As is their annual tradition, the ‘ICT Community for ASD’ jury met in November.
This year the focus was on projects with the theme 'connection'. There was also attention for other projects that contribute to improving living-, housing- and working conditions for people with autism. Projects that promote destigmatising autism are, of course, also eligible for possible support.
After extensive talks and deliberation, a total of 55,239 euros in financial support was allocated to nine of the 42 projects submitted. The support for the first project ‘Buurt-ASS-en’ is still conditional (among others, due to additional financing and authorisations from the municipality).
Below you will find, per supported project, the name of the submitting organisation, the amount of support, the name and a short description of the project as written by those who made the submission.
De Vijver vzw (Deurne) - https://www.devijvervzw.be 7500 euros Buurt-ASS-en
Adults with autism develop walking routes in the neighbourhoods where they live or work (in Deurne-Antwerp). The routes lead the ramblers along ten Points Of Interest. These POIs were chosen by the adults with autism and other vulnerable neighbourhood residents. The explanations or illustrations at the POIs (available as text, QR codes and/or images) are made by the adults with autism in collaboration with employees of De Vijver, Villa Vonk and the Deurne art academy.
The support will go towards wages and some of the materials for the poles and images.
Lees- en Adviesgroep Volwassenen met Autisme vzw (LAVA vzw) (Vilvoorde) - https://lavautisme.wordpress.com 7500 Euro Lees- en Adviesgroep Volwassenen met Autisme
LAVA (Reading- and Advisory Group for Adults with Autism) is a recently started NPO that wants to promote participatory research and improve the image of autism. They want to reach this goal with reading sessions, member days, awarding an annual LAVA scholarship to researchers with autism and awarding a LAVA label to participatory initiatives. LAVA vzw wants to reach cruising speed within five years. Extra funding will be needed to expand and start up new activities.
The financial support will be used to organise reading sessions and member days, to raise awareness and share expertise about autism - both locally and at the European level - and to award the LAVA scholarship and the LAVA labels.
Aditi vzw (Antwerpen) - https://aditivzw.be/nl 7500 euros For all your questions about sexuality and autism. All in one place: Visit this website!
Youths and adults with autism are asking for accessible information about autism, relationships and sexuality (Dewinter et al., 2020). In this project, together with the autism community, scientists and physicians, we will develop an informative website with clear answers to frequently asked and often very specific questions about relationships, reproductive health and sexual rights. With this website we also want to gather new questions that are important to the target group and the network.
The support will be used for operating expenses such as transport costs, further development of the website, personnel and administration costs and the purchase of a laptop and a smartphone.
Wijzersterk vzw (Bonheiden-Rijmenam ) - https://www.wijzersterk.be 4770 euros Become more confident in relationships, intimacy and sexuality in the context of autism.
Wijzersterk is an inclusive parenting project for daytime activities for youths with autism. They address topics such as intimacy, relationships and sexuality. An important aspect is setting and respecting boundaries. The counsellors, networks, enclaves and volunteers participate in training sessions about the correct approach. As an authorised organisation, Aditi vzw will offer advice and support. We aim to tackle a number of challenges we are facing.
The financial support will go towards support, training sessions by a professional organisation, compensation for the counsellors and volunteers who will participate in the training, and to promote this initiative to a broader network.
eduCentrum vzw (Gent) - https://fyxxi.be 7500 euros Make IT digital: hands-on with autism
Make IT digital: hands-on with autism organises tailor-made workshops for participants between the ages of 4 and 26, their teachers and other counsellors. During the workshops, we work with innovative and digital technology, e.g. robotics, motion-enabled LEGO building kits, digital story telling, developing a game or 3D-printing the participants’ own creations.
The support will mainly go towards the organisation, follow-up and administration for twenty workshops.
Jeugdzorg Emmaüs Mechelen (Mechelen) - https://www.jeugdzorgemmaus.be 5069 euros Recharge Mechelen: Connection through tranquillity
Recharge is a project aimed at vulnerable youths who have lost the connection to education. At Recharge, youths can catch their breath and find a space where they can make valuable (re)connections. This can be the connection to other youths, counsellors, volunteers or volunteer work, school, their personal context, new or rediscovered interests, etc. Recharge wants to be a place where youths with an autism spectrum profile can also find tranquillity and connection.
The support will go towards training the team, visiting other initiatives that work with preventing dropping out of school and that focus on autism. A low stimulus room will also be created and part of the budget will be used to organise activities in line with the interests of the youths.
Les Jeunesses Musicales du Brabant wallon (Rixensart) - https://www.jeunessesmusicales.be/brabantwallon 7500 euros Workshops brothers and sisters
The Brussenstages (brussen is a compilation of ‘broers en zussen’, brothers and sisters) was established in 2010 from a desire to support the whole family of children with a disability. These workshops offer all the children in a family the possibility to take part in activities together and to meet brussen from other families. Professionals guide the children in this mutual enrichment with music, visual arts, encounters with animals, etc.
The support will allow them to organise approximately four workshops in 2022, plus an additional workshop.
Vzw ‘Vers la Vie’ (Charleroi-Marcinelle) - https://www.personnesextraordinaires.be 7500 euros Ensemble with extraordinary people
Annual event to raise awareness about disabilities that concludes with a semester of inclusive meetings, animations and activities focused on awareness. They organise exchanges between ‘regular’ schools and ‘special needs’ schools, which includes students with autism.
The support will be used for student transport, specific activities for the final meeting and for the awards ceremony for the selected projects.
Vzw Luape (Sint-Pieters-Woluwe) - http://luape.org 2900 euros Putting together a trunk with special equipment to allow youths with autism to participate in leisure activities in a regular environment
Our department ‘research for inclusive leisure activities’ receives many questions from people with autism, but the leisure organisations are often hesitant. The counsellors experience difficulties when integrating children with autism into the group (different interests, different pace, stimulus needs, need for seclusion). The NPO wants to put together a trunk to make it possible to accommodate these children in a better way, taking into account the specific communication requirements and the possibility to seclude themselves. This will enhance the participation of this group of children.
The support will be used to create supportive communication materials, develop and purchase individual and collective games, and equip a mobile sensory room.
