When thinking of a facility for the developmentally disabled, most people probably imagine a cold, sterile institution made of cinder blocks where too many people are being watched over by a distant and harsh staff. SRVS is NOTHING like this. The facilities alone are top notch and massive; I was amazed by how large and high tech the main building was. Small groups of about 8 people gather with several instructors in different classrooms to work on a variety of skills – everything from reading and writing and learning the alphabet to domestic skills like ironing and meal preparation are taught to people highly eager to learn. I was very impressed so many people were using advanced technology like iPads and the SMART Board as learning tools.

SRVS teaches using the Montessori method, which I didn’t know a whole lot about before this experience.  Due to some flood damage, much of the building was under construction while I was at SRVS.  One of my volunteer duties was to unpack and clean all the items from a Montessori classroom, so I had plenty of time to learn about the benefits of a Montessori education.  This approach seems like a great fit for the facility and the right approach to learning for people who think in a certain way.  It also uses thousands of little pieces for each different skill.

Before I began my volunteer day, I had some reservations about my ability to work in an environment where the people could not necessarily communicate and loud, uncontrollable outbursts are common.  Honestly, I was afraid I would do or say something that would trigger such a reaction in someone, and I wouldn’t understand why or be able to communicate with them to know how to make it better.  There was nothing to worry about.  Lunch was fairly calm and quiet, with everyone focused on their meals.  Most lunch boxes contained exactly what you’d expect in a school cafeteria: sandwiches, chips or carrot sticks, juice boxes, and pudding packs.  The people who wanted to talk to me found a way to communicate with me, and my heart was warmed when an elderly woman grabbed my arm and told me she loved me simply because I closed her lunchbox for her.

I think people often hesitate to interact with the developmentally disabled because they don’t know how to act around them, but it is really quite simple: they are just people who only want the most basic things in life like companionship and entertainment, and with this commonality, it’s pretty easy to reach them.