# '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:** 1\ **Showing post:** 375
**Author:** ![Visionary7903](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/45deac/32.png) [@Visionary7903](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/Visionary7903)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 10:10pm UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/agricultural-specialisterne-rural-employment-revolution-for-those-with-autism/50615/375 "2013-01-13T22:10:34Z")
[Yesterday’s post](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/agricultural-specialisterne-rural-employment-revolution-for-those-with-autism/50615/374) was on the _Ride-a-Wave Foundation_, a California-based organisation that helps kids with special needs (including those with Autism Spectrum Disorders) build confidence and self-esteem through safe, fun, adventure activities such as Kayaking. Sailing is another water-based adventure activity that may be useful for individuals on the Autism Spectrum. Beirut, Lebanon-born George Saidah is the man behind the _Heart of Sailing Foundation_, a nonprofit whose mission is to introduce special-needs children to sailing… > [@](#): > > …Saidah, now founder and executive director of Heart of Sailing, is at a loss to articulate what it is about sailing and special-needs children that go so well together. Maybe, he speculates, it is the combined feelings of freedom, wind, calm and performing tasks as a team. > “I cannot put it in words,” he says. “But if you see the kids’ faces when they take the wheel, for example. Their faces light up. That is an experience I cannot describe. That by itself is worth a million dollars.” > …[Michelle’s] 10-year-old autistic son, Andrew, also went on a Daysail. “He has his certificate framed and hanging in his room along with his hat and medal,” [she says]. “Andrew remembers every child’s name that he met that day. It was a great social event for him.”… Here is a link to a video with more on this great program: [Heart of Sailing Maiden Voyage in Indiana - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s94iDdYFj3Q&noredirect=1) (source: [http://www.heartofsailing.org/Info/Media%20coverage/dad.pdf](http://www.heartofsailing.org/Info/Media%20coverage/dad.pdf)) --- _[View the full topic](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/agricultural-specialisterne-rural-employment-revolution-for-those-with-autism/50615)._