OOCLO Reflection 10

We All Have the Ability to Help

Personal Growth OOCLO

The OOCLO that I took part in this week was to volunteer on a Thursday for the Special Needs Activity Program (SNAP) at Brock.  This program is structured to allow special needs children of various severities to come to Brock once a week, and work alongside a volunteer for a few hours. 

 During this time, the volunteer and child take part in a variety of activities.  The activities available fall in to 4 general categories: (1) Gross Motor Activities, which consist of things like soccer, basketball, dancing, etc.; (2) Small Motor Activities, which consist of things like doing puzzles, drawing, etc.; (3) Sensory Activities, which consist of such things as items with various textures and visual appeal (these are aimed at individuals with severe disabilities which aren’t able to partake in other activities); and (4) Media Activities, which consists of various video games. 

There were quite a few children at this program, and it probably totaled about 200 at least.  There were about an equal amount of volunteers, as it is best for the children to work on a one-on-one basis.  The children ranged in age from about 5-18, though the majority of children seemed to be able 8-11.  The children were all having a great time, and running around enjoying themselves.

Having stimulation like the SNAP program provides can be helpful in several ways.  Not only can it contribute to neurological improvements, but it also helps these students learn cooperative-play and how to respect each other’s differences. 

I experienced some difficulty working with the child I was with, because she had some behavioural problems, and did not listen very well.  I was getting a little bit frustrated, because it has been a while since I’ve worked with special needs children, and it was a little bit overwhelming to dive right back in to, so to speak 

The child I was with thoroughly enjoyed playing with a friend who attended the same school as her.  We played on the jungle gym, and their favorite was the giant stackable gymnastic blocks. 

I have volunteered for the SNAP program during the previous two school years, so I generally knew what to expect in this situation.  My past experience with the SNAP program, as well as the fact that I’m a Psychology major and focus on developmental Psychology, provided me a broad knowledge of how to effectively deal with the children.  I was able to successfully allow my child to play, yet at the same time make sure she was doing so in a safe and respectful manner with her peers. 

This program is a wonderful opportunity offered to both the SNAP attendees and Brock students alike.  For the children, this is a rewarding program which teaches them social skills as well as provides stimulation for their mental health.  For the Brock students, this provides a fantastic year-round program to gain valuable knowledge and experience. 

I learned that our school puts forth a very helpful and rewarding program for the children in the community who have special needs.  Brock has put forth all the equipment required to host this program, and this shows their dedication to our community. 

I learned this when I had volunteered for the SNAP program both two years ago and last year, and this program is still going strong and has more participants than ever. 

This learning is important because the community needs to know that this program is available to the students.  This program should advertise more within the Brock community so that more people can be aware of this program and be able to volunteer for it.