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Finding Your Community… Team (ART) receives are for information about autism and community services. Common requests are for connections to peer groups, recreation, and parent support groups, among others. Finding community matters. It creates a sense of purpose, provides a means to build social …
Tips for Supporting Social Interaction in Youth Groups… attention seeking behavior to connect with others until they build the skills they need to interact. Here are some tips to support social interaction in youth groups: Extend a feeling of welcome and model for other participants that the youth with autism is a valued part of the … the group to pick partners, youth with autism are sometime chosen last, causing unnecessary humiliation. Learn more about supporting youth with autism in programs in Leading the Way: Autism-Friendly Youth Organizations . … Leading the Way: …
The Hatching Hope Foundation brings advocacy and support to Dallas-Fort Worth families… triplets, was diagnosed with autism in 2012 at age 2.5, she struggled to find much-needed information, services and social supports in her area. This struggle motivated Sabrina to commit her life to helping underserved families in Ft. Worth, Texas … she founded the Hatching Hope Foundation, an organization that provides parent training about autism, individual and family support services, and special education advocacy. In 2019, Keshawn tragically passed away from Osteosarcoma, a rare form of … someone who really understands what it’s like to be a parent living with a child with severe autism. Our Facebook support group, Autism Mocha Moms , has been another great way to connect with parents in the community. The group was created to …
Strategies for Success: Sports and Physical Activities… Many youth with autism are able to participate in sports and are a great asset to their team. The amount of support required to make this happen will vary greatly from person to person. Some people with autism have great skills in … team members while processing auditory and visual information from several sources at the same time. Here are some ways to support youth with autism in sports and physical activity programs. Be aware of motor, timing, language and attention issues … with autism. Know that even though he may not be able to keep up with the pace of learning and the activity of the whole group, he might still be able to learn components of a sport or activity that provides a valuable social outlet and physical …
Tips to create inclusive sports and recreation activities… shared interests. One option is through high-quality adaptive programs – those designed for people with disabilities in a supportive environment, from the Special Olympics to local therapeutic horseback riding lessons to school LEGO clubs. Since … individuals with and without disabilities participate together. Some activities and programs are already designed with the support needs of people with disabilities in mind. (Think: online video gaming.) But what happens when they are not? Here we … online within your county or state can open doors. One of the wonderful things about technology is there are virtual groups based on shared interest open to people across the world. These can be ideal if you feel burned out in general or if …
Autism Speaks opens applications for Local Impact Grants… enhancing their lives today and accelerating a spectrum of solutions for tomorrow. Autism Speaks’ Local Impact Grants support a variety of programs, including: Education and training programs for autistic individuals Recreation, athletic and … services, including vocational training, life skills, residential services and others Assistance for sensory equipment and supportive technology Summer camp scholarships for financially disadvantaged people with autism Since 2013, Autism Speaks … therapists and peers. Timeline: April 15: Application opens May 16: Application closes May 23 – June 17: A group of independent evaluators from across the country reviews and scores applications June 27 – July 8: Review …
Cherry Hill Programs and Autism Speaks present Santa Cares events to make visiting Santa inclusive for all ages and abilities… ensuring that the lighting and music are at reduced and comfortable levels. Santa and staff are trained to understand and support those with special needs and their families. “We are committed to serving our communities and providing … . Santa Cares is offered as Caring Santa® at Simon mall locations, and as SENSITIVE SANTA ™ at Washington Prime Group mall locations. About Autism Speaks Autism Speaks is dedicated to promoting solutions, across the spectrum and …
Pool and Water Safety for Lifeguards … way of communicating, that can help keep them calm them in an unsafe situation or if they have wandered away from their group. This first-responder toolkit has communication techniques in addition to a lot of other useful information for … the pool or have other communication differences, so they may not hear the whistle. Swimming facility owners can support autistic swimmers as well by communicating safety rules in different ways to ensure understanding, … are visual learners understand the rules. Teaching their lifeguarding and other staff about supporting an autism-friendly swimming experience can help make sure their pool is a safe and comfortable environment for …
Meet Helen P.… expressions often left her feeling like an outsider. But when her family moved to North Haven, Connecticut, she met a group of friends who encouraged her to embrace the unique traits that make her who she is. It was at that point when … was right! I hope one day my work can inspire others to chase their dreams too. How important has it been to have a strong support system of family and friends in your life? My family is very supportive of my dreams of becoming a wildlife photographer for National Geographic and whatever else I want to pursue. …
Parent Worries: Adult Son with Autism Still Obsessed with Barney… 24 and is on the autism spectrum, diagnosed with PDD-NOS as a child. He works part-time at Home Depot and attends a social-support group called Community Connections twice a week. While he continues to get more involved with the adult world at his job, he … Peter Gerhardt. Dr. Gerhardt, who serves on Autism Speaks’ Family Services Committee, has more than 30 years of experience supporting teens and adults with autism in educational, residential, vocational and community settings. Thanks for your …