can educate yourself about autism is through online research. Be sure to check out our resource center to discover more than 1,400 resources with a special focus on resources in Ohio.
2. Get Involved – Volunteer your time to further the mission of organizations who are dedicated to helping people on the spectrum. Many organizations heavily depend on volunteers as they can be a huge factor in making projects and events a success. It can also be a fun and meaningful activity to do with your loved ones, allowing you all to make a difference in your community together. Volunteering can be as simple as helping out with office work, providing special event assistance or serving on a planning committee. You can get started with Milestones, as we are always looking for volunteers year round.
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For young adults, taking advantage of the summer months is often essential to gaining valuable experience, learning new skills, and preparing for the next chapter of life. Some volunteer with a local nonprofit to give back, while others intern or find a summer job to explore a field they’re interested in. Oftentimes however, the process of pinpointing the right opportunity can be daunting. But don’t fret – Milestones can get you the individualized recommendations you need to make the right choice.
Volunteer Opportunities:
Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and to build transferable work skills. Two great resources we recommend using in the meantime are Volunteer Match and Greater Cleveland Volunteers. These sites can help you find available options in your area and send you notifications when new projects begin. Call the Milestones Helpdesk if you need additional help finding autism-friendly opportunities.
Internships:
Internships can serve as great resume builder and allow students to explore their career interests over the course of a semester or summer break. Interested in STEM? Check out NASA Internships at Glenn Research Center. Cleveland Clinic also has great internships for every season. If you or your child is having trouble finding something suited to their interests and abilities, give our Helpdesk a call. The Milestones team can prepare appropriate options and even has an internship program of our own that connects individuals on the spectrum with individualized placements at the Milestones office and in the Cleveland community.
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In 2010, overwhelming devastation strained governments and humanitarian agencies following the earthquake in Haiti. Our teens and young adults saw the troubling images of toppled buildings, ravaged neighborhoods and despondent Haitians. They asked me, “What are we going to do to help?”
My first thought was Haiti is more than a thousand miles away across an ocean… and we know nothing about earthquake recovery or disaster relief. My second thought was YES! Our program is achieving its mission of encouraging our young people to accept responsibility to help the community both near and far. So, we went to work! We signed up to volunteer at MedWish International, a non-profit agency that sends medical supplies to third world countries such as Haiti. We also planned and hosted our first philanthropic event. We performed our play as a fundraiser for earthquake relief and collected $400, which the group chose to donate to Save the Children Haiti.
The Horvitz YouthAbility program of JFSA Cleveland empowers youth with disabilities and at-risk individuals by engaging them in volunteerism. As a YouthAbility coordinator, my team and I encourage our young people to help themselves by helping others. Our days, evenings and weekends are filled with a wide range of philanthropic activities. We garden, maintain a trail in the Metroparks, assist Holocaust survivors, create artwork, perform original plays with positive messages, help the homeless and more. We want our ambassadors to know that they have the responsibility and privilege of representing YouthAbility, the Jewish Family Service Association and all of the other wonderful people like themselves.
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