Lovely Gebeyehu'S
Volunteer reflection
1. Which YRES event(s) did you volunteer at? Please provide a brief description of what you did as well.
I volunteered at the Weekend STEM camp in Markham. A lot of my time was spent devoted to a small group of kids who also had ASD and enjoyed my time with them every Sunday. It is a STEM-focused camp, we learnt about topics including physics, python, cultural holidays when necessary, biology, mathematics and some of the arts which often led to us having discussions with the kids on subtopics they enjoyed in whichever field. After lessons, there would tend to be mini-projects where I as a volunteer could provide aid (most times they were more helpful to me than anything). My main responsibilities were to try and keep things functional and provide a positive environment alongside our co-op placement volunteer who instructed us on what to do.
2. What was some knowledge that you gained or skills that you developed or strengthened through this volunteer opportunity?
I have my sister with ASD and as I’ve grown, I’ve developed my perspective of ASD and the benefits and difficulties of being on the spectrum. However, this experience opened my perspective. Autism is a spectrum, so I only learnt about one particular case through my time with her. Being with the kids here at the program, I learnt with kids on different ends of the spectrum and this really solidified the fact that autism isn’t only one look but also comes with different quirks, strengths, differences and challenges. The main point I got from this volunteering experience wasn’t the ability to interact with children with ASD better; you would be missing the point if assumed; that ASD doesn’t take away from someone’s human experience. Through my time at YRES, I learnt how to adapt to people with all their differences and strengths.
3. How did your volunteering experience positively impact your perspective on the community you worked with?
My time at YRES put simply has some form of humanized ASD for me. I often isolated myself from my sister with her having ASD as an excuse, justifying it by saying the conversation would only be one-sided or she was not interested in socializing or bonding with me to begin with. Coming the February of this year, I was put in a position where I had to interact with the kids, willingly so. I had to open up my ears and I found that ASD doesn’t impair you from interacting with others – it just needs to be approached differently. I approached the kids I volunteered with by asking questions about what they were doing during their free time and found myself having educated conversations on game strategy and having one of the kids keep with me when talking about space exploration and having discussions on the basic teenage experience. This experience encouraged me to reach out to my own sister and changed how I interact with people in general.
4. What was one highlight and one take-away from volunteering at YRES that supports your growth and development?
One highlight from my time at YRES was a specific moment during a STEM activity when one of the kids, who had been particularly unserious, a little devious, and just liked to have fun, started opening up to me about his analysis of the topic, astrophysics. We ended up having this long discussion on black holes and spaghettification mechanisms – which blew my mind and showed me how much kids on the spectrum can contribute to a conversation when it comes to getting the right space. The takeaway from this was the importance of creating an environment where everyone feels valued and safe enough to share their passions. It’s a reminder that, as volunteers, it’s less about instructing and more about fostering connection. That was the turning point for me in understanding how meaningful and impactful suof ch experiences can be—not just for the mentees but for me as well.
5. What are your tips for future volunteers? Please explain the significance of the tips.
In my opinion, when seeing your mentees and fellow volunteers at the end of your placement, the only feeling that should course through is tinges of sadness and thankfullness for getting to know the people there. If that isn’t the case, you didn’t do it right. My main piece of advice is get to know the people you’re volunteering for; see them as people and be interested, engage in conversation and ensure you can provide an environment they can carry away with them at the end of the day. Also, try and socialize with your fellow volunteers. It’s understandable for the first two weeks or so to sometimes casually say a couple polite things or comments, avert eye contact during your first interaction but really – you won’t regret it. Honestly, you’re giving up your time for numerous hours at a time, use all the resources there to grow as an individual and expanding your energy and influence on others – you’ll learn a lot.
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