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Description
Many of the problems of people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) stem from peer pressure and the expectation that a child with ASD will behave ''normally'' no matter the circumstances. This results in trauma in the adult life of such children. Therefore, we would like to help parents accept that children with ASD are different as well as show them that neurodiverse children have unique talents and that positive support for their development is a better way than ''behaviour therapy''. In response to these challenges, within the project we will run workshops for parents of 20 children with ASD and provide them with psychological support. We will set up a Talent Discovery and Development Lab and deliver workshops to help discover and enhance the talents of twelve neurodiverse children. A business network sensitive to the needs of people with autism spectrum disorder will support and disseminate the results of the project. We will train the employees of 60 companies, and in 20 companies we will conduct audits on job creation opportunities for people with ASD. We will conduct day-long study trips to inspiring places linked to the talent pathways and to local companies that could be future workplaces for the participants of the project. We will encourage companies to provide patronage, substantive and technical support for projects implemented by young people. Our partners are the Gryfów Śląski Municipality and the Boskie Karkonoskie Foundation acting to promote sensitive, socially responsible business.
Summary of project results
From November 2021 to November 2023, the Ditero Foundation implemented a project entitled "Talented neurodiversity. Labor market sensitive to the needs of people with ASD" financed by a grant from the Active Citizens - National Fund program financed by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway under the EEA Funds. The project implemented the rights included in the Charter of Rights of People with Autism: a life as independent and valuable as possible, allowing for the full development of one''s own capabilities. The starting point for the project was the reflection that the problems of people with ASD stem from the pressure of the environment and the expectation that a child with ASD will behave "normally" regardless of the circumstances. The consequence of such social pressure, combined with the lack of knowledge of parents, is often poor therapy and violent adaptation to "norms and expectations", which results in traumas in adult life, the testimonies of which appear more and more often in the confessions of self-advocates. In response to these problems, comprehensive support was provided to 12 young autistics to develop their talents, aimed at future work in a profession related to their skills. All project participants completed independent and team projects that were a guide and inspiration for developing the potential hidden in neurodiversity. In addition, parents of the Ditero Foundation''s charges received support that helped them accept their children''s differences and free them from pressure and violence. The activities supporting and popularizing the effects of the project included the conference "Talented Neurodiversity" and training and audits conducted in cooperation with the Boskie Karkonoskie Foundation aimed at creating a business network sensitive to the needs of people with ASD.
The PORT workshop was created and equipped, which enables creative work with children in 4 workshop modules: 1/ Nature laboratory/ Biology workshop 2/ IT workshop 3/ Music workshop 4/ Graphics and photography workshop Organization of classes "Passion connects us - The most important project activity from the perspective of diagnosing needs - non-violent therapy and popularization of work methods aimed at following the needs of children, discovering practical talents, providing the foundations for future professional skills." We appointed a diagnostic team, which developed a diagnostic tool - "Talent diagnosis", i.e. a work methodology containing forms for children, parents and a therapist recording their observations in the PORT workshop. However, the activity went differently and turned out to be much more complex than we had planned. The conference entitled "Talented Neurodiverse" was the culmination of the project. In accordance with the original assumptions, it was held in a representative place - the Brunów Palace, which was chosen after considering the costs of organizing the event in similar locations.
1/ improving methods of working with young people on the autism spectrum and their families 2/ establishing relationships with the foundation''s business environment and influencing the development of an environment sensitive to the needs of neurodiverse people 3/ organizational development of our foundation resulting from both the activities planned as part of institutional development and the vast experience gained during the implementation of substantive activities.