Adventure Pursuits for Adults with Autism
Crabtree, Lisa
Towson University
$24,911.00
Community Grants
Towson
MD
United States
2008
Individuals with ASD entering adulthood and leaving behind the support of school-based services are poorly served in terms of community-based activity and recreation. to address this need, Towson's Adventure Pursuits for Adults with Autism program will develop team-building, creative problem solving, social communication and safe decision-making skills among young adults with autism. a focus on making safe decisions related to peer pressure, friendships, sexual relationships, and other areas identified by participants will be incorporated into the program. Participants, in conjunction with the peer mentors, will be asked to self rank targeted skills and progress toward individual goals each session by completion of a chart outlining identified objectives. By teaching the skills in real life situations such as the Challenge Course, with real life peer mentors who aren't merely role-playing, adults with ASD are able to receive the instant feedback and genuine social cues that will help solidify the concepts they are learning. Furthermore, because the learning happens in a recreational environment, participants are more likely to remain motivated and engaged.
