The main objectives of the FSRTC are to define the state of science in family support; generate new information in critical policy areas of self-direction and managed care and in culturally competent peer supports, and to share promising practices in family support nationally.
Being a volunteer gives you the opportunity to share your time, talents, and energy with people in your community. It is an opportunity for you to help people in need in your community, make new friends and social connections, participate more in your community, and learn job skills and social skills.
On this page, you will find resources you can use to create and find volunteer opportunities in your community.
Make a Plan to Volunteer
Making a plan can help you find a volunteer position that matches your interests and goals for volunteering. My Volunteer Vision is a document can help you think through your vision for volunteering. Once you complete this, share it with friends, family members, or professionals you trust. You and your trusted supporters can work together to find volunteer opportunities in your community that fit with your vision. These supporters can also help you address any challenges and worries that you have. You can download My Volunteer Vision here.
It is possible that you may volunteer somewhere but not like what you are doing or not feel comfortable there. If this happens, ask for advice from the people you trust about how you feel. They can help you find ways to either make the situation better or find another volunteer activity!
Search for Volunteer Opportunities in Your Community
There are many volunteer databases that you can use to find opportunities in your community. These sites will search for volunteer opportunities based on what you want to do, where you are, when you want to work, and how much you want to volunteer.
Remember to practice good internet safety skills as you search for opportunities online. Here is a website that you can use to learn more about safety skills.
Reach Out to a Group You Want to Help and Create Your Own Volunteer Role
You may already know where you want to volunteer. If you do, reach out to the group and mention you are interested in volunteering with them. See if you can schedule time to meet with the group in person to learn more about the type of help they need and how you can volunteer with them.
Before you talk with them, check out this article and review the questions for you to ask yourself and to ask the organization where you want to volunteer.
Asking yourself and the group these questions can help you make sure you get what you want out a volunteer position.
What Else Can I Do?
Check with your local chapter of The Arc to learn more about other local volunteer opportunities you may want to participate in!
Self Advocacy Online is a place to find accessible information and videos on current topics in self-advocacy. Visitors to the site will discover multi-media lessons on a variety of topics such as living self-determined, healthy, contributing lives in their communities. The site includes a story wall of videos of self-advocates sharing their stories. SAO operates with primary funding from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AIDD), and other federal agencies. SAO is a part of the Research and Training Center on Community Living at the University of Minnesota.
Self Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE) works to ensure that people with disabilities are treated as equals and they are given the same choices, rights, responsibilities, and chances to empower themselves as everyone else. SABE is a national board of regional representatives and members from every state in the US.
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) is a national grassroots disability rights organization, advocating for systems change and ensuring that the voices of people with autism are heard. ASAN’s activities include public policy advocacy and leadership trainings for self-advocates. ASAN provides information about autism, disability rights, and systems change to the public through a number of different educational, cultural, and advocacy related projects.
The mission of SARTAC is to strengthen the self-advocacy movement by supporting self advocacy organizations to grow in diversity and leadership. SARTAC shared best practices tools, conducts interviews with self-advocacy leaders, shares success stories, provides training and assistance, and provides self-adovocates scholarships and leadership opportunities.
TASH advocates for human rights and inclusion for people with significant disabilities and support needs – those most vulnerable to segregation, abuse, neglect, and institutionalization. TASH works to advance inclusive communities through advocacy, research, professional development, policy, and information and resources for parents, families, and self-advocates. The inclusive practices TASH validates through research have been shown to improve outcomes for all people.
The Center provides reliable information and assistance to individuals with I/DD, their family members and friends, professionals who support them and other members of the community on areas such as person-centered planning, decision-making, housing options, and financial planning.
Planning for the future is important for all families. You can’t do it just once. It’s an ongoing process. The Build Your Plan ® tool helps people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) think about and plan for their future. The interests, preferences, and skills of the person with I/DD are the main focus. The tool guides you through important topics, including:
Click on Build Your Plan to get started. You can see your plan and make changes at any time.
This database is searchable by profession and by state.
Will you pledge to vote this November?
