ACTION FOR AUTISM

New Delhi, Delhi, 110025 India

Mission Statement

To facilitate a barrier free environment; to enable the empowerment of persons with autism and their families; and to act as a catalyst for change that will enable persons with autism to live as fully participating members of the community.

About This Cause

Action For Autism (AFA) is a not-for-profit that has been in existence for 28 years and has pioneered the autism movement in South Asia. In addition to awareness, advocacy, research and publications, AFA is involved in service provision across the lifespan through its various activities: education both special needs and inclusive, counselling, work and employment including supported and open employment, trainings and capacity building for both parents and professionals including Bachelor and Diploma trainings, and assisted living for adults with autism and other developmental disabilities. Action for Autism started the first educational program Open Door for children with autism at a time when they were considered uneducable and resources were non-existent. Open Door consists of a small school as well as outreach programs that reach out to a few hundred students each year. Most importantly, Open Door serves people of every economic background without discrimination. Open Door develops strategies and programs to address changing needs, and maximizes outreach by sharing experiences with programs under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan of Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt of India, the National Council for Education Research and Training an autonomous Organisation under Govt of India as well as private bodies. More critically AFA works with parents. It empowers parents to take the lead in the education of not just their own child but of other children as well. This has led to the start of organizations and schools in other places, as well as the entry of trained personnel in regular schools to support education of children with autism. At a conservative estimate India has a population of around 8 million individuals with autism. No one organization can reach out to each individual of this vast population with such a complex condition. Yet through the ripple effect of its programs AFA succeeds in bringing education to an ever-widening number of children with autism. Open Door continues to be the bedrock of education for individuals with autism. It serves not only as a place for developing strategies, but also the centre for training of professionals. The school is visited by professionals, parents and researchers from across India and beyond to grow their understanding and knowledge of the Autism Spectrum Disorders. But beyond all this, Open Door continues to be a centre of excellence for students with autism learning life skills. AFA’s services span the spectrum. Our beneficiaries are from economically disadvantaged to those with financial means. We impact people as young as less than a year to persons in their 60s. We serve individuals with severe challenges as well as extremely high functioning. We help children in regular classrooms as well as individuals doing higher education. AFA has impacted policy, initiated early identification, promoted the demystification of professional knowledge, catalyzed educational inclusion, and most importantly faclitated parents to become changemakers. Our work is based on the premise that autism is a different and valid way of being often difficult and challenging, but nonetheless, as valid as the non-autistic. Hence the objective of all our efforts is towards informing and changing society to adapt to autistic individuals as much as they have to learn skills to negotiate the social world. AFA’s newest endeavour Ananda Assisted Living, is a home for adults with developmental disabilities in a rural community in Haryana, outside Gurgaon. Ananda addresses the burning question of “What after us?” that every aging parent of a person with autism must face. Residents at Ananda lead structured and busy lives, and learn happy and independent functioning, working at a vocational centre, and helping out with chores at home and on the grounds based on their interests and ability. Ananda knits together it’s residents with the local community: currently through learning and social events, and eventually through shared work and recreational spaces. Creating a milieu that is inclusive, one where adults with autism will live in synchrony and be an intrinsic part of the surrounding environment is one of the key goals of Ananda. AFA is an advocacy organisation that is as involved in service provision across the lifespan through its various activities: Open Door Special School and Clinical Services, Aadhaar Vocational & Employment for Adults,Parent Empowerment Programme, Anvay Centre for Research and Trainings; Aahaan Publications; Aailaan Advocacy; and Ananda Supported Living for Adults with Autism. AFA’s services are designed as models for replication, thereby reaching out to larger numbers. A few Accomplishments  Successfully raised awareness among medical professionals leading to earlier diagnosis  Represented India in the launch of the World Autism Organization  Initiated the observation of Autism Week across the country  Successfully lobbied to include autism in legislation  Successfully lobbied for a government recognized Teacher Training Programme  Launched the first website on Autism in Asia  Developed teaching methodologies and produced the first of films on teaching methods  Started the first autism-specialist school in South Asia  Published Autism Network the first specialist journal

ACTION FOR AUTISM
Pocket 7 & 8 Jasola Vihar
New Delhi, Delhi 110025
India
Phone 011-40540991/992
Unique Identifier 5869958180139_08d1