What we have come to realize at Include Autism, is that in order for our kids, teens, and young adults diagnosed with an ASD to have a successful inclusion experience into community at large, there must exist a training and support system. This support system would be an organization that is in a position to recognize the needs and informational deficits of the community in their efforts towards individuals diagnosed with an ASD, and also to train, teach, and support the community at including autism into their organization. Include Autism is
that organization.
Our vision for our new Autism Inclusion Training program is a community-training program with several tiers. The first tier would target partnerships with local businesses or organizations that serve or would like to serve patrons diagnosed with autism. These organizations would benefit from a training workshop for their management and/or staff on autism and what small accommodations or modifications their organization could implement to better and more effectively accommodate and include people with autism into their business; this could be a local grocery store, a coffee shop, a library, a Little League Team, etc. Include Autism will offer a training workshop for the staff/front line team, management, or others directly involved in the organization. We will also provide an environmental analysis of each place of business or where an organization “lives”…sort of an Autism Feng-shiu-izing. So many organizations in our community could Include Autism if they just had a little practical information and support for the staff and the environment.
The second tier would be for businesses/companies that might want to employ some of our young adults in the future. I believe nearly every one of our teens and young adults with autism can have a meaningful paid employment experience when they leave high school IF there exists appropriate training of the management and staff in companies regarding what a person with autism needs to be successful.
This program is made possible by a grant from the National Foundation for Autism Research. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the National Foundation for Autism Research.
