What does volunteering mean to you? Giving your time to something that’s important to you can have tangible benefits – both for you and for the organization you serve. Over the last couple of years, AASR has seen an increase in the number of volunteers who get in touch with us and say they are ready to help. We feel that this growth demonstrates the need for AASR to exist for both its community and for those who serve as volunteers.
AASR volunteers are parents, public school professionals, caregivers, disability advocates, people with disabilities, and survivors of restraint/seclusion practices. They come from all over the United States, Canada, and Australia, and they do their volunteer work remotely. AASR relies on its volunteers to be active in their regions to make connections, grow our network, and be change-makers at the local level. Without our volunteers, we would not be able to do our important work of reducing/eliminating restraint and seclusion practices in public schools and healthcare environments across the nation.
Our volunteer team serves in a variety of ways, including writing articles, participating in podcasts, and creating a support group for those who have experienced seclusion or restraint. We have volunteers who are interested in changing laws around restraint and seclusion, and they are actively connecting with state and federal legislators to raise awareness and shine a spotlight on the issue. Recently, we had a volunteer project team design and implement a 5-year anniversary fundraising campaign for AASR.
In celebration of National Volunteering Week, we asked the AASR team to give us their thoughts about their experiences as volunteers. Here are some responses to the question, “Why is your volunteer work important to you?”
“I volunteer with AASR so future generations don’t have to experience the traumas of restraint, seclusion, and other punitive approaches. I also volunteer with AASR because, as a researcher, I want to help educators understand what works and what doesn’t work.” – Arielle Silverman
“Families, children, and communities are entitled to the same application of Human Rights. I am here to advocate for the equity of social justice for all individuals.” – Teresa Olafson
“Working towards a common purpose to put an end to harmful practices against children is incredibly important to me. Facilitating the book studies has led to the unexpected gifts of a community of parents and professionals that are dedicated to learning how to do better for our children.” – Chantelle Hyde
The volunteers’ responses highlight both the importance of the AASR mission and the benefits that our volunteers receive when they work to advance that mission. We also noticed that they chose important words to describe their experiences that emphasize how important the work of AASR is in their lives.
We are so grateful for our team of volunteers! Their dedication is unmatched. We recognize them this National Volunteer Week and every week of the year – Thank you! If you are interested in joining the AASR Team, please follow this volunteer sign-up link. We would love to meet you and chat about how you can lend your talents to AASR!
