Hello Members,
I hope everyone had their fill of excitement and relaxation over the summer. Now that we are headed into the upcoming school year, I hope that everyone feels ready and rested enough to take on their next classes. Bao Lai, from the Karate For All (KFA) volunteer program has reached out to our club with the opportunity to volunteer at their pediatric medical clinic in Tustin, CA.
Karate For All/Centra Pediatric Clinic uses occupational therapy-based martial arts to treat children diagnosed with neurological and behavioral conditions including Autism, Down Syndrome, and other special needs conditions. Bao Lai noted that volunteers would be able to improve their interpersonal and leadership skills, as well as become eligible to receive a letter of recommendation from one of the senior Occupational Therapists working at the clinic. Furthermore, the email specified that:
“As a volunteer, you'll be able to engage with children that have special needs in order to make a positive impact on their life by helping them successfully perform karate in order to help boost not only their self-esteem, but to improve their motor coordination and muscle strength for better living. We do this by teaching karate to the kids, but because our children have mental and physical disorders the volunteers will often have to be hands on with the kids and move their limbs for them due to their physical and mental handicaps. Some kids are more independent than others, but regardless you will always be engaged with them because we try to make sure that each kid has their own volunteer partner!”
The program does not require applicants to have prior experience with martial arts, as volunteers will be trained in Shotokan Karate. The program however, does require a minimum commitment of one 4 hour shift every week chosen from the following:
“1.) Sunday 8:30am-3:30pm
2.) Tuesday 4pm-8pm
3.) Wednesday 4pm-8pm
4.) Thursday 4pm-8pm
5.) Friday 4pm-8pm
6.) Saturday 9am-6pm”
Additionally, applicants will be expected to come in for an interview and basic karate training before volunteering. This is a great volunteering opportunity for students to help young members of the special needs community and learn about a healthcare field outside of optometry. Remember that not all volunteering and experience necessarily have to be optometry specific to be valuable or to be included in your applications!
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please send an email with your resume to Bao Lai at [email protected].
I will also be sending another email soon about an opening for a position at a Costco optometry clinic in Fountain Valley, so keep a lookout for that!
As always, PLEASE let us know if you participate in this volunteer opportunity so that we can thank Bao Lai and the team at Karate For All!
Organization Information:
Volunteer Coordinator - Bao Lai
*Working Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm
[email protected]
(714) 731-4668 ext. 3
3002 Dow Ave. #114
Tustin, CA 92780
https://www.karateforall.org/
https://www.centrapediatrictherapy.com/
Best,
Dorothy DuFault
U See Eyes Outreach Chair '24-'25
I hope everyone had their fill of excitement and relaxation over the summer. Now that we are headed into the upcoming school year, I hope that everyone feels ready and rested enough to take on their next classes. Bao Lai, from the Karate For All (KFA) volunteer program has reached out to our club with the opportunity to volunteer at their pediatric medical clinic in Tustin, CA.
Karate For All/Centra Pediatric Clinic uses occupational therapy-based martial arts to treat children diagnosed with neurological and behavioral conditions including Autism, Down Syndrome, and other special needs conditions. Bao Lai noted that volunteers would be able to improve their interpersonal and leadership skills, as well as become eligible to receive a letter of recommendation from one of the senior Occupational Therapists working at the clinic. Furthermore, the email specified that:
“As a volunteer, you'll be able to engage with children that have special needs in order to make a positive impact on their life by helping them successfully perform karate in order to help boost not only their self-esteem, but to improve their motor coordination and muscle strength for better living. We do this by teaching karate to the kids, but because our children have mental and physical disorders the volunteers will often have to be hands on with the kids and move their limbs for them due to their physical and mental handicaps. Some kids are more independent than others, but regardless you will always be engaged with them because we try to make sure that each kid has their own volunteer partner!”
The program does not require applicants to have prior experience with martial arts, as volunteers will be trained in Shotokan Karate. The program however, does require a minimum commitment of one 4 hour shift every week chosen from the following:
“1.) Sunday 8:30am-3:30pm
2.) Tuesday 4pm-8pm
3.) Wednesday 4pm-8pm
4.) Thursday 4pm-8pm
5.) Friday 4pm-8pm
6.) Saturday 9am-6pm”
Additionally, applicants will be expected to come in for an interview and basic karate training before volunteering. This is a great volunteering opportunity for students to help young members of the special needs community and learn about a healthcare field outside of optometry. Remember that not all volunteering and experience necessarily have to be optometry specific to be valuable or to be included in your applications!
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please send an email with your resume to Bao Lai at [email protected].
I will also be sending another email soon about an opening for a position at a Costco optometry clinic in Fountain Valley, so keep a lookout for that!
As always, PLEASE let us know if you participate in this volunteer opportunity so that we can thank Bao Lai and the team at Karate For All!
Organization Information:
Volunteer Coordinator - Bao Lai
*Working Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm
[email protected]
(714) 731-4668 ext. 3
3002 Dow Ave. #114
Tustin, CA 92780
https://www.karateforall.org/
https://www.centrapediatrictherapy.com/
Best,
Dorothy DuFault
U See Eyes Outreach Chair '24-'25