Friendship Social Club
For Ages 7 to 12
Making friends isn’t always easy.
Making friends isn’t always easy. And it can be especially challenging for kids with Autism. The Autism Society of Greater Akron has created a judgment-free social opportunity for your child—the Friendship Club—where caregivers and children with Autism connect while participating in a shared social opportunity! It is a safe space to have fun, learn, and make social connections. Strengthening social skills can help enhance participation in the community and support outcomes like happiness and inclusion.
When Is Friendship Club?
We meet two Saturdays a month and accept ages 7 -12 years.
Upcoming Activities:
The Friendship Club meets in person and is active from September to May and will take a break over the summer. List of fall activities coming soon.
Guidelines to Participate
Children:
- Must be 7 -12 years of age.
- Respect the other members in the group. Listen to their ideas and allow them to finish talking before you begin.
- Different opinions or interests are OK. We are all entitled to our own point of view.
- Try to be positive.
- Respect everyone’s physical or mental differences.
- Please silence all electronics.
- No cursing or name-calling.
- Be kind and make new friends!
Parents:
- Parents must remain in the room for the entire meeting for safety purposes. Parents are responsible for attending to their child’s personal needs, including going to the restroom and helping them during planned activities, if needed.
- The structure of this program does not allow for friends or younger siblings to participate. For planning purposes, registration is required, and walk-ins cannot be accepted.
- Please silence any electrical devices.
- Unless a toy helps to lessen anxiety, please do not allow your child to bring toys from home. We will have a Show & Tell Day in the future.
- Please review the Guidelines with your child at home before each meeting and, if necessary, during the meeting.
- Network with other parents and have fun!
Reminder:
This social club is intended to foster friendships in a relaxed and supportive atmosphere. It is not intended as therapy or treatment for Autism or any mental health or physical disorder. The Autism Society of Greater Akron is not able to provide medical or psychotherapeutic advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The club is free and limited to 10 participants with strong verbal skills.
Meet the Leader:
Katelyn Koppelberger
Katelyn is very excited to be leading a social group for ASGA! She is the mom of two amazing little boys with Autism who keep her very busy. She teaches students identified as gifted and talented in Akron Public Schools. Katelyn has 20 years of experience planning and facilitating programs for nonprofits, and she can’t wait to bring fun ideas to the Friendship Club! She loves sci-fi, collects trolls, and if she went to Hogwarts, she would be a Hufflepuff!
Social Clubs Made Possible By:
