# 'Agricultural specialisterne': rural employment revolution for those with Autism **URL:** \ **Category:** Lounge\ **Created:** [June 5, 2011, 5:40am UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/agricultural-specialisterne-rural-employment-revolution-for-those-with-autism/50615 "2011-06-05T05:40:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 65
**Author:** ![Visionary7903](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/45deac/32.png) [@Visionary7903](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/Visionary7903)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2018, 8:11am UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/agricultural-specialisterne-rural-employment-revolution-for-those-with-autism/50615/1281 "2018-02-06T08:11:13Z")
The subject of recent posts has mainly been on Autism-related events and organisations in the state of Ohio. To the north, _Magnusmode_ is the Canadian company behind ‘MagnusCards’, a company that leverages technology to empower and support people with various challenges including Autism Spectrum Disorders. ‘MagnusCards’ is a fun digital life skills guide that helps people thrive and gain independence. The free app is available for download for iOS and Android… > [@](#): > > As part of Autism Awareness month in Canada, Toronto Pearson is proud to be the first airport in the world to partner with MagnusCards, an app offering digital how-to guides (Card Decks) for people with autism and other cognitive special needs. The introductory Toronto Pearson set of ten Card Decks offers a personal step-by-step guide for passengers who might find the busy airport environment uncomfortable and gives users and their caregivers a chance to learn how to navigate community environments with greater ease and independence. > > With a focus on improving the passenger experience for more than 44 million passengers per year, Canada’s largest airport is the first in the world to use MagnusCards’ innovative digital approach to address the needs of travellers with cognitive special needs. The Toronto Pearson series of Card Decks, which includes common airport processes like checking in for a flight and going through security screening, is critical to the airport’s mission of ensuring all passengers – including those who need some extra help in the busy airport environment – feel safe and comfortable. > > “Toronto Pearson will become the first airport to participate in the program, setting ourselves apart as leaders in accessibility and demonstrating our commitment to creating a universal experience for all passengers” said Scott Collier, Vice President, Customer and Terminal Services at the Greater Toronto Airports Authority. “We are responding to our passengers who are looking for ways to efficiently navigate Toronto Pearson while travelling with family members with cognitive special needs.” > > MagnusCards …leverages technology to empower and support people to ensure they can navigate a variety of daily functions, with support from the photos and step-by-step instructions provided on the card decks. Toronto Pearson Airport Card Decks are part of a growing suite of leading venues and brands, including CIBC and Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, who use the cards to help their customers navigate these diverse environments. > > “I created MagnusCards to help people like my brother, who has autism, to do the things he wants to do and go the places he needs to go with greater ease and comfort” said Nadia Hamilton, Founder & President of Magnusmode, the company behind MagnusCards, “Toronto Pearson Airport Card Decks reduce barriers to participation and support people worldwide to experience the wonder and freedom of travel.” > > …Each Card Deck includes a photograph, audio and description of steps in the process, helping passengers to feel safer and more comfortable in their experience… (source: [https://www.torontopearson.com/pearson\_leftNavOneColumnWF.aspx?pageid=78&id=21474840154#](https://www.torontopearson.com/pearson_leftNavOneColumnWF.aspx?pageid=78&id=21474840154#)) ---
**Author:** ![Visionary7903](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/45deac/32.png) [@Visionary7903](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/Visionary7903)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2018, 8:26am UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/agricultural-specialisterne-rural-employment-revolution-for-those-with-autism/50615/1282 "2018-02-07T08:26:00Z")
The subject of recent posts has mainly been on Autism-related events and organisations in state of Ohio. To the southeast, the _Marcus Autism Center_ is an Atlanta, Georgia-based nonprofit and subsidiary of _Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta_ that treats more than 5,500 children with autism and related disorders a year. With the help of research grants, community support and government funding, _Marcus Autism Center_ aims to maximize the potential of children with Autism today and transform the nature of Autism for future generations… Here is a link to a video from the _Marcus Autism Center_: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4mcCH089m8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4mcCH089m8) (source: [Re-Education Services prepares Fall Run for Autism](http://www.news-herald.com/article/hr/20131001/NEWS/131009988)) ---
**Author:** ![Visionary7903](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/45deac/32.png) [@Visionary7903](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/Visionary7903)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 4:19am UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/agricultural-specialisterne-rural-employment-revolution-for-those-with-autism/50615/1283 "2018-02-08T04:19:48Z")
The subject of recent posts has mainly been on Autism-related events and organisations in the state of Ohio. To the northwest, _Atzmayim_ is a Wisconsin-based [short] course in adulthood for young people on the Autism Spectrum who have previously never had much independence. Selection to the program depends less on a diagnosis than on an ability to function… > [@](#): > > Like many 20-year-olds, Jacob Rapport has a summer job. This year, he’s working at Trig’s Market in [Vilas County,] Wisconsin. He started off as a cleaner, but after a few weeks, he asked for and received a promotion to bagger. “I think bagging has more responsibilities,” he said. “There can be pros and negatives, but I like to interact with the customers.” > Unlike many 20-year-olds, though, Rapport has, as he described it, “some things in life I have to work on, like staying focused. I have a hard time living in the moment. I’m always worrying about the future, thinking about the past.” He sometimes gets anxious or feels like he’s being watched, like on a hidden-camera show. This makes many social interactions difficult for him. He was nervous about starting his job at Trig’s. > But he’s had help from Atzmayim, a vocational program at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin, where he started as a camper in 2013, and which set him up with the job and works with him to make sure he succeeds. > > Atzmayim, the Hebrew word for ‘independent,’ is an extension of Tikvah, Ramah’s program for campers on the autism spectrum or who have other social or learning challenges. All Atzmayim participants are high school graduates between ages 18 and 23, and they all work three hours a day, five days a week, in the [local Vilas County town,] about 15 minutes from camp. Many locations in the Ramah network of camps, which are affiliated with Judaism’s Conservative movement, have vocational programs for participants with special needs, but most are centered on jobs within the camp. Ramah Wisconsin’s is the only one that sends its participants out into the surrounding community. This, said Ralph Schwartz, the camp’s director of special needs programming, is an important distinction. > “As wonderful as camp is, for our participants working, it can sometimes be too accommodating,” he explained. "Everyone is too nice. When you’re bagging at the supermarket, you have to handle customers. You have to be respectful and you have to say ‘Good morning’ and ‘Have a nice day.’ When your supervisor at the coffee shop says, ‘Please sweep the floor,’ you can’t say, “I’m not in the mood,” or “I just did it a couple of hours ago.” > > …“When we’re accepting people,” said Schwartz, “they need to be able to work three hours a day. We want to make this successful for everybody. We are looking for people who can meet those expectations. And a lot of people rise up to meet those expectations.” > > …Participants–as they’re called, not ‘campers’-- live in staff housing and, in addition to working, are expected to wake up on time and get ready for their jobs, do their laundry, keep themselves and their rooms clean, help cook their own dinners, and figure out when they need to go to bed so they won’t be exhausted the next day. For many, said Schwartz, this is their first experience using an alarm clock. > But the program also provides a strong support system so the participants can, as Schwartz put it, “be as independent as [they] can be. For different people, it’s different levels.” During their non-working hours, participants practice how to deal with issues that might come up at work, or with their roommates, or with other people they might encounter in the wider world. This involves a lot of role-playing exercises so that participants will be prepared if people respond in unexpected ways. > For example, Schwartz said, there was once a participant who had a job bagging groceries. He learned how to greet customers and ask them what kind of bag they wanted. But one day a woman came in who was in a hurry and didn’t answer when he asked ‘paper or plastic?’ Frustrated, the participant told her ‘Whatever.’ > “We had to work with him and let him know you can’t say that to a customer,” Schwartz said. “[The customer] didn’t follow the script. He wasn’t sure what to do. Every little thing like that is a learning experience.” > Atzmayim began in 2004 when Rabbi David Soloff and Margaret Silverman, who were the camp director and Tikvah director at the time, approached several business owners in Eagle River and asked if they would help provide the participants with job skills they could take into the real world. At first, said Schwartz, the business owners were wary. They agreed to work with the camp, but they were nervous about how it would go. But now, 13 years later, 10 Atzmayim participants work in five local businesses: Trig’s, a coffee shop, a children’s museum, a toy store, and Ace Hardware. At the end of the summer, the business owners provide the participants with recommendations they can use when they apply for other jobs back home. > “Now the owners themselves give us referrals on which new businesses to go to,” Schwartz said. “I don’t think any of us could have imagined the relationship we have now with the business owners in Eagle River, none of whom are Jewish. The camp and town have always had a good relationship, but this takes it to a new level. It makes it very personal.” > > “Generally [Atzmayim participants] are very helpful,” said Michael Nabbefeld, the assistant store director at Trig’s. “We’re so busy at this time of year, their helping hand can be absolutely wonderful. What really helps a lot is that the workers that are coming to help us have job coaches. We work with the job coaches, let them know how they can help us. And the job coaches work with the participants.” > It was Jacob Rapport’s job coach, Allie Rosen, this year’s director of Atzmayim, who suggested that he ask for a promotion from cleaning to bagging and helped him rehearse the conversation with his supervisor. “Maybe I psyched myself out a few times,” he admitted. But he’s found that he’s a good bagger, and most of the customers he’s met have been kind. "I may tell a customer, ‘Oh, I’m sorry.’ And they’ll say, “Don’t be sorry! Take your time!? It’s so nice.” > When he’s not working or practicing life skills, Rapport, like others in Atzmayim, gets to enjoy camp life. (Which, actually, is practice for another life skill: managing one’s leisure time.) Each participant is paired up with a staff member who serves as a friend and mentor. Along with younger campers in Tikvah, Atzmayim takes turns leading Friday night services and prayers after meals in the dining hall. Depending on their skills and interests, they can play sports or do arts and crafts. > On Wednesdays, their day off, Atzmayim members volunteer at a nearby senior center. This part of the program was added just this year, at the suggestion of Rosen, who thought it would be nice for the participants to gain experience caring for other people. It’s been so successful, Schwartz says, that next year one of the Atzmayim participants will work there throughout the program. > Most Atzmayim participants are in the program for two or three summers. This is Rapport’s second year. It may be his last; in the future, he plans to go to Ohio State University… Schwartz believes that the skills he’s learned in the summer will help him there. > The program provides “a certain level of independence,” Schwartz said. “The program is challenging to the participants. We’re constantly working on goals for them. Letting your boss know when you’re there, telling your boss when you’re leaving, break time. When you don’t understand a direction, asking. All these things can be hard. They’re hard for anybody. Letting them get those real-world experiences – it works.” (source: [https://forward.com/news/379064/jewish-summer-camp-ramah-wisconsin-tikvah-atzmayim-autistic-teens-independe/](https://forward.com/news/379064/jewish-summer-camp-ramah-wisconsin-tikvah-atzmayim-autistic-teens-independe/)) ---
**Author:** ![Visionary7903](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/45deac/32.png) [@Visionary7903](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/Visionary7903)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2018, 7:47am UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/agricultural-specialisterne-rural-employment-revolution-for-those-with-autism/50615/1284 "2018-02-09T07:47:26Z")
The subject of recent posts has mainly been on Autism-related events and organisations in the state of Ohio. To the east, New Jersey-based singer-songwriter Tommy Byrne has written an anthem ‘Unstoppable: A Song for Autism’… > [@](#): > > …He originally posted the anthem, recorded with his 7-year-old goddaughter Isabella (whose 10-year-old brother, Anthony, has autism), on Facebook on Jan. 12. He and Isabella sing it together, harmonizing on the verses as well as the inspirational chorus: > > We see the words in your smile > We see the joy right in your eyes > When something in your world goes wrong > Remember to stand up and be strong > > Along with the video he included the message: “A song came to me last night. My cousin, Anthony, has autism; and I wrote it with him in mind. I couldn’t finish all the words, so I went to see my Goddaughter – and we finished it together. (She wrote some of the lyrics in crayon.) We hope you enjoy it!” > > The video received close to 33,000 views through that post, and another 180,000 after being reposted, Jan. 18, by the Love What Matters organization. On that day, Byrne posted a version on YouTube as well. It has also been shared by other organizations, too, including Surfers Healing, The Autism Society of America, Autism Speaks and GodTube. > > Byrne, who lives in Old Bridge, says he wants to make a studio recording of the song and release it in time for World Autism Day in April, possibly as a charity single for a ‘homegrown organization’ that is looking to get involved. > > “Someone commented this song could be the ‘We are the World’ for autism,” Byrne says. “That is the ultimate compliment a songwriter like myself could ever get.” > > Byrne says he believes one of the reasons the song is resonating with people is because Isabella is singing to her brother, who is autistic. He says she is aware of the response to the song, but adds that “I don’t know if she understands how much of an impact she’s made already for so many families with kids that are on the spectrum.” Here is a link to a video: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwkyYKkjxMI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwkyYKkjxMI) (source: [NJ musician Tommy Byrne and goddaughter Isabella go viral with autism anthem](https://www.njarts.net/pop-rock/nj-musician-tommy-byrne-goes-viral-autism-anthem/)) ---
**Author:** ![Visionary7903](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/45deac/32.png) [@Visionary7903](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/Visionary7903)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2018, 8:28am UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/agricultural-specialisterne-rural-employment-revolution-for-those-with-autism/50615/1285 "2018-02-10T08:28:41Z")
The subject of recent posts has mainly been on Autism-related events and organisations in the state of Ohio. To the southeast, _Making Strides For Autism, Inc._ (_MSFA_) is a Jacksonville, Florida-based nonprofit with a social enterprise model. Its priority is to provide support, training, and advocacy to those individuals affected by Autism; creating a more Autism-friendly community… Here is a link to a video from the first annual ‘Jeepin’ 4 Autism’ fundraiser for _Making Strides For Autism, Inc._ in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida from about half a year ago: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qkzy1mE53sM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qkzy1mE53sM) (source: ) ---
