It is out strong contention that most programs designed to employ adults with autism take a "cart before the horse" approach. People with ASD typically do not have low IQ problems. Their difficulties lie in social interaction. Therefore, all the training in the world to accomplish work-related tasks will fail if the ASD individual's social skills do not improve.
Transition and training programs often underestimate people on the spectrum. Virtually all our members have been placed in repetitive, low-skilled jobs. They universally fail, not because they are incapable of the tasks, but because they quickly become bored. When bored and frustrated, autistic behaviors increase and young adults are deemed "unfit" even for the most basic jobs.
AAA believes that daily social interaction, designed as fun to improve communication skills, will drastically improve quality of life as well as elevating chances for meaningful employment. We have a proven track record of success.
In order to accomplish these improvements, our organization offers a variety of life-skill classes as well as social mixers and workplace tours, again, five days a week. Class offerings include cooking, art, improv, science, sign language, martial arts and science. Social events are designed to enhance interaction and communication skills. These events include dance parties, bowling, board game meet ups, swimming, attending museums, and more. AAA also brings in community members to share their skills and passions with our group. Some of the guest teachers we have invited have taught classes in graphic comic book art, jewelry making, and puppetry.
The goal is to keep adults with ASD active every day. But we understand that families lead busy lives. Therefore, AAA also makes flexibility a top priority. Families can opt-in to whatever events fit into their lives. Some attend daily, others a few days a week, while some elect to just "drop in" every so often. However, families who regularly attend at least three times a week see the biggest increase in social improvement.
Another key component of our program is affordability. In so many cases, activities for people with special needs are prohibitively expensive for middle and lower-middle class families. Our events are two hours in length and typically cost just twenty dollars; the entry fee covers any admission fees, supplies, and snacks.
Frequent. Flexible. Affordable. Austen's Autistic Adventures strives to make participation easy.
Funding for instructors
General Operating Fees
Austen's Autistic Adventures (501(c)(3)) provides real world activities for those 16 and older to maintain and improve social skills. AAA is the only daily-meeting social skills group in the country! By going out frequently into our community, the public gets to truly know people on the spectrum and vice versa. As our members interact with others, real friendships are formed, family life improves, and more fulfilling jobs and volunteer opportunities are possible.
We're committed to modeling diversity and inclusion for the entire arts industry of the nonprofit sector, and to maintaining an inclusive environment with equitable treatment for all.
To provide informed, authentic leadership for cultural equity, Austen's Autistic Adventures strives to:
See diversity, inclusion, and equity as connected to our mission and critical to ensure the well-being of our staff and the arts communities we serve.
Acknowledge and dismantle any inequities within our policies, systems, programs, and services, and continually update and report organization progress.
Explore potential underlying, unquestioned assumptions that interfere with inclusiveness.
Advocate for and support board-level thinking about how systemic inequities impact our organization's work, and how best to address that in a way that is consistent with our mission.
Help to challenge assumptions about what it takes to be a strong leader at our organization, and who is well-positioned to provide leadership.
Practice and encourage transparent communication in all interactions.
Commit time and resources to expand more diverse leadership within our board, staff, committee, and advisory bodies.
Lead with respect and tolerance. We expect all employees to embrace this notion and to express it in workplace interactions and through everyday practices.
Austen's Autistic Adventures abides by the following action items to help promote diversity and inclusion in our workplace:
Pursue cultural competency throughout our organization by creating substantive learning opportunities and formal, transparent policies.
Generate and aggregate quantitative and qualitative research related to equity to make incremental, measurable progress toward the visibility of our diversity, inclusion, and equity efforts. Once the content is curated it will be added to our website so others can access.
Improve our cultural leadership pipeline by creating and supporting programs and policies that foster leadership that reflects the diversity of American society.
Pool resources and expand offerings for underrepresented constituents by connecting with other arts organizations committed to diversity and inclusion efforts.
Develop and present sessions on diversity, inclusion, and equity to provide information and resources internally, and to members, the community, and the arts industry.
Develop a system for being more intentional and conscious of bias during the hiring, promoting, or evaluating process. Train our hiring team on equitable practices.
Include a salary range with all public job descriptions.
Advocate for public and private-sector policy that promotes diversity, inclusion, and equity. Challenge systems and policies that create inequity, oppression and disparity.
Organization name
Austen's Autistic Adventures
Causes
Employment & Workforce Development, Intellectual, Developmental, and Physical Disabilities, Mental/Behavioral Health
Operating Budget
$100,000 - $249,999
Counties Served
Collin, Dallas, Denton, Rockwall, Tarrant
BIPOC Serving
Black or African American, Hispanic or Latinx
BIPOC Leadership
Neither/None
Equity Statement
Equity Statement
Address
P.O. Box 635