High School or College Students seeking to volunteer, observe, job shadow, School-based Therapists:

1. Inquire first with the special education office in your home school district as to the availability of job shadowing opportunities.  Typically, districts are most interested in making these opportunities available for their own district’s students.

2. If, after you inquire with your district's special education office, you learn that TherAbilities staff provide the therapy services you seek to observe in school settings—ask the following questions of the district special education office.

   A. Does the school district special education office permit/allow high school students to observe therapy services?  If yes, then go on to B. and C. below.

B. Are there specific clearances that the district requires the student to complete in order to pursue this opportunity?  If so, are you willing, able, and/or do you have the required time and money to acquire these? The district website or staff can typically guide you through these procedures.

C. Is a "permission to release information" and/or parent permission form required to allow you to observe school students who are participating in therapy programs? If so, keep in mind, that even if a therapist is identified to address your request---without parent permission----the therapist cannot include you in those observations.  Additionally, it will be the district's responsibility to provide the clerical staff to complete the parent permission forms if the district requires these.  

D. If all of the above (A-C) are resolved with the school district, then the district special education office may provide you with TherAbilities school-based therapist’s contact information to approve a school-based observation.  

High School or College Students seeking to volunteer TherAbilities’ clinical therapy programs:

TherAbilities' staff periodically permit students to participate as a volunteer during specific clinical programs such as our Friendship Group or Club programs. As a volunteer, you are permitted to participate actively in the therapy process, to provide you with first-hand experience. If you are interested in volunteering, please call our office or complete a contact form.