**Author:** ![Visionary7903](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/45deac/32.png) [@Visionary7903](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/Visionary7903)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2018, 9:25am UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/agricultural-specialisterne-rural-employment-revolution-for-those-with-autism/50615/1286 "2018-02-11T09:25:47Z")
The subject of recent posts has mainly been on Autism-related events and organisations in the state of Ohio. _We Rock the Spectrum Columbus_ is an indoor sensory gym based in Delaware County, Ohio… > [@](#): > > A gym designed to help kids with special needs welcomed families for the first time Saturday morning in [Delaware County]. > > The We Rock the Spectrum Gym for all Kids was specifically designed to help children on the autism spectrum and their families. > > “I think it is just great because our community needs this so much…” said 11 year old Carson Vidra. > > The owner called it a first of its kind space in Ohio > > “It is technically a sensory gym,” said owner Lyndsey Vidra, “so it is a gym where kids with autism or sensory issues or even kids of just any ability, because it is very appropriate for everyone, it has different apparatuses than what you would typically see at a kids gym.” > > Vidra, a former special education teacher, believes the space could make a difference for a lot of families > > “It is a great time for those kids to get to know each other,” she said, “these are people in their community and they need to be able to function with each other.” > > Occupational therapist Sam Khean was at the grand opening, he said kids can utilize a lot of the toys and equipment for therapy. > > “They can come here and just play freely and not have to worry about making mistakes,” said Khean. > > Anyone is welcome at the gym. Here is a link to some photos from the gym: [https://www.facebook.com/pg/WRTSColumbus/photos/?ref=page\_internal&mt\_nav=1](https://www.facebook.com/pg/WRTSColumbus/photos/?ref=page_internal&mt_nav=1) (source: [505 - HTTP Version Not Supported]([http://abc6onyourside.com/.../first-of-its-kind-gym-in-ohio-opens-for-kids-with-](http://abc6onyourside.com/.../first-of-its-kind-gym-in-ohio-opens-for-kids-with-) autism-in-lewis-center‎)) ---
**Author:** ![Visionary7903](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/45deac/32.png) [@Visionary7903](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/Visionary7903)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2018, 8:56am UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/agricultural-specialisterne-rural-employment-revolution-for-those-with-autism/50615/1287 "2018-02-12T08:56:31Z")
The subject of recent posts has mainly been on Autism-related events and organisations in the state of Ohio. _Footprints Center for Autism_ is an Ohio based nonprofit organization dedicated to providing educational and therapeutic services to individuals with various challenges including Autism Spectrum Disorders. The _Center_, which serves Northeast Ohio, is particularly focused on Lake, Ashtabula and Geauga counties… > [@](#): > > A new treatment center for those with autism will be available to county residents starting in the fall, officials announced this month. > > The Footprints Center for Autism became officially incorporated as a nonprofit organization in Ohio in August 2017 and announced its organization in December. > > …“We plan to open our treatment center in eastern Lake County to students in September,” said Clincial Director and Occupational Therapist Nicole Best. “Our first major fundraiser is coming up on Feb. 17.” > > Best is also an intervention specialist. She said Footprints is in the process of finding the right location to treat and educate people with autism, and will host a major fundraiser to secure the right facility for its treatment center. > > She said Footprints hopes to be a positive resource for the communities it serves, and hopes to open the bridge between schools and homes to make education and communication easier for students and their families. > > “We hope to provide services for at least six people from ages 3 to 22 with autism in the first year, however the number could go as high as 15, depending on demand,” she said. “If we have more students than that, we’ll just hire more staff to provide adequate treatment for them.” > > She said the Footprints Center’s mission is to provide comprehensive, collaborative and child-centered programming for individuals with autism in a positive and non-restrictive learning environment so that each child can reach their highest potential and achieve excellence in all aspects of life. > > “Footprints Center for Autism envisions a world where all people with autism have the resources to live up to his or her fullest potential across all settings,” Best said. > > “There are many gaps in the consistency of intervention between school, home, and the community. The Footprints Center intends to help bridge those gaps by providing individualized therapy for the child and collaborative training opportunities for their families and caretakers.” > > She said Footprints intends to be an ‘autism scholarship provider.’ > > “In order to get a full scholarship, some criteria must be met, but once that is determined, the student will receive a full scholarship and receive services required by the student’s individualized education plan, or IEP,” she said. > > She said Footprints has depended on grants and fundraising to help create a full service facility. > > “We’re having our first major fundraiser on Feb.17,” she said. “It will be at the Patrician Party Center in Eastlake from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. It will [include a] silent auction… We’re hoping to sell 500 tickets. We’re selling single tickets and couples tickets and looking for corporate sponsorships.” > > Footprints Center for Autism Clinical Director Claire Calderea said the Center’s programs for treating autism will not be that much different from others in Cuyahoga County, but the emphasis will be on convenience and proximity. “There are others treatment centers in northeast Ohio, but this one will cater directly to families in Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula counties,” she said. “We’re trying to create a high quality facility that is closer for them. There is definitely a need for it. We hope to reach out to families who often must drive over an hour just to receive treatment.” > > She said Footprints will provide special education services, as well as speech and occupational therapy. > > “We’re appreciative of all the support we’ve received and excited to actually begin working with children and their families and communities,” said Calderea. > > Best said more information on Footprints, information on the fundraiser or any inquiries about students who might benefit from the center can be found at their website… Here is a link to a video: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tBhlVVQ1Tg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tBhlVVQ1Tg) (source: [Footprints Center for Autism plans to open doors to students in fall | Local News | starbeacon.com](http://www.starbeacon.com/news/local_news/footprints-center-for-autism-plans-to-open-doors-to-students/article_eef96aa7-eac5-5ed3-b41a-4745a28f9109.html)) ---
