I have resigned from my position at the Autism Society of NC. Honestly, I really loved my job there, even though it was stressful and frustrating at times. I really appreciated getting to work closely with families, and see so many different way of raising a child with autism. There really is no one way to do it, just like there is no one way to raise any other kid.

Anyway, I have no regrets about resigning from a job I loved because I get to do THIS instead! I am going to run activity groups and parent seminars for the new Autism Community Center of Asheville!

I’ve been complaining for years that there are no recreation/leisure activities for people on the spectrum to participate in. I mean, people on the spectrum who can access the same activities as neurotypicals are doing that, of course, but some people do not enjoy those activities, or need more structure and explanation than many of those groups offer. I decided that I should just stop complaining, and use my summer camp director experience to create some great activity groups that are high-interest, low-anxiety and focus on having fun. Enter the new Autism Community Center, which will be located at Westwood Baptist Church in west Asheville.

We are going to begin by running activity groups (read more about them) and a monthly Parent’s Night Out. Eventually, the Autism Community Center will have an afterschool program, counseling services, academic tutors, and parent workshops. Check out the website, and tell us what you think!

photo by Mike Belleme

I can’t really believe that the year has gone by this fast, but apparently everyone was right, and adulthood, or, in my case, “adulthood”, is flying by. This is third year that Dragonfly Forest will have an overnight camp for kids with autism! It seems like it was just yesterday that I was agonizing over the details of the program design, and explaining why the schedule had to be both rigid and flexible at the same time.

Anyway, enough reminiscing.

The application for Autism Camp at Dragonfly Forest is officially open for 2010!

This year, campers can apply for an overnight session or a day camp session (see the website for session dates). We hire adults (18 plus) with autism to work as counselors or program staff, and we have a counselor-in-training program for teens on the spectrum.

I think I’ve said this before, but camp is the most fun I’ve ever had. Come check us out and see why I’m as excited as a cat in a mouse store!

Read more about Dragonfly Forest
Visit the Website for session dates, and the application
See a video of me talking about camp

Reason #333 that Dragonfly Forest is the best: They let me design a free overnight autism camp program for them outside of Philadelphia! This video is me (slightly awkwardly) talking about the program. You can read more about Dragonfly Forest, and why I designed it the way I did here.

A few weeks ago, I met with the Interpretive Association at the Cradle of Forestry (I’m working with them to make an autism-friendly adventure trail in Brevard!), and had a pleasant surprise. I had just pulled out my soapbox (which is never far from my side), in order to drone on about how to set up a successful autism program, when this quiet intern who I hadn’t met before stops me and says,

“Before we begin, I just want to say that I have Aspergers Syndrome.”

Sweet! My work here just got 500% easier.

Let me explain. This is what I would have soapboxed about:

A. People with autism don’t need the fun ‘toned-down’ for them. As a group, they don’t need easier games, flatter terrain, or simplistic versions. I have never come across an activity that people with autism just cannot do, because of their autism. Sometimes people with autism need more thorough explanations (often in a visual format) about what to do, but that doesn’t mean they should have to play the boring game, or do the undemanding activity. In fact, just like myself and other neurotypicals, people on the spectrum get squirrelly and/or tune-out when they’re bored.

B. We all need more thorough explanations sometimes (often in a visual format). How many of us send out meeting agendas (or wish we would) before we have meetings, so that the whole meeting knows what to expect? How many of us have travelled to a place where we don’t speak the language, and wished we could access a more thorough explanation, in a format we could understand?

C. As a group (with some exceptions), people with autism process information more easily when it is written down, or in a picture format if they do not read. Using visual explanations/expectations gives people with autism more access to the fun (read: life). It really doesn’t have to take a boatload of effort for our parks, museums, restaurants, and bars (yes! People with autism drink too!) to be more accessible to more people on the autism spectrum.

But I didn’t have to say all that, because this intern was there, who they clearly knew and respected. Nobody in the meeting was about to look this kid in the face and suggest that we set up even slightly dumbed –down adventures, or that we ‘protect the autism population’ by making the games too safe (read: boring). Kudos to the Cradle of Forestry for hiring someone on the autism spectrum, and for respecting that person’s expertise (in forestry and in autism).

Blue Ridge Bags and More is a small business, owned by the Autism Society of North Carolina, which employs adults with autism. As part of my job at the Autism Society, I am the official director of Blue Ridge Bags, which is how I know that we need some serious help! See, we have a really cool business, that is actually useful for folks (with and without autism), but nobody knows about us!

We have two parts to our business, and sadly, neither of them is making any money, so I’d like to appeal to you, dear readers, to help me spread the word about Blue Ridge Bags, in the hopes that we can boost sales.

What We Do at Blue Ridge Bags

Our adults with autism assemble TEACCH Home Teaching Kits, which are actually pretty sweet. I have seen a lot of gimmicky autism products in my 10 years in the field, and I can safely say that Home Teaching Kits are useful. They consist of a collection of tasks for a person with autism to do (usually sitting at a table), and an instructional video of how to run the tasks as a parent or helper. The coolest part about them is that parents or helpers who use Home Teaching Kits will actually learn to run any kind of task, and possibly invent their own tasks.

