News and Knowledge

Looking to get involved in San Diego? Today’s blog post from Autism Outreach SoCal outlines the number of different ways you can get to know the parents and leaders in San Diego’s autism community.

Anyone looking to get involved in the San Diego autism community only has to look so far. There are plenty of local support groups, outreach programs and research centers that are always looking for donors and volunteers. Interested parties will have an opportunity to get to know the many parents, activists and group leaders committed to the autism cause. You can give back to a community that’s improved the lives of so many. Find out how you can get involved in San Diego’s autism community and start making a difference today.

Autism Society San Diego

Providing educational services and hosting support groups through the San Diego area, the Autism Society has plenty of volunteer opportunities for local residents. Sign up with your email address and you can offer to help at community gatherings and local events. You’ll also find numerous discussion forms on their website. New members can subscribe to receive regular updates on the autism community or contribute posts of their own.

The Autism Society even lists local labs and education departments that are looking for volunteers to participate in new research projects. Those that qualify can contact local groups for more information.

Rady’s Children’s Hospital

The Autism Discovery Institute of Rady’s Children’s Hospital is one of the city’s leading autism research and treatment centers. Volunteers assist with community gatherings and the Alexa’s PLAYC/School Program, helping children with autism learn and grow in a warm, nurturing environment. The Autism Discovery Institute is also looking for children with autism to participate in numerous research projects that help advance our understanding of autism spectrum disorders. Those interested in volunteering can fill out an application form to see if they qualify.

San Diego Regional Center

The SDRC works to improve the lives of those affected by social and learning disabilities of all varieties. Volunteers will get a chance to help the SDRC operate more efficiently, supporting the center’s many offices and administrative departments. Those that are interested can call or email the SDRC for more information.

Include Autism

Include Autism invites people of all ages to participate in their autism outreach programs. Children and teenagers can sign up for several community programs including Baseball League Buddies, a little league team that brings neuro-typical kids and those with autism together, or Peer Pals, partnering autistic children with their peers from the local area. Adults can become Volunteer Coaches, supervising Include Autism’s many outreach programs and local events.

Autism Tree Project

Parents and professional members of the community are encouraged to sign up for the Autism Tree Project’s Mentor Program. Download the application form right from their website and see if you qualify to become a member.  Those that qualify will get to spend some one-on-one time with a child with autism. Mentors will get to listen, learn and help solve problems within the autism community. The Autism Tree Project hosts numerous local events for mentors and families to get together. Become a mentor and you can make a difference in a child’s life in more ways than one.

About the Author: Autism Outreach Southern California provides one-on-one Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy to children and families in the San Diego area who are impacted by autism and related disorders. Autism Outreach Southern California also runs a blog on their website.