**Author:** ![Visionary7903](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/45deac/32.png) [@Visionary7903](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/Visionary7903)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2018, 8:33am UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/agricultural-specialisterne-rural-employment-revolution-for-those-with-autism/50615/1288 "2018-02-13T08:33:41Z")
The subject of recent posts has mainly been on Autism-related events and organisations in the state of Ohio. Across the border in Canada, _Mukibaum Accessibility Centre_ a Toronto, Ontario-based nonprofit which provides inclusive, specialized and unique community focused supports to children and adults with autism and other complex disabilities and their families… > [@](#): > > International Autism Awareness Day > > Often, when parents consult with me about their child, they share the painful experience of receiving the diagnosis of autism. > > …They describe the questions racing in their mind: > > What can we do? > Will our child ever be cured? > Why did it happen to us, to our child? > How will we cope with that? > What will happen to our child who apparently will not be able to learn and grow, become independent and live a life full of meaning? > > These and other similar questions usually emerge out of not knowing what the future will bring, which evokes fear and a sense of helplessness. Parents have shared with me how overwhelmed they were and the desperation they faced, as well as the sense of urgency in finding answers that will give them some assurance of a future less grim than the one they felt when they faced the shock of the diagnosis. > > It is important that today, on International Autism Awareness Day, we focus on the beauty of our children instead of the challenges and negativity of ?what cannot be.? This change in focus will also enable us to develop an ability to experience things differently. From my professional experience in the field, as Muki’s mother, and being an adoptive mother to sons with complex disabilities, I can attest to the fact that by opening ourselves to the possibility of change, our perspective does shift, enabling us to highlight and discover the hidden abilities that are the treasures within. > > After so many years of working with families and children who have complex disabilities and who are on the autism spectrum, and after applying this practice and belief in my own life, I have learned that in spite of all of the challenges, if and when we believe, we find that by Providing the Key to Access Ability, we are able to support the realization and actualization of the potential within… Here is a link to a short video from _Mukibaum Accessibility Centre_: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjCa\_4B4fzE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjCa_4B4fzE) (source: [Home Page - MukiBaum Accessibility Centre - Providing the Key to Accessing Ability](http://www.mukibaumaccessibilitycentre.com/)) ---
**Author:** ![Visionary7903](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/45deac/32.png) [@Visionary7903](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/Visionary7903)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 8:02am UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/agricultural-specialisterne-rural-employment-revolution-for-those-with-autism/50615/1289 "2018-02-14T08:02:24Z")
The subject of recent posts has mainly been on Autism-related events and organisations in the American state of Ohio. On the other side of the world, the _Kiran Society_ is a Varanasi, Utter Pradesh-based nonprofit that tries to spread awareness about Autism. The main aim of the nonprofit is to prepare children to integrate into mainstream schools and provide support & counseling to their parents so that children can also be successfully integrated in the family… > [@](#): > > After visiting India multiple times over 23 years, an Italian doctor finally moved to Varanasi to work towards the rehabilitation and education of children with autism. > > Dr Moreno Toldo looks like one of the many tourists who mill about Varanasi. He first visited the …city when he was 30 and was struck by the plight of poor villagers unaware of autism, a complex brain disorder that inhibits communication and social skills. Over the next two decades, he found himself coming back to India through his medical profession. …the doctor decided to shift to Varanasi in 2006, and work for the rehabilitation and empowerment of autistic children and their families. > > People with autism struggle to develop social relationships, and often have extreme behavioural challenges. “The rural society is unaware of this. It considers people with such neurological differences as being rude or demonstrating bad behaviour, when in fact, he or she does not perceive these differences,” Dr Toldo said, speaking on the eve of World Autism Awareness Day (April 2). > > There are not enough public services for autistic people and private services are too expensive, complicating matters for such families, the doctor said. > > “In a bid to work for the rural people, I met the director of Kiran Society, Sister Sangeeta JK. A resident of Switzerland, she founded this society 25 years ago for rehabilitation, education and vocational training of differently-abled children of Varanasi and the surrounding districts. I saw it as a ray of hope for those who did not have proper medical support. In 2006, I joined the society,” said Dr Toldo who works at Madhopur on the outskirt of the city. > > The society has a mobile team that organises camps in about 50 villages around Varanasi and its surrounding districts. > > “We have also started a Family Mediated Integrated Program (FMIP) in collaboration with a leading institute of Bengaluru for the treatment of communication impairment in children below five years. We have included 15 families with their children affected by autism. They have gone through therapy demonstrations and a home training programme to understand the needs of their child and help them recover,” said Dr Toldo. (source: [Autism Awareness Day: Italian doctor helps kids, families in Varanasi | India News](https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/autism-awareness-day-italian-doctor-helps-kids-families-in-varanasi/story-FHVqV7yeFOUXQNJ2pufDOL.html)) ---
**Author:** ![Visionary7903](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/45deac/32.png) [@Visionary7903](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/Visionary7903)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 9:08am UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/agricultural-specialisterne-rural-employment-revolution-for-those-with-autism/50615/1290 "2018-02-15T09:08:53Z")
The subject of recent posts has been on Autism-related events and organisations in the state of Ohio. To the east, _Joseph Tynan Elementary_ is a public school in South Boston. The school welcomes students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and various other challenges… Here is a link to a video on the school’s efforts: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSJJXoWtVTY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSJJXoWtVTY) (source: ) ---
**Author:** ![Visionary7903](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/45deac/32.png) [@Visionary7903](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/Visionary7903)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2018, 8:43am UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/agricultural-specialisterne-rural-employment-revolution-for-those-with-autism/50615/1291 "2018-02-16T08:43:38Z")
The subject of recent posts has been on Autism-related events and organisations in the state of Ohio. To the east, the _E. John Gavras Center_ is a Cayuga County, New York-based nonprofit that offers quality services and programs for individuals with various challenges, including Autism Spectrum Disorders, from birth… > [@](#): > > More than one year after receiving a state grant to support what was then an $880,000 expansion, the E. John Gavras Center is advancing a much larger capital project that will provide a new look to the facility’s exterior and increase its student capacity. > > The $1.5 million project will include elements of the initial plan – improving classrooms, replacing the 30-year-old playground and updating equipment. But the capital campaign will also involve upgrading the center’s appearance and branding. > > Plans for the capital campaign began after the Gavras Center received a $176,249 grant from the state in 2016. The center applied for funding through the Central New York Regional Economic Development Council, which endorsed the proposal as one of its priority projects. > > The center consulted with Matt Chadderdon, principal of BlueWater Strategic Communications and a member of the capital campaign’s steering committee. Chadderdon and his team “went through the entire building,” recalled Danielle Ambrose, the center’s CEO and executive director. They talked to parents, staff members and even outside vendors to get their opinions on how to improve the setting. > > One of the school’s unique features, according to Chadderdon, is that it combines its general student population and children with special