Building Social Skills and Developing Social Ability for Life

building social skillsIn the process of maturing and diversifying our sphere of interest, we may outgrow some of our previous friendships and relationships. Even in the absence of a disability, some people have a harder time than others learning to interact with others. Learning how to make friends with cerebral palsy or developing social skills in a person with autism can be extremely tough, especially if the person also has a developmental disability or mental health issue that makes interacting with others difficult. One of the greatest methods to enhance skills, practice communication, and grow more comfortable with speaking to new people is to join a social group designed exclusively for those with autism, cerebral palsy, and other disabilities. Not only will you have a chance to meet people who have similar difficulties and concerns, but you may increase your confidence in a secure setting while engaging in group events and activities.

All Friends Network

Created with the intention of offering information and chances for those who have cerebral palsy, autism, or other developmental impairments who wish to learn how to make friends or have opportunities to network with others, All Friends Network is on a mission. Our mission is to encourage people of all ages to prioritize friendship as a means to personal growth and a more fulfilled existence. Trevor Kelliher, who has cerebral palsy, developed All Friends Network during the pandemic. A free app and members-only social network provides possibilities for persons with developmental disabilities who want to meet friends. The resources supplied are all meant to help our members enhance their social skills, and autism, cerebral palsy, and other disabilities will no longer be a deterrent to making friends and building connections.

The AFN Live-Link is an online social app built particularly for our users. To utilize this app, a person must join as a member of the All Friends Network. There are absolutely no expenses for membership, as our goal is to have individuals start chatting and creating friendships as quickly as possible. There is no need to worry about being bullied or receiving negative feedback from others who do not understand your developmental handicap; simply create a profile and start reaching out to others in this protected space. When a person with autism also struggles with communication difficulties, it can be very challenging to teach them how to interact with others. The same is true with making friends with cerebral palsy, as there are occasionally physical limitations or challenges with speech that can make communication difficult. Our mission is to equip our community members with the means necessary to confront and triumph over these challenges.

Friendship and Disability

Participation in social gatherings is crucial for the growth of one’s social skills. Our plan is to increase the frequency of events till we have one at least once a month to facilitate communication and fellowship amongst our ranks. Mini golf, visits to area museums, zoos, and aquariums, as well as pizza and movie nights, are just a few of the upcoming excursions. Thanks to donations made by our sponsors, we are trying to cover the cost of the outings for our members. As a non-profit organization, no money will be for All Friends Network, but to fund the work that we are doing for our members to assist them in learning how to make friends and interact socially with others in the membership community.

Life skills are also a component of the resources supplied to our members at All Friends Network. We are now trying to build online educational training films, short seminars and even hope to offer one on one sessions to provide support designed to increase life skills. Our team is working with an employment agency to help facilitate employment prospects for those members looking for job placement. All Friends Network members will even be able to receive training and support to help them write a professional resume and learn the best practices for making a favorable first impression in a job interview.

Developing Social Ability

If you are ready to learn how to make friends with cerebral palsy, autism, and other developmental impairments, now is the time to join the All Friends Network! We are growing our membership and working n new ways to support our members in building social ability and life skills and make lifelong friendships. Call today at 941-587-7172 or email our team about joining the membership at info@allfriendsnetwork.org.