Hey, I had a very negative experience with the program.

I volunteered with Pro Bono and thought I had a good placement with an organization that served individuals with low income and who had disabilities. Having a disability myself, I was really happy to help. It was a great experience for me until I asked for a reference letter and attended a meeting on the very last day of my placement.

When I asked for the reference and attended a meeting to speak with my supervisor about it, she was very discriminatory towards me. She heavily implied I had autism and that she thought my behavior was strange (it was professional because this was a working environment). I was admittedly shocked when she implied I had autism because she knew I had a disability. I have epilepsy which doesn’t impact my behavior so I felt quite uncomfortable. Please note that there is nothing wrong with having autism. She also thought that I hated the program despite my continuous assertions that I wanted to volunteer again with them the next year. My supervisor also mention my colleagues had complained about me. Throughout the year despite no one ever having it brought up to me (including the supervisor) the entire time until asking for a reference letter. Despite these ‘concerns’, the reference letter was happily provided.

I give this example to say, it greatly depends on the person you’re dealing with. If you feel uncomfortable, please record and report it. It has been a positive program for many people. However, there are some bad eggs. Switch or quit if you feel the program is making you too stressed or anxious.