needs. Gavras now has 78 students. Once the project is completed, it will have the capacity for up to 128 students. > > Increasing that capacity is important, especially after Neighborhood House closed in 2016. Neighborhood House, a day-care facility, shut down after serving the Auburn area for more than 100 years. > > Stakeholders, including the Allyn Foundation, the Emerson Foundation and Cayuga County officials, worked with Gavras to develop a plan on how to address the county’s child care needs. The capital campaign is the result of that collaboration. > > The $1.5 million project will allow Gavras to renovate classrooms and therapy spaces, create a state-of-the-art motor skills center and replace the playground. Four classrooms will be added and the center will create a “wrap around” daycare service preschool children. A new lobby will greet students and parents as they enter the facility. > > On the outside, the center’s landscaping will be improved so that the building is more visible from North Street and the front of the structure will receive a makeover with new signage. > > “This is a building, but it’s more than that,” Chadderdon said. “It’s a huge resource in this community.” > > The project will complement the center’s existing services. Ambrose said over the last decade there has been an increased number of children at the center who have autism or related disorders. The facility currently has two classrooms with children who are nonverbal. > > With nonverbal children, communication is a challenge. But one way the center has addressed that problem is with the use of technology. Each classroom is equipped with iPads that allow the students to communicate with their teachers and therapists. > > …The use of technology is an important tool outside the classroom. Ambrose said parents have remarked about how utilizing iPads or similar technological devices have helped improve communication at home. > > But the technology isn’t cheap. The center applied for a grant to fund the purchase of 30 new iPads. The Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation, named for the Syracuse men’s basketball coach and his wife, provided a grant that enabled the center to buy two new smart boards. > > The center’s leadership agrees that the support from central New York has been vital to its success. Ambrose noted that the Allyn Foundation played a major role in the facility’s expansion in 1994. And the Emerson Foudnation has been a longtime supporter of the facility. > > Other businesses and organizations have helped, too. Chadderdon mentioned Johnston, Lowe’s, Walmart and Wegmans as local businesses that have been supportive. Nucor Steel …is assisting with the center’s playground project. The company is providing in-kind services and employees will help build the new playground. > > “For us, it’s a big construction project,” Chadderdon said of the playground. “They do those all the time.” > > With the plans in place, the Gavras Center is now focused on ensuring it has the financial resources to fund the project. > > The fundraising effort will begin Wednesday… (source: [With help from Auburn area and Jim Kelly, Gavras Center advances $1.5M capital project | Local News | auburnpub.com](http://auburnpub.com/news/local/with-help-from-auburn-area-and-jim-kelly-gavras-center/article_10bb1ef2-508c-533d-a79d-435d3f277c3b.html)) ---
**Author:** ![Visionary7903](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/45deac/32.png) [@Visionary7903](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/Visionary7903)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2018, 7:48am UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/agricultural-specialisterne-rural-employment-revolution-for-those-with-autism/50615/1292 "2018-02-17T07:48:39Z")
The subject of recent posts has mainly been on Autism-related events and organisations in the state of Ohio. To the southeast, Asheville Regional Airport in North Carolina held a ‘Wings for Autism’ event earlier this week, in conjunction with _The Arc of Buncombe County_, _Allegiant_, _Bojangles’ of WNC_, _Worldwide Flight Services_, and the _Transportation Security Administration_. The event provides a simulated airport experience, to help familiarize our Autistic friends with the process of arriving at the airport, checking in, going through security, waiting at the gate and boarding a plane… Here is a link to a video on the event: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puIp7wxd8mY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puIp7wxd8mY) (source: [Youngstown news, Camp FRIEND focuses on children with autism](http://www.vindy.com/news/2016/aug/25/camp-friend/)) ---
**Author:** ![Visionary7903](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/45deac/32.png) [@Visionary7903](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/Visionary7903)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2018, 4:49am UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/agricultural-specialisterne-rural-employment-revolution-for-those-with-autism/50615/1293 "2018-02-18T04:49:39Z")
The subject of recent posts has been on Autism-related events and organisations in the state of Ohio. To the south, _NonPareil Institute_ is a Plano, Texas-based nonprofit, leading edge, ground-breaking, practical solution for adults on the autism spectrum which includes technology training, mentoring in professional working skills, and life skills development. Crew Members at _nonPareil Institute_ learn to create video games, apps, and eBooks for the iPhone, the iPad, the Android phone, and other technology platforms… > [@](#): > > Norris Fergeson knew she had found the right career-training program for her 26-year-old daughter, Katie, the first time Fergeson visited nonPareil Institute. > The nonprofit organization provides technical education and employment for adults with autism spectrum disorder. When Fergeson visited with a friend, adult trainees known as “crew members” were in the midst of tech training. > > “We went away marveling how happy the children were, how comfortable they seemed,” Fergeson said. “Their goal is to be the [Apple](https://www.chron.com/search/?action=search&channel=neighborhood%2Fheights%2Fnews&inlineLink=1&searchindex=solr&query=%22Apple%22) of autism.” > There’s only one problem. The institute is based in Plano, and leaving Houston isn’t really an option for the Fergeson family. > So, after some additional research on nonPareil, Fergeson teamed up with area parent Dan Furnish to campaign and raise the money to start a Houston nonPareil location. > > Over time, other families joined them, and they raised $400,000 of a $1.1 million goal. > Finding a good option for Katie Fergeson and other area adults on the autism spectrum has been more than worth the effort, said her mom, who lives in the Upper Kirby area. > On Feb. 10, nonPareil Institute unveiled its planned Houston location… > > Once it opens, the 7,700-square-foot campus will serve a “crew” of 100 who will develop mobile apps, games and eBooks for the consumer market. > Already, the 160 crew members at nonPareil’s Plano location have developed six apps for the iPhone operating system and Google Play, along with two eBooks. > Their top-three apps and games have been downloaded about 4,200 times. > > The nonPareil Institute was founded [almost a decade ago] by Dallas-area fathers [Gary Moore](https://www.chron.com/search/?action=search&channel=neighborhood%2Fheights%2Fnews&inlineLink=1&searchindex=solr&query=%22Gary+Moore%22) and [Dan Selec](https://www.chron.com/search/?action=search&channel=neighborhood%2Fheights%2Fnews&inlineLink=1&searchindex=solr&query=%22Dan+Selec%22), who both have sons on the autism spectrum. > “…I began to wonder what my son’s future looked like,” Selec said. > “There was a lot for kids with autism, nothing for adults.” > Selec works in the tech sector and was confident that his son is technology-inclined. > “I knew I could build a platform to teach him and guys like him to use technology.” > The training began in the Selec family kitchen and grew to a group of eight or nine trainees in the first year. > Selec became the organization’s CEO, and Moore has been handling donor relations as president. > > …“It’s time to open in the next place,” Selec said. > What has set Houston apart from other cities, he added, has been the parents’ resolve. > “…they actually came and saw the place, and then they did the leg work we couldn’t do,” he said. > “We just love the Houston community.” > Before learning about nonPareil, Fergeson’s search for career options for her daughter stretched