Build a Group home for 200 Indians with Autism

R is a young adult who has been living in Ananda for the past few years. Like many individuals with autism, R thrives on routine and any changes can be incredibly challenging for him. Additionally, activities outside the comfort of Ananda often cause him significant anxiety. In 2022 we decided to take him for lunch at a nearby restaurant . Although it was part of his schedule and he went with everyone, he refused to go inside the restaurant because the transition was too overwhelming for him.

We decided to work with R on this issue. We began using social stories to help him prepare for these outings. The day before, we would mark the event on his calendar and talk about it with excitement and positivity, building up his anticipation.

 Another approach we used was behaviour shaping. On our first visit to the restaurant, we took him there, waited for a minute, and then returned to the centre. We repeated this process over the next few visits, gradually making him more comfortable with the environment. All these strategies worked for him and now whenever he goes out for a lunch or dinner he goes inside the restaurant, sits with everyone, enjoys his food and sometimes even spends more time at the restaurant, engaging with the group.

 It's been a rewarding journey and we're proud of the progress R has made.

V.G has been at Ananda Vocational Centre for almost two years now. When he had come with his parents, the primary concern that was shared was aggressive behaviour and difficulty in comprehension. The parents were finding it challenging to channelise his energy in a productive manner that further led to angry outbursts and adjustment issues with the family and society in general. Despite being verbal, he was finding it difficult to explain what bothered him and often indulged in verbally abusing others. 

V.G joined Ananda and we slowly worked upon the underlying issues that were acting as deterrents in his growth. Though it was not a smooth journey in the beginning, AFA worked on his work behaviour, self-management in one on one as well as group settings. His family was also counselled regularly. It was imperative that the structured approach being followed at the workplace was continued at home as well. Every individual at the workplace follows individualised schedule that is designed according to his or her needs and strengths. It was observed that V.G had difficulty during transitions that led to anxiety and subsequent outbursts. We ensured that V.G’s schedule was shared with him in the morning as soon as he comes to the workplace so that he has predictability and can cope with the transitions and changes smoothly.  With autism specific teaching/training techniques such as structure, visual cues, social stories, calming techniques like yoga, walk and gym activities, V.G was able to understand and follow the schedule quite well. Simultaneously, he became a calmer and happier person, and started looking forward to coming to the workplace. 

Presently, V.G has grown up to be a responsible young man. At the workplace he does his duties independently and also helps other people in their work. He is specially interested in ensuring that the workplace is clean and often helps in its maintenance. V.G’s story is not only a happy story for us but also a motivation for everyone at AFA when we realise how far one can go with consistent efforts and a positive attitude! For us every individual has the potential to learn and grow and contribute to his or her environment.