SIERRA LEONE AUTISTIC SOCIETY
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Mission Statement
To enhance the well-being of people living with special needs/disabilities, particularly those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), their parents and care givers, through advocacy, empowerment, research, training and bio psychosocial (health, psychological and social), as well as educational support.
About This Cause
The Sierra Leone Autistic Society (SLAS) became a national Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in 2017, with the aim of facilitating access to health, education, psychological and social interventions, and strategies for persons with disabilities, with a focus on those with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC), other neuro-developmental conditions and intellectual disabilities. SLAS started through sheer desperation of families who had no safe space for their children with autism to interact. SLAS has grown and is currently catering for over 500 children and young people with autism/disabilities and their care givers in Freetown, Bo, Makeni and Kabala (in Sierra Leone). We take pride in the high standard of quality in all we do. Activities undertaken by SLAS fall under the following broad categories: • Sensitization/Awareness raising/Advocacy: SLAS sends ‘foot soldiers’ in the communities, we also engage the media and social media robustly within Sierra Leone (TV and Radio particularly) including facebook and twitter also. • Parent/Carers' Support (group and activities): Regular peer support groups for carers and family members at all our sites, offering friendship, support, and advice, creating community and reducing social isolation. Support groups have included discussions on relevant issues that families are experiencing, including stigma, food and nutrition, assisting children to communicate using a variety of methods, and supporting young people with accessing skills development opportunities. • Education/learning Service The school offers SLAS’ supported education programmes within which all aspects of the curriculum are adapted to ensure every child participates effectively. Each child has an ‘objectives plan’ with specific goals to ensure progress. Trained and qualified staff ensure that the children are effectively taught not only academic work, but also self-help and social skills, with substantial opportunities for learning through play. SLAS ensures weekly community and recreational outdoor visits for its pupils in the educational programme, to aid learning, build community relationships and to develop social skills. • Social support for individuals; play group and youth clubs: The Autism Practitioners, play workers, and their team of volunteers run youth clubs weekly as well as inclusive play groups ; These have been running very successfully as children and young people are provided with a range of activities both indoors and outdoors. • Multi-therapy/healthcare support: Our children and young people have access to a ‘multi-therapy’ team which includes medical and health professionals, amongst others; Doctors, Nurses, Counsellor, Physiotherapist and Social Workers. They support and advise staff, children, young people and their families. The afore-mentioned health team provide regular support to SLAS' families, many of whom have very limited access to a 'good quality' health care and other relevant support. • Outreach support: The Autism Practitioners (APs) based at the Freetown Centre, Bo and Kabala respectively, lead on community outreach and awareness raising in Freetown, Bo and Kabala. Together with input from clinical staff, as well as from the teaching team, etc., they have developed a programme for home-based intervention, outreach activities, as well as sensitization and advocacy programmes. • Home based intervention includes: Turn taking Speech and language development; including sensory reading, Picture Exchange Communication System, etc. Managing behaviours Independency skills - including toileting, dressing one-self, feeding one-self, etc. Referrals to other relevant services, etc. • Vocational skills training: Young people with autism and/or disabilities, are currently being trained in a variety of organized vocational training activities, such as those relating to customer service, catering, purchasing, hygiene, etc. Families of those training have commented on how positively overwhelming it is to see their children and those they care for combatting the stereo-type of ‘not being useful’ in society. In Sierra Leone we are one of a kind as far as service provision for persons with autism, and we provide holistic service for our service users.