Autism Occupational Therapist Volunteer

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Together To Help Organization is looking for an Occupational therapy Volunteer who can help children with autism perform better in school and home environments.
Occupational therapists evaluate the current developmental levels of children and adults with autism, aiming to improve their ability to self-regulate emotions and participate in social interactions. Through interventions, OTs can help people with autism build on their areas of strength and overcome their limitations.
Occupational therapists are responsible for helping patients develop, recover, improve in regards to a condition or injury, as well as maintain the skills needed to execute daily activities.

The occupational therapist will begin by evaluating the person's current level of ability. The evaluation looks at several areas, including how the person:

• Learns
• Plays
• Cares for themselves
• Interacts with their environment

The evaluation will also identify any obstacles that prevent the person from participating in any typical day-to-day activities.

Based on this evaluation, the therapist creates goals and strategies that will allow the person to work on key skills. Some examples of common goals include:

• Independent dressing
• Eating
• Grooming
• Using the bathroom
• Fine motor skills like writing, coloring, and cutting with scissors

Occupational therapy usually involves half-hour to one-hour sessions. The number of sessions per week is based on individual needs.

The person with autism may also practice these strategies and skills outside of therapy sessions at home and in other settings including school.

Some OTs are specifically trained to address feeding and swallowing challenges in people with autism.
Requirements:
A licensed Occupational Therapist (OT) provides OT services. He/she has a master’s degree and has passed a national certification exam (The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, or NBCOT).
or
a person with an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, who is trained and supervised by a certified OT. The assistant works directly with the person with autism to practice skills and work towards goals that are written by the OT in the clinical treatment plan.
Can be a students who study in the field of Occupational therapy.