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Description
The systems currently available that provide assistance with becoming self-reliant and professionally active for people with ASD are ineffective and difficult to access. This can lead to regression and loss of skills developed by persons with ASD over many years of education, and thus to their social exclusion. The findings of a report by the Supreme Audit Office (NIK) (2020), as well as our own observations, show that new measures are needed to provide support for people with ASD. The main aim of the project is to provide support for young people with ASD in their community activity and self-advocacy, and to support self-organization and development of committees of parents of children with ASD. We intend to provide support for young self-advocates within the Ace (As) clubs (20 meetings relating to their areas of interest, mentoring provided by adult self-advocates, and the making of animations and films by young self-advocates on their experiences as people with ASD). We will organize 24 training sessions and support in self-organization (advice, consultations on creating committee websites, legal and financial issues, organizing events) for four newly-created parent committees. We will create a network for cooperation and organize a conference on the role and value of self-advocacy (200 participants). We also intend to train elderly self-advocates - grandparents of children with ASD (two training sessions for a group that to date has been disregarded in the family support process) and initiate support group meetings. Ten young people with ASD (aged 12 - 24), parents - 200, and grandparents will take part in the project. Due to measures under the project, ten young self-advocates will be empowered, four parent committees (each of approximately 25 people) will be created, and four grandparents will be coached on self-advocacy. Five educational animated films will be made, and distributed on social media.
Summary of project results
The systems currently available to support independence and professional activity for people on the autism spectrum are ineffective and difficult to access. Adults, after leaving education, are not guaranteed continuity of support and full access to therapy to prepare them for work and independent living (NIK 2020 report), which can lead to social exclusion. For example, only 19% of Vocational Activity Centres and 22% of Occupational Therapy Workshops support people on the spectrum. There is also a lack of activities that prepare young people on the autism spectrum for social work and self-advocacy.
As part of the project, various activities were carried out to empower young people on the autism spectrum in self-advocacy, as well as activities aimed at their relatives. 3 thematic AS clubs for young people focused on various interests (photography and fine arts, new technologies and IT, motoring) were launched. The clubs were run by self-advocates; a total of 20 meetings were held. As part of the AS club, young people created several animations. Twenty-four training sessions were held for parents grouped in 4 newly formed Parents'' Committees. They also received support in self-organisation. In turn, grandmothers and grandfathers of children and young people on the autism spectrum were offered participation in 2 support groups and 13 trainings on the autism spectrum. The Project Promoter also developed an online conference on the role and value of self-advocacy.
The project involved young people on the autism spectrum, as well as parents and grandparents of people on the spectrum. Each of these groups developed their knowledge of the autism spectrum and the competences needed to carry out self-advocacy activities. Leaders of Parents'' Committees became involved in advocacy and in local initiatives to support other parents.