True or False?
You’re a teen girl (volunteer) and a teen boy (friend) keeps asking for hugs. It’s okay to hug them once.
False—it’s important to set boundaries right away. Also, COVID!
What are the 6 programs we are offering this year at FC?
Porch Pals, Sunday teen scene boys, Sunday men’s social hour, Monday women’s social hour, Tuesday teen scene girls, Wednesday social skills, Thursday young adult divisions
Your friend does not want to transition to art because they’re having fun playing in gym. What should you do?
(what you should NOT do is leave your buddy alone or let them skip all the other activities because they prefer this one.
Make transition fun, ask them to hop/skip/jump to the next room, offer to bring them back to gym at the end of the day)
Your buddy is nonverbal. Name some ways they might communicate.
You’re taking cute SnapChats of your buddy to share the fun day you had.
(don’t take photos of the kids and definitely don’t share them. If there’s a photo-worthy moment happening, grab a staff to take a pic)
Your buddy says something to you, but you don’t understand what they said. You should ask a staff what they said.
(False - first ask them to repeat and try to understand. It’s rude to immediately ask someone else to interpret what your buddy is saying.)
Tell us one positive and one negative about COVID in your life.
N/A
Your friend’s siblings always want to play with you during Porch Pals.
What should you do?
you can include them, but remember that this is your buddy’s special time, so focus on them
Your friend scratched you at the last Porch Visit. Name some things you can do.
Figure out what happened before the scratching and prevent the precursor this week—so if they scratched you when you got too close, stay further away. You can also ask a behavioral staff to help you come up with a plan, or ask the parents if they have any tips
Your buddy is wheelchair-bound, so you skip gym.
First, we don’t say “wheelchair-bound.” The person uses a wheelchair.
Second, people who use wheelchairs can be active. Find a way to adapt the game so they can participate
True or False: You should log your points when you’re with your buddy so you don’t forget.
(False! You should never log points in front of your friend. How would you feel if your friends recorded the time they spent with you for service hours? Focus on your friend and worry about points later.)
Which people are available to help you and support you at friendship circle?
Raizy and the teen leader of your school
You ask your buddy a question and they don’t answer. What should you do FIRST?
wait 5 seconds, then repeat your question. Some friends have slower processing skills than others.
Name a possible reason your friend is having a meltdown (remember, a tantrum and a meltdown are different)
Possible answers:
(a tantrum is throwing a fit because you want something or didn’t get something you want. A meltdown is serious because it shows that you are overstimulated or having a negative reaction to your surroundings)
Your friend becomes aggressive and they throw something or hit someone. You yell at them to stop.
Yelling will just escalate things. Stay calm and don’t react. Move yourself and any other friends to the other side of the room. Call a staff
Your friend is eating Play-Doh. It’s probably because they’re hungry.
False…it’s likely one of 3 things:
Boredom – direct them to another activity.
Sensory input – give them a fidget tool instead.
Oral input – offer them a chewy.
Tell us one fun thing you did over your summer vacation.
N/A
Your friend doesn’t follow your directions when you’re playing outside and gets too close to the street. What should you do?
Make a list of ‘rules’ for outside play. Show them boundaries—i.e., sitting on the sidewalk is okay, but walking on the curb is not. Move to a backyard or porch if possible
What is person-first language?
(remembering that we are all people first, instead of using a diagnosis to define someone. You wouldn’t say “a Down Syndrome kid” or “an autistic boy”)
A behavior staff tells you that a child’s behavior is “attention-seeking.” When you see the behavior again, you tell your friend to stop.
If the function of a behavior is to get attention, IGNORE it so it stops