out for years. > “I was looking online for something, and we were really not finding anything for her that was sustainable.” > Most college programs lacked the structure and focus a person with autism would need. > “These people have one area of interest, and they pay attention to that,” Fergeson said. > Katie Fergeson did attend [Houston Community College](https://www.chron.com/search/?action=search&channel=neighborhood%2Fheights%2Fnews&inlineLink=1&searchindex=solr&query=%22Houston+Community+College%22)’s [Vast Academy](https://www.chron.com/search/?action=search&channel=neighborhood%2Fheights%2Fnews&inlineLink=1&searchindex=solr&query=%22Vast+Academy%22) for students with disabilities. > She learned customer-service skills there, but she didn’t get training in her area of interest: computers. > She tried working for free for a technology company, Norris Fergeson said, but the business declined to provide tech training for her because she was “too autistic.” > “It was clear we had a problem.” > Katie Fergeson’s situation is not unique. > > …“There are too many Katies out there sitting in their rooms playing video games because they can’t get work while their parents are wondering what they’ll do,” Norris Fergeson said. > That’s why she has been so driven to find a place for adults with autism to learn and work. > > …“So far, it’s looking pretty good,” Selec said. “Once we reach our goal, we can start hiring and training staff.” > The Plano location has about 14 staff members for its 160 crew members, and Selec anticipates a similar ratio in Houston. > Fergeson said she can’t wait to see her daughter become one of nonPareil’s first crewmembers. > “She has a chance to be happy and to make a contribution. It’s a miracle.”… Here is a link to a trailer of a documentary on the nonprofit called ‘Programming Hope’: [https://vimeo.com/ondemand/programminghope](https://vimeo.com/ondemand/programminghope) (source: [Client Challenge](https://www.chron.com/neighborhood/heights/news/article/Institute-s-plans-for-facility-thrill-family-6099313.php)) ---
**Author:** ![Visionary7903](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/45deac/32.png) [@Visionary7903](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/Visionary7903)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 5:34am UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/agricultural-specialisterne-rural-employment-revolution-for-those-with-autism/50615/1294 "2018-02-19T05:34:08Z")
The subject of recent posts has been on Autism-related events and organisations in the state of Ohio. To the west of the United States, _Microsoft_’s Redmond campus, its corporate headquarters, is located at One Microsoft Way in Redmond, Washington. Its ‘Autism Hiring Program’ at _Microsoft_ is part of its Inclusive Hiring initiative… > [@](#): > > For technology to truly help people achieve their potential, it has to be able to help everyone. And the people creating that technology must reflect the people who will use it. > > …“By having people with disabilities in the fabric of our company, [we’re] building in a diverse workforce that then represents the [many] people with disabilities out there,” said [Jenny] Lay-Flurrie, Microsoft’s chief accessibility officer. “We’re going to be building better products, better services, websites…” > That spectrum includes many types of people who have talent and passion and who can help change the world. People like Joey Chemis, who came to work at Microsoft through the company’s program to recruit and hire people with autism, a program that started two years ago. > Researchers estimate the unemployment and underemployment rates for people on the autism spectrum are 70-90 percent. That was the frustrating reality for Chemis: he had advanced skills in math and was excited to put them to use, but he couldn’t get interviews. While he was working minimum-wage jobs, he knew he was ‘destined for something more.’ > To connect with candidates like Chemis, recruiters first focus on the ‘front door,’ explains Jen Guadagno, senior inclusive hiring program manager. Standard recruiting practices are not always accommodating for people on the autism spectrum. Recruiters receive training and guidance on how to best engage and interact with people based on their communication styles. For example, a candidate might have a tendency to answer questions exactly and succinctly, so learning to drive the conversation deeper and ask more questions is important for the employees and hiring managers who conduct the interviews. > Through Microsoft’s efforts to hire employees on the autism spectrum, recruiters and hiring managers also put an emphasis on looking at a candidate’s background holistically. For instance, someone might have advanced degrees but be working at a big-box store. “Because of that, there might be this perception of why someone doesn’t have a job in their field,” Guadagno said. To better assess experience, recruiters also look at technical projects and relevant volunteer work. “Just because you’re not working in your desired career, it doesn’t eliminate you.” > > Once the candidate is invited to a hiring event, a process that includes team-building exercises and mock interviews with feedback helps them feel supported. A technical skills assessment ?helps to drive more insight into someone’s skills and experience and puts more focus on their ability to do the job,? Guadagno said. > The program is part of Microsoft’s broader [inclusive hiring for people with disabilities](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/diversity/inside-microsoft/cross-disability/hiring.aspx). > Being inclusive means support like interview accommodations based on people’s needs and educating interviewing teams on disabilities and etiquette. ?We want to set a candidate up for the best possible experience to showcase their skills,? Guadagno said. > > …Being inclusive not only reflects our culture and our mission of empowerment, but it also makes good business sense, says Lay-Flurrie. > “A diverse and talented workforce brings new perspectives that help advance our ability to delight all of our customers,” [she said](https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/accessibility/2017/10/03/ndeam/). > > Messages of inclusion appear around Microsoft’s Redmond campus. > > From the beginning of his interview process, soon after the program was launched, Chemis felt that people at Microsoft were really interested in getting to know his strengths and passions. “You played with a bunch of tools. You had an assignment where you had to demonstrate your coding skills . . . you had some informal interviews called chats to figure out if you’d be a fit for the company.” The process allows people with autism to “shine and show their true colors and abilities,” he said. > Chemis still feels the same commitment today that he felt during his interviews, from the work he now does talking to new recruits going through the program to the way the Redmond campus regularly reminds him of how Microsoft supports employees. “I love the fact that it’s an inclusive culture and that inclusion is written all over the elevators and all over the walls,” he said. “You’re going to come here, you’re going to try things, you’re going to experiment. Some of the experiments won’t work out, but it’s OK because the end goal is for you to learn and develop and make great stuff.” > If Chemis could somehow go back and advise his younger self about the future, he says that he would say this: “You’re going to do really cool things. You’re going to end up getting a really cool job at Microsoft.” Here is a link to a video on the Program: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUAsU\_zQVMo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUAsU_zQVMo) (source: [https://blogs.microsoft.com/jobs/widening-the-spectrum/](https://blogs.microsoft.com/jobs/widening-the-spectrum/)) ---
