Written by: Thanisha Thambidurai, FCSN Voices Youth Reporter
Graphics by: Sanaa Raje, FCSN Voices Graphic Artist

For youth volunteer Hannah Gong, joining FCSN was a new opportunity to utilize skills she had already been developing for some time. As an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapist, she worked with children with special needs to improve their social and communication skills. A few months later, she joined FCSN, eager to explore and learn more from a volunteer’s perspective. Over the last two years, she has remained a warm and encouraging presence in the special needs community, making an impact on numerous children’s lives.

Hannah first discovered FCSN in 2023 through one of her clients. She decided to volunteer at FCSN one day after her client was sick. Inspired by seeing the staff work with the students and delighted by the chance to interact with more kids, Hannah decided to volunteer more often. At FCSN East Bay, she directly assisted students in the Muay Thai class, the Afterschool Program, and the Social Play Group. Her connection with the clients proved rewarding, especially as she realized they trusted her. 

“When the kids in the after-school program are about to leave and be picked up by their parents, they always try to find me so they can give me a hug,” said Hannah. “I think that’s really heartwarming…that no matter where they are, they try to hunt me down and say goodbye to me.”

Compared to her job, volunteering at FCSN gave Hannah more flexibility, as she had the time to interact with more students and understand their needs. At her job, she only worked with one client each session and did not get many opportunities to communicate with others. Ultimately, Hannah established a firmer presence in the special needs community as she met more students and interacted further with the staff at FCSN, one of the factors contributing to her decision to pursue this field in the future. 

However, Hannah’s volunteering journey wasn’t perfect. Learning more about each student she worked with and how to best connect with them could sometimes be difficult, especially in terms of understanding what each student was comfortable with. She shared that patience and repeated visits to FCSN allowed her to understand the students and what they enjoyed best, creating a happier environment for both students and her. 

“Every kid is different. Every kid has their own likes and dislikes,” said Hannah. “It took a few times for me to volunteer to get to know what they liked.” 

Still, the rewarding aspects of the journey outshone the struggles along the way. Knowing that the students trusted her and wanted to see her brought her immense joy as she began to realize the impact she was making on their lives. Helping out with staff members proved to be rewarding, as it allowed her to interact with more kids than she would have at her job as a behavioral therapist. Becoming a constant and reliable adult in the children’s lives by bringing them happiness only made volunteering more enjoyable. 

“The success is knowing that the time I spent with them has paid off,” said Hannah. “…knowing they enjoy my presence as much as I enjoy theirs.” 

Perhaps one of the most significant things FCSN taught Hannah was the value of slowing down and appreciating the small moments in life. As an “on-the-go” busy person, taking a few moments to calm down wasn’t always something Hannah followed through with. Working with the special-need kids reminded her of the importance of appreciating simple things. Seeing the kids focus on the little victories and moments of happiness reminds her to do the same, a lesson she thinks more people should begin to incorporate into their lives. 

“FCSN has taught me to slow things down,” she said. “Enjoy the little things, small goals and victories, and focus on the present and happiness.”

Hannah advises aspiring volunteers to come passionately with an open mind and heart, along with just being themselves. While the new environment can sometimes be confusing or difficult for volunteers to adjust to, the staff are always ready to respond to any questions to help volunteers better accommodate the children’s needs. Hannah shares that engaging with children brings out the inner child in her, creating a more positive and carefree environment for everyone. 

In the future, Hannah hopes to volunteer more in the day-to-day activities and plans to participate in the spring Talent Showcase. She would also like to attend medical school, where she hopes to pursue the psychiatry route. Specifically, she believes that her time with FCSN has provided her with invaluable experience working with a variety of special needs individuals, allowing her to understand their needs and how to contribute best to the community. In her free time, Hannah enjoys hanging out with her dog and completing puzzles, Legos, or Sudokus, sharing that individual tasks allow her to decompress and take time for herself since her job involves much interaction with people.