Action For Autism


Action For Autism is a non-profit organisation, established in 1994 that works primarily in the domain of Child & Youth Development, Specially Abled and Right to Information & Advocacy. Its primary office is in Delhi, Delhi.


Name

 Action For Autism

Works on

 Working towards empowering people with autism through research, training, advocacy and outreach programmes

Type

 Non-profit

Sub Type

 Society

Website

 http://autism-india.org

Sector(s)

 Right to Information & Advocacy Specially Abled Child & Youth Development Skill Development

Start Year

 1994

Government ID

 DL/2016/0102756

Registration ID

 S/27006

Offices in Cities

 Delhi

Projects in States

 Andhra Pradesh Karnataka Tamil Nadu West Bengal Assam Delhi Goa Gujarat Maharashtra Punjab Rajasthan Odisha Telangana

Overview

Action for Autism (AFA) is a research, training and advocacy organisation which provides support and services to people with autism and those who work with them in South Asia. By creating opportunities for education, employment and socialisation for people with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), it works towards an inclusive society.

AFA's mission is to enable every person with autism to live as a productive member of the community by providing training, guidance and resources to help them achieve their potential.

Through collaboration with its various wings such as Open Door Clinical Services (Direct services for individuals with autism and their families), AADHAAR (Vocational Centre for adults with autism), Anvay (Research and Trainings), AAHAAN (Publications), AAILAAN (Advocacy), AFA addresses the individual needs of people with autism, their families and the autism community as a whole.

AFA provides the following services.

Assessments:
The diagnostic team at AFA conducts screening and diagnostic assessments for individuals across all age groups and across the spectrum of autism. It also conducts functional assessments, which helps determine the existing skill sets and the future goals of the autistic person.

Educational Programmes:
These programmes aim to increase awareness about autism amongst professionals (paediatricians, psychiatrists, psychologists, educators, and others) to ensure that all children with autism receive an early and accurate diagnosis. Apart from awareness programmes , it also conducts family counselling sessions. Action For Autism’s Parent Child Training Programme (PCTP) is conducted three times a year with each session spanning a period of approximately nine to twelve weeks.

Inclusive Educational Facilitation:
In 2008, AFA worked with the Ministry of Human Resource Development, GoI to develop a manual on inclusive education for children with autism for the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA). Since then, AFA team members have been conducting regular workshops and training programmes across the country to provide training to teachers to understand the strengths and preferences of children with ASD, to achieve better learning outcomes.
AFA has successfully placed many children with autism in mainstream schools and continually works with these schools to facilitate and sustain their inclusion.

Work and Employment:
Action For Autism (AFA) operates the Aadhaar Vocational Centre, a model sheltered workplace specifically designed for adults with autism.

Residential Centre:
IAFA has set up Ananda, an assisted living centre for adults with autism which is located in the village of Gairat Pur Bas, Gurgaon. This centre provides a space where adults with autism can work and live peacefully.

Research:
AFA has carried out multiple research projects over the past two decades.
It started the 'Research on Autism and Families in India (RAFIN)' project in 2010 through partnerships with University of California, Los Angles (UCLA). It has also partnered with the University of Cambridge and MIT Laboratory for Vision Research to conduct studies on autism. One of the first studies with MIT laboratory was to characterise the top-down processing in individuals with autism relative to controls, and to develop therapeutic interventions for improving any deficits found.

Primary Office Address

 National Centre For Autism, Pocket 7 & 8, Jasola Vihar

City

 Delhi

State

 Delhi

Major Activities

Major tasks and accomplishments (as reported by the NGO):
��_��_��_ Successfully facilitated admission for over 100 children with ASD in mainstream schools ��_��_��_ Made services at AFA accessible to over 25,000 families��_��_��_ Facilitated startup of several schools and organisations including in Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jalandhar, Karachi, Kathmandu, Kolkata, Pakistan ��_��_��_ Conducted over 400 training workshops across India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Kenya, Kazakhstan, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Singapore, South Africa, Tajikistan, the UK��_��_��_ In 1994 started the first school in India specializing in providing education to children with autism and publication of Autism Network��_��_��_��_ In 1997 prepared a comprehensive legal document, with exhaustive annotations, references to legislation and annexures from across the world in the campaign to have autism recognized as a specific disorder by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. This combined with intensive lobbying with the authorities contributed to the appointment of the Amendments Committee to suggest amendments to the Persons with Disabilities Act in 1998. ��_��_��_��_ Was involved in the drafting of, and instrumental in the inclusion of autism in the National Trust for Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities Act ��_��_��_��_ In 1997 launched the first website www.autism-india.org on autism in Asia which is an important reference point for the autism community.��_��_��_ From 1998 lobbied the Rehabilitation Council of India highlighting the need for a Teacher Training Programme specific to Autism Spectrum Disorders. Continued efforts which have culminated in the Diploma in Special Education (Autism Spectrum Disorders) in 2003 ��_��_��_��_ In 1998 represented India in the launch of the World Autism Organisation (WAO) and was a founding member. Was involved in the discussions leading up to the launch of WAO ��_��_��_ Starting 1998 implemented a two-year project with pediatricians across the country to create awareness of autism and share information on diagnosis. ��_��_��_ Succeeded in the inclusion of Autism in the National Trust Bill which is now the National Trust for Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities Act 1999 ��_��_��_ Undertakes research on rehabilitation methods and outcome; is currently in the first stage of a prevalence study ��_��_��_��_ Action For Autism successfully lobbied the Government and the Rehabilitation Council of India for a one year Diploma in Special Education in Autism Spectrum Disorders and started the training course in 2003 ��_��_��_��_ In 2005 Action For Autism established the National Centre for Autism for which the foundation stone was laid by the Chief Minister Mrs Sheila Dixit in 2004, and which was inaugurated by the Mrs Sonia Gandhi in 2007 ��_��_��_��_ From 2006 ��_��_��_ 2008 carried out an awareness campaign targeting 15,000 pediatricians across the country in raining awareness about diagnostic criteria for autism ��_��_��_��_ Facilitated Persons with Autism to speak as self-advocates, a difficult proposition for any mental disability in India. ��_��_��_ AFA had received 10 acres of land in Gurgaon from Government of Haryana in 2010. Construction of Ananda, first model residence for persons with autism is already underway.

Facebook

 https://www.facebook.com/actionforautism.nationalcentreforautism

YouTube

 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcbu9Bx1XgKtAbudwnsxIog

Income Tax ID Verification

 Verified

Contributions/Source(s)

 NGO DARPAN, Government of India (Learn more)

Contact

 Send a direct message to Action For Autism