The people with autism who work for us also produce art, which we heat transfer onto canvas bags, mouse pads, cards etc. This part is so fun for all of us. We get to set up environments that are inspiring to the artists (nice lighting, spinney things, photos of their favorite stuff on the walls), and offer a variety of supplies, and then see what happens. Each artist decides if they want to donate their art to the business, or if they want a percentage of profit.

How You Can Help

Right now, we employ people with autism who have job coaches (publicly funded), who help them manage their time, take breaks when they need to, and organize their workload. Our accounting and marketing is done out of the state office of the Autism Society of NC, but I would like to hire people on the spectrum to do those jobs for our business. In fact, I would prefer that someone with autism ran the business, but we don’t have money to pay for any of that. SO. If you would like to buy teaching kits, or art, NOW IS THE TIME! If you have any great ideas for helping Blue Ridge Bags, please be in touch!

In order to increase our revenue, we are also offering our services in bulk mailings, or other such office-type tasks. Please email me svanmeerten@autismsociety-nc.org!

It with great pleasure that I write about one of the best projects I’ve ever worked on. Dragonfly Forest is a camp in the Philadelphia area that serves kids with serious illnesses and disorders. Two years ago, they decided to run a session for kids with autism, and I had the privilege of designing the program.
First, let me say that the camp is FREE for parents/families. Each session is about a week long, and it’s an overnight camp.

These two became fast friends, right away!

Part of the reason I was so excited to work on this autism program is because I truly love summer camp. I’ve worked at lots of camps, usually with my friend and mentor Scott Arizala, and I believe that everyone grows at camp. Kids, counselors, directors, and parents…everyone make these inexplicable leaps in understanding that most people do not understand. Camp is corny, it’s passionate, and it’s magical, and I highly recommend it for kids of all ages.

They are looking at a really cool snake.

My other passion lies in the autism field, and connecting these two interests was and is thrilling for me. I decided to design the program to be very similar to other camp sessions, but with extra structure (& explanatory visuals), additional activity choices, and some extra staff.

Marshmallow station at opening campfire.

I did not want to leave out any opportunities for fun, so we included the ropes course, campfires, canoeing, archery…the whole enchilada. Coming from a camp background, I felt very strongly that our camp was NOT supposed to be ‘therapy’, we were NOT going to shove any lessons down anyone throat. Instead, we were going to teach stuff the good way-by cramming as much freaking fun as possible into each day, and working to appreciate people for who they are, without trying to change them.

30 feet in the air! No wonder he is concentrating.

I was really nervous the night before the kids came…what if I forgot something? What if I was wrong and I accidentally over-estimated what the kids could do? What if someone gets hurt, or runs away (we had several runners signed up)? Did I sleep that night? Maybe an hour or two, tops.

Over the next few days, I was relieved to see that I had not underestimated anyone, my wonderful staff performed beautifully, and compassionately, and the kids loved camp. Let me be clear: autism camp is definitely not melt-down free (that would be ridiculous), instead it is a place where having a meltdown one minute doesn’t keep you from having fun the next minute. We accept meltdowns, and we move on. And the crazy thing is, that’s just one tiny slice of the magic that is camp.

My friend Robert, and 3 autism campers

Mike Belleme is the photographer who shot these great photos.

Yes, that’s me in the middle. Best job EVER!

Ladies and Gentlemen,
This is what I’m talking about!
Isaac Dealey at Autelligent Laboratories is, as I like to say, “Handling His Business“! Autelligent Laboratories is working to create jobs for 40 million (no, that’s not a typo) people with autism, worldwide. Their plan is described much more eloquently on their website, but the basics idea is this: design a reproducible business model, so that people can tailor it to their talents. Recruit autism-specific talent for their company worldwide, using the internet, and then help other business to do the same.

Check out a more in-depth document about AutLabs.

What I like the best about this project is that it is based on the strengths of autism. Mr. Dealey is talking about making money designing software for businesses, using what is awesome about people with autism (often strong analytical thinking, ability to focus, ability to see patterns etc). He wants other people to use AutLabs’ open-sourced business model to design business based on what they love to do. Our great country, and the autism community, has waited too long to capitalize off the strengths of autism! Why not set up a web-based business that doesn’t require a whole lot of politics, schmoozing, and small talk? Great idea, AutLabs.

Mr. Dealey has an Aspergers diagnosis himself, and is unhappy with the unemployment rate for adults with Autism and Aspergers (over 90% in the United States!), and guess what? He’s designed this really cool project to do something about it, not just for him, but other people too! Not that he needs it, but this project, and Isaac himself get an EmpowerAutism 10 out of 10 points.

This cool autism business project is still in the design phase, and could use your input. Please visit their wiki, and contribute ideas, time, or money if you can!

What do you think?