Interview with Vi Ibarra, Project Coordinator, Autism Family Support Project for We Care:
What does your organization do for children of special needs?
We Care has been providing children with special needs the skills for a better start in life since 1960. We offer mental health and developmental services, as well as support for families with children with autism.
How can a person access your services (i.e. fees, application process, eligibility, ages, etc.)?
The Autism Family Support Project serves families with young children (up to age 7) with an autism spectrum disorder. A family can self refer by contacting me directly. There are no fees to join the program, and no wait list. We serve families from both Contra Costa and Alameda counties, and most of our events are held in and around Concord. Many of our events are free of charge, some require a nominal fee.
How does your program support social interaction among all children, typically developing and with special needs?
A primary focus of this program is to reduce isolation felt by parents. We do this by offering family social events throughout the year. By working with a venue to accommodate our children, parents have a chance to be out in the community surrounded by other parents who understand the challenges they may be facing. These social events are a great way for kids with autism and their typical siblings to interact. We further support parents through our monthly support meetings. Parents are invited to support one another emotionally and make connections that can carry over to their day to day life.
Each summer we offer a day camp for kids with autism and their typically developing peers. Social interaction is the focus of all of our activities at camp and we have a lot of fun!
Can you tell us what events/activities are happening this year?
This year we will offer Parent Education events, Family Nights Out, Parent-to-Parent support meetings as well as Summer Camp. Keep an eye on the calendar at www.WeCareChildren.org for dates, or contact me to be added to our roster to receive email announcements.
Any suggestions for other community supports for parents to check out?
For parent support and seemingly unlimited resources, I suggest Care Parent Network at www.careparentnetwork.org. They provide support to parents with children with all special needs, as well from early childhood through adulthood. They also have lots of information available in Spanish as well as bilingual staff members.
What have you found most rewarding working with We Care?
Most rewarding to me is that I get to join parents in their journey in raising a child with autism. As a parent of a child with autism myself, I know how important peer support is and it is an honor for me to be able to accompany other parents during their difficult times.
What is your favorite activity?
Once per year we have a weekend family camp at Camp Arroyo in Livermore. The Taylor Family Foundation offers the opportunity to us to spend a weekend at this gorgeous facility. Families spend the weekend together relaxing and enjoying one another in a safe, supportive environment. I see so many smiles during this one weekend!
Vi Ibarra
Project Coordinator, Autism Family Support Project
vibarra@wecarechildren.org
(925) 671-0777, ext 14
Website Here
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