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Youth with autism gain, keep jobs after employer-based skills program… and $10.66 an hour. A year after graduation, 87 percent of the participants still had their jobs. Meanwhile, a control group of young people with autism who did not take part in the job skills program saw only 6 percent employed three months … school (greater than 75 percent), receive a combination of nine months of immersion in a business setting internship, plus supports such as applied behavior analysis, that their chances for becoming competitively employed are much better than … encouraging. The study, “ Effects of an employer-based intervention on employment outcomes for youth with significant support needs due to autism ,” was published in the April 1 edition of the journal Autism . Wehman, a professor in the …
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 …
Coding and autism: Learning the skills I need to start a tech career… I had a deep sense of home and hope and optimism, knowing that finally I have a place to put all my energy and a great of group of people who can direct me and be patient with me while I learn the skills I need in order to help myself in the … have teamed up to create the NXT GEN Coders Program. Powered by GameStop and administered by Autism Speaks, the grant will support programs to teach people with autism of all ages critical coding and computer programming skills. … Coding and …
Karl Wittig, a retired electronics engineer, reflects on his late diagnosis and career journey… spectrum disorder. His diagnosis gave him a deeper understanding of his differences and allowed him to find a tight-knit support group of other autistic adults. In this Q&A, Karl talks about his journey to an autism diagnosis and his three secrets to … I had finally nailed it. After my diagnosis, I became very engaged in the autistic communities. I started going to support meetings, which I’ve been going to and facilitating ever since. I’m part of an organization now called Aspies for …
Expert Q&A: Dr. Ryan Adams shares tips and resources to end bullying… in the UC Department of Pediatrics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, a member site of the Autism Speaks-supported Autism Care Network . His research focuses on adolescents, peer victimization, bullying and depressive symptoms. … some examples of strategies you offer in the guides? We know the most effective way to stop bullying is giving the larger group of bystanders the tools they need to recognize when it’s happening and get involved. A lot of times, people get away … with bullying by saying they were kidding, so we teach kids that doesn’t matter. Then, we give them different strategies to support the person being bullied. For example, the easiest thing to do if you witness bullying in school is not to laugh. …
Meet Kaitlyn Y.… hops in the car with her mom, Julie, to head to their do-it-yourself craft studio franchise that offers individual and group classes to create the latest on-trend designs on customizable decor accessories. Diagnosed with autism at age three, … in the world right now, where would you go? Why? Chicago, to see my aunt and uncle and their dogs. Who are your biggest supporters & how have they touched your life? My sister, Alyson. Ann Deddens (my tutor). Jesse (my job coach). Mike Darling … of advice you can give other parents who have a child/children on the spectrum? Build a village of people that will help support you and your child. We have been so fortunate to have amazing professionals guide us through this journey. We have …
Catching up with Taniya H. … nature of the game on the court, but off the court she was adjusting to life in a new city with new coaches and a new group of teammates. Today, as one of the senior leaders on the team, Taniya’s tenacious work ethic and passion for the … who she is and what she is capable of in this Q&A. How important has it been to your personal growth to have found a supportive environment at the University at Albany and a head coach that understands autism and has the connection of her … and can accomplish your goals if you work hard. You can overcome obstacles and be whatever you want to be with the right support system and work ethic. I take pride in being a representative for the autism community. I feel like as a D-1 …
Meet Nils S.… my peers. Over the years, I've improved significantly upon these issues by taking numerous theater classes; social skills groups; regular psychotherapy sessions; and actively participating in social activities. Through these activities, I've … museums and institutions to inquire about potential employment prospects. I feel that a lot of people have been major support systems for me. These have included family friends who have provided emotional and financial support; different faculty and staff members from school and college who have written strong letters of recommendation on my …
Transition from school-based services to HCBS Waiver adult services… my local County Boards of Developmental Disabilities (CBDD) office based on life skills. I was assigned a services and support specialist who attended my IEP meetings to help with transition planning. By the middle of my senior year, my family … was vocational focused. It included time in a classroom learning office tasks and participating in leisure activities with support, and time volunteering at a local community center which ran a food bank, preschool, and fitness center with a kids’ … to note that the Department of Developmental Disabilities at the state level has announced that they formed a work group to focus on redesigning these waivers in the future .) Waivers can pay for things such as adult day programs; …
Meet TeeKayy… lost the will to live at this point. This was the most difficult and darkest time in my life, but thankfully I had the support of my true friends. They all had my back and helped me to keep my head up during a time when I needed it the most. I … team. This allowed me to feel like my true self, but also allowed me to hide amongst my teammates and be part of a group that accepted me. It was also the decision that eventually led to me being forced out the closet when rumors started …