**Author:** ![Visionary7903](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/45deac/32.png) [@Visionary7903](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/Visionary7903)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 5:38am UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/agricultural-specialisterne-rural-employment-revolution-for-those-with-autism/50615/1295 "2018-02-20T05:38:22Z")
The subject of recent posts has been on Autism-related events and organisations in the state of Ohio. The Montessori Method of education is a child-centered educational approach based on scientific observations of children from birth. Children with various challenges, including Autism Spectrum Disorders, can benefit even more than ‘normal’ children from the interactive, sensory-utilizing, calming, Montessori Method of learning… > [@](#): > > …Will Pitts …teaches seventh-grade history at Stephen Decatur [Middle School in Decatur, Illinois] and started the [tae kwon do] class for Decatur School District students in November, thanks to a grant from the Decatur Public Schools Foundation. Class meets five days a week after school. > > Pitts and his fellow teacher Ben West, who teaches band at Garfield Montessori School, have studied martial arts together at De La Rosa Martial Arts for several years, and came up with the idea to offer a class at no cost to Decatur students. Their teacher, Lisa De La Rosa, gave her blessing for them to teach and provides advice and assistance. > > “This is for the kids who don’t fit into traditional sports,” Pitts said. “Not everybody’s going to play football or basketball.” > > Martial arts provides them with training for body, mind and spirit, he said, and a supportive atmosphere with adults who care about them and can act as role models. Kids from throughout the district are invited and there is room for more, he said. The classes are free, with families responsible only for the kids’ uniforms and protective gear. Because many students in the district come from low-income families, paying for classes at a traditional school of martial arts would be out of reach. In addition, Pitts said, some of the kids in his class would go home to an empty house and nothing to do, instead of a ready-made group of friends and a constructive activity. > > Nichele Gavin’s two kids, Tara and Jayden, both participate in the class. Tara has autism, and Gavin said she was told that martial arts can improve focus and discipline as well as physical fitness. Another plus for her is that it’s an activity that both children can participate in together. Tara wears headphones to cut down on distractions and gets out there on the mat and spars with other kids and with her instructors with the best of them. Gavin said she can see a difference in her daughter already, including her grades. > > “She got all A’s on her last report card,” Gavin said. “That’s the first time she’s ever done that.”… Here is a link to a video on the Montessori approach for Autism: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIQm\_vfkaHc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIQm_vfkaHc) (source: [Martial arts program gives boost to students | Ap | tucson.com](http://tucson.com/ap/state/martial-arts-program-gives-boost-to-students/article_ca0d243f-c2ec-5885-9596-ec8feb01f8bb.html)) ---
**Author:** ![Visionary7903](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/45deac/32.png) [@Visionary7903](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/Visionary7903)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2018, 8:16am UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/agricultural-specialisterne-rural-employment-revolution-for-those-with-autism/50615/1296 "2018-02-21T08:16:00Z")
The subject of recent posts has mainly been on Autism-related events and organisations in the American state of Ohio. On the other side of the world, _Autism SA_ is a Netley, South Australian based nonprofit that provides services and support to individuals affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders.Its mission is to deliver specialised services and promote community awareness to facilitate an inclusive environment… Here is a link to a video from the nonprofit: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qi-us4vJjdk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qi-us4vJjdk) (source: ) ---
**Author:** ![Visionary7903](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/45deac/32.png) [@Visionary7903](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/Visionary7903)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 7:20am UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/agricultural-specialisterne-rural-employment-revolution-for-those-with-autism/50615/1297 "2018-02-22T07:20:56Z")
The subject of recent posts has been on Autism-related events and organisations in the state of Ohio. To the southeast, almost a year ago, an Autism OdysSea event was held at the _Navarre Beach Marine Science Station_ in Navarre, Florida. This was an event for individuals, including children, affected by Autism to enjoy a variety of interactive and educational opportunities including fish prints, sea turtle crafts, and touch tanks… > [@](#): > > Living with autism is tough and vacation can be even harder… > > But the folks at the Navarre Beach Marine Science Station want to make family fun in the sun a little easier for all families. > > They do this, in part, through their annual Autism Odyssea event. Every year in early May hundreds of children on the autism spectrum, their families, volunteers and community members flooded the Navarre Beach Marine Science Station. > > This annual event brings together a community need with the science station’s mission of educating the public on the marine environment and promoting conservation. > > Science station director Charlene Mauro …said the idea for the event came from watching a neighbor whose 3-year\*old child has autism. Mauro and the neighbor shared a vacation to Disney World, during which she saw the challenges that these children and their families face every day from public scrutiny to dealing with a world not designed for these children. Autism OdysSea was designed to meet the unique needs of this group. > > The hundreds of participants at this year’s event provided dozens of activities catered toward autism as well as marine education. Many of the volunteers have backgrounds in autism care and therapy so parents need not worry. > > Kids on the spectrum and off were able to participate in stand up paddle boarding and kayaking as well as a variety of activities and games on land. > > One particularly popular activity had children playing in water beads to find and identify sea critters, a sensation friendly activity. > > Many of the booths offer interactions with live animals. > > …Other activities have children doing crafts like painting starfish and making ocean-themed snack cups. > > More than just fun, every year families who come from all over to enjoy the event find support, a sense of togetherness and most importantly a moment of judgement free fun for every member of the family. Here is a link to a video on the event: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02tGVNTMEDU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02tGVNTMEDU) (source: [https://blog.navarrelistings.com/2017/05/31/autism-odyssea-celebrates-all-on-navarre-beach/](https://blog.navarrelistings.com/2017/05/31/autism-odyssea-celebrates-all-on-navarre-beach/)) ---
**Author:** ![Visionary7903](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/45deac/32.png) [@Visionary7903](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/Visionary7903)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 7:52am UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/agricultural-specialisterne-rural-employment-revolution-for-those-with-autism/50615/1298 "2018-02-23T07:52:37Z")
The subject of recent posts has mainly been on Autism-related events and organisations in the state of Ohio. Staying in Ohio, the _Columbus Crew_ is a professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio that competes in Major League Soccer as a member club of the league’s Eastern Conference… > [@](#): > > While they remain competitors on the field, the Columbus Crew and Philadelphia Union will join forces this weekend to raise autism awareness. Players from both sides will wear unique shoelaces with shades of blue, the official color of autism awareness, to kick off Autism Awareness Month on Saturday. > > Crew Assistant Coach Mike Lapper and Union manager John Hackworth both have children with autism. The Union’s autism awareness game last season against the Crew inspired Lapper to spread the cause to Columbus. > > “It was a great event [in Philadelphia] and I wanted to bring some of that awareness to Columbus since it hit home for me,” Lapper explained. “I wanted to get more involved in that push raising awareness. I thought it would be a great idea to just start out small by wearing the shoelaces the first year. Hopefully, as the years progress, we’ll gain more knowledge and insight and be able to do a bigger and better job each year.” > > …By wearing blue shoelaces on Saturday, the two MLS clubs hope to raise awareness to help research [Autism Spectrum Disorders] in the U.S.. > > “We want to bring some recognition to something that is getting to be really prevalent in America,” the Assistant Coach continued. > > “From a fan and media standpoint, we just want to let people know that autism is unfortunately growing the wrong way in numbers.” Here is a link to a video on the _MLS_ clubs Autism awareness and fundraising efforts: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtND7qx76Sk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtND7qx76Sk) (source: [Crew and Union to Wear Unique Shoelaces in Support of Autism Awareness Month - OurSports Central](https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/crew-and-union-to-wear-unique-shoelaces-in-support-of-autism-awareness-month/n-4568895)) ---
