Meet Stefano, a dedicated Virtual Hangout leader who has been an integral part of the Jake’s House Legends Mentoring Program for the past three years. Stefano’s journey with Jake’s House began over a decade and a half ago when he first volunteered at the Jake’s House Holiday Party during his high school years, and since then, his passion for supporting individuals on the autism spectrum has only grown stronger. His commitment to making a difference in the lives of others has led him to become a trusted volunteer mentor and valued leader within the Jake’s House community.

Jake’s House Virtual Hangouts are energetic online sessions curated specifically to nurture social connections and create engaging experiences for individuals on the autism spectrum. Through a range of interactive activities, including games, workshops, and virtual presentations, participants can connect with peers, build friendships, and explore new interests in a supportive and inclusive environment.

In the following conversation, we were able to dive into Stefano’s experiences, insights, and the impact he’s had on those he’s mentored in LMP.

Hi Stefano, thanks for chatting with us! So what inspired you to get involved with the Legends Mentoring Program at Jake’s House, and what keeps you motivated?

So I’ve been involved with Jake’s House in general for the last 15 years, when I first started volunteering at the Holiday Party annually. In 2017 the Legends Mentoring Program arrived, and I started volunteering with the online virtual sessions a few years after that. Recently, I’ve had the opportunity to lead the program and lead the Hangout session myself. So I’ve been doing it for the last few years now, and it’s something that I truly love and enjoy.

And I wouldn’t even necessarily say that I need motivation! I just thoroughly enjoy hanging out with the participants and always look forward to participating and being involved with the community. I’ve just loved forming those connections and making new friends over the past few years.

How do you create an inclusive and engaging environment in your workshops?

Well, the group itself that I work with is very collaborative, open, honest, responsive, and loving, so I think that job is quite easy on my end with having such a great group! It allows for people to just be together, play games with each other, and be open with one another, creating an environment where they can make friends and collaborate along the way.

Can you share a standout moment or success story from your experience leading the workshops?

So I wouldn’t necessarily say that I’ve had a standout moment with one particular participant, because I’ve had multiple memorable moments with a lot of them! I think it just goes back to when I first started, you know with the nerves that I had myself, wondering, “How am I going to open up to these participants and have them be comfortable with me?” And I think that once I had that opportunity to just dive in and work closely with our participants from the get-go, I noticed that they were much more comfortable and open with me, and vice versa.

And I think from that moment on, I’ve had the ability to provide a place where we can be all comfortable; not only for myself but for volunteers and participants as well.

In your experience, how does the Legends Mentoring Program impact the participants’ lives and contribute to their personal growth and development?

From a personal life standpoint, I’ve noticed that a lot of our participants have really come out of their shells so to speak and have become more transparent and open with other participants, friends and volunteers. They have been able to take the skills that they learn within the workshops and apply them into their daily lives, whether it’s work, school, or with other people.

I feel that creating that collaborative community and environment within the Legends Mentoring Program has allowed them to develop confidence not only internally within the group, but also outside of the group in their day to day activities as well.

What advice would you give to other workshop leaders or mentors who are interested in supporting individuals on the autism spectrum and creating meaningful connections?

I would say just jump in! A lot of people will ask me, “So, how is it being a leader in these workshops?” Or “What’s it like designating your time weekly to these workshops”? And, candidly, I truly love it. It doesn’t feel like work or even volunteering necessarily, it just feels like a time of day during the week where I get to hang out with some people that I love being with, getting to understand how their lives are going and seeing them grow.

Through the last three years, seeing people grow and make new connections with one another through our Virtual Hangout workshops, as well as getting the chance to see them in-person at the Jake’s House Holiday Party, is something that I’ve loved and would truly recommend for anyone.