**Author:** ![Visionary7903](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/45deac/32.png) [@Visionary7903](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/Visionary7903)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2018, 7:29am UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/agricultural-specialisterne-rural-employment-revolution-for-those-with-autism/50615/1299 "2018-02-24T07:29:31Z")
The subject of recent posts has mainly been on Autism-related events and organisations in the state of Ohio. To the southeast, the _Autism Center of The Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Sacred Heart_ is a Pensacola, Florida-based nonprofit that offers a range of services for children on the autism spectrum. These services include direct, individualised Applied Behaviour Analysis therapy… > [@](#): > > “When I was taking classes, autism was this little paragraph in a book. not a chapter, not a whole book, it was a little paragraph.” Debbie Keremes is sitting in her crowded office at the Autism Center at Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital off Bayou Boulevard in Pensacola. She is the manager of the facility as well as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. > > “Applied behavior analysis is the scientific study of behavior. And it’s not a new field, but because insurance covers it now and people are more aware, as that increases, you know, as people become more aware of that and how to use those skills, then we can be more effective across the board”. > > For school age children with autism or other qualifying special needs, the local school district must create an IEP: Individualized Education Plan. Implementation of that plan is monitored and adjusted as needed. At the Autism Center, they try work with the school system to go further for their clients. > > Keremes says, “We work with the school district, we don’t try to have two separate things going on.” > > Jennifer Findley, another Behavior Analyst at the Autism Center, explains, “I would say that our biggest addition or difference between the school is that we have the ability to incorporate the parents into what we’re doing.” > > She has a unique point of view about the topic because she is also a parent of a child with autism. She says parents usually have to wait until they come home to find out what their child has been doing in school. “They’re part of the IEP process, but they’re not part of the day to day operations of the school. So the parents can come to [The Autism Center] and be part of the therapy. They’re invited to be in the session with us. We’re teaching them the skills of how to work with their kid outside of school and outside of the clinic setting.” > > And she says parents learning those techniques and being involved with their child’s program not only helps their family life, but can also improve the child’s performance in school. Findley became a Behavior Analyst after seeing how the discipline helped her son. “I learned about what ABA was, got my son in care and fell in love with it. It increased his communication and reduced his problem behaviors and I said ‘yep, I’m changing my entire career, that’s what I’m doing’”. > > A few years ago many more families were given access to the center when health insurance companies began to cover Advanced Behavior Analysis. Findley says that was a turning point as both an analyst and a parent. “I would say it’s only been five years or so that insurance has been covering ABA. And every year it’s more that are being covered, and that’s been a huge turning point. So it’s a lot more readily available out there, especially since Medicaid started covering it for families.” > > That increased access means there is a need for more people trained in [Applied Behavior Analysis]. The Autism Center has always had a waiting list for service, and Debbie Keremes says training is one of the most important services they offer. “This is a pretty stressful field. It’s pretty hard working with kids who can have some challenging behaviors [so] it’s not for everybody. There is a lot of turnover and training needs that are always going on.” > > Keremes says the center does training for both parents and professionals in Advanced Behavior Analysis. “We have trained hundreds and hundreds of people to assist working in the classrooms or paraprofessionals or speech and language pathologists, occupational therapists…so again getting everyone the training that they need and keeping everyone on the same page is what’s really critical for success.” > > But the main focus of the center remains the children and their families. Keremes and Findley both say that when parents first find out their child has autism it can be overwhelming. They hope to make the center a one stop shop for the available services. > > “It’s very confusing” says Keremes, “where do I go for a diagnosis , then I have to go somewhere else for treatment and I’m supposed to go to speech and occupational therapy in one location and Applied Behavior Analysis at another location and who is Autism Pensacola and how does this all fit together…” They say coordination of services is one of the center’s priorities so they can be a place where parents can go and get information about all of the available services in the region. Findley says burnout is another big problem for families. “I felt that way too, and if t was a relief when I actually came to a place where they were able to educate me and teach me and I didn’t feel quite so overwhelmed.” > > The Autism Center at Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital works [together with] teachers, physicians, therapists and family members–and partners locally with the University of West Florida …the Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Autism Pensacola, Early Steps and the local school districts. Here is a link to a video from the _Center_: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9jFrBv4BKY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9jFrBv4BKY) (source: [Local Autism Center Meets The Needs Of Children | WUWF](http://wuwf.org/post/local-autism-center-meets-needs-children)) ---
**Author:** ![Visionary7903](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/45deac/32.png) [@Visionary7903](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/Visionary7903)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 2:43am UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/agricultural-specialisterne-rural-employment-revolution-for-those-with-autism/50615/1300 "2018-02-25T02:43:45Z")
The subject of recent posts has been on Autism-related events and organisations in the state of Ohio. _Diveheart_ is a Downers Grove, Illinois-based non-profit whose mission is to build confidence, independence and self-esteem in the lives of individuals with various challenges, including children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, through scuba diving, scuba therapy and related activities… > [@](#): > > We’ve discovered the forgiving, weightless wonder of the water column provides the perfect gravity-free environment for those who might otherwise struggle on land. > > Underwater, we’re all equal. > > …Diveheart seeks to help its participants ‘Imagine the Possibilities’ in their lives. Here is a link to a video from _Diveheart_: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YxdLPSNldA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YxdLPSNldA) (source: [About Diveheart | Diveheart](http://www.diveheart.org/about-us/about-diveheart/)) [Previous page](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/agricultural-specialisterne-rural-employment-revolution-for-those-with-autism/50615.md?page=64) [Next page](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/agricultural-specialisterne-rural-employment-revolution-for-those-with-autism/50615.md?page=66)