Autism Friendly Spaces

Here is our co-founder Dr. Gizem Tanol’s interview with University of Minnesota, College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) for autism awareness month:

To highlight the growing need for awareness about autism, each April the Autism Society celebrates National Autism Awareness Month—an opportunity to educate the public about autism and autism-related issues within the community.

As CEHD shared last week, I was recognized as one of the CEHD 23: Rising Alumni which highlights the work of 23 alumni across CEHD’s eight departments.

I co-founded the non-profit, Autism Friendly Spaces, in 2011. Based in New York City, our mission is to enhance the quality of life for those with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and their families. We work to create opportunities for families to participate more actively in the community, and work to make spaces such as Broadway shows, restaurants and museums more acceptable and enjoyable for families. Groups and organizations we’ve partnered with include the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Intrepid Sea Air and Space Museum and Broadway shows like the Lion King, Mary Poppins and Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.

There are many events and outings (like going to the playground or a museum) that many often take for granted, but are challenging for families who have children with autism. Our goal is to help these families have a better quality of life by allowing their children to better engage in their communities, and therefore improve the quality of life for the whole family.

What makes spaces autism friendly

We start with a “needs assessment” of the space to learn which environmental factors may be problematic (such as long wait times or audio/visual over-stimulation). We then suggest modifications and places within these event spaces that can be used as a calming area if children are having a difficult time, to give them to opportunity to take a short break if necessary. This helps them self-regulate during the activity.

We also train the staff—including security guards, museum staff and performers—on ASD basics and what to expect. We help staff understand the challenges families may face while visiting, possible triggers for problem behaviors and different strategies to help families. We develop customized, evidence-based supports to provide to families prior to visits and during the visits. Some examples of these supports are social narratives specific to the event (e.g., going to the museum, waiting in the lines), visual supports (such as task analysis cards with visuals, If/then cards etc.) We also train and coordinate volunteers who help during all events.

5 Tips for Families

Here are a few ways families can help make community outings easier to manage and more enjoyable for children or adults with ASD:

1. Research: If you don’t find information on the location’s website, call and ask to speak with the contact for the accessibility program to find out what alternative accommodations are available.
If there is little support, ask if there are quiet sections or low-traffic areas where your family can take short breaks for self-regulation or possible times of the day that has less traffic.

2. Prepare your child for activity: Individuals that are on the autism spectrum tend to thrive on predictable routines and clear expectations, therefore it is crucial to start priming your child prior to your visit. Since it will be a departure from predictable routines, share expectations and prime your child prior to the visit. Priming can include going over the routine for the day of the event with the support of pictures/videos of the upcoming event, or going over the expectations and strategies your child can use (such as modeling & practicing how to ask for a break).

3. Before you go: Pack a “bag of tricks” with items such as noise cancelling headphones or special snacks if there are dietary restrictions. Think about strategies/materials that support your child to self-regulate and take these tools with you to the community setting.

4. Breathe and stay calm: This may be most important. Success will come in small steps, so go slowly, look for rumbling (agitation) behaviors and take short breaks in between. You may need to try attending the event a few times before your family member can fully participate. One family we worked with came to two shows—the first time sitting in our activity area in the lobby to listen to the show, and the second being able to fully attend the show with other families and guests. Next up this family is attending Spiderman on Broadway! So taking small steps is very important.

5. Focus on the Positive: Focus on your child’s success. Make sure to praise your child for waiting nicely, keeping a calm body and using self-regulation strategies. Try to take lots of pictures of your child and his/her siblings! These are great memories and they can also be used as visual supports when you’re priming your child for future community events.

We’re proud to help actively transform communities. Visit Autism Friendly Spaces if there is a location in New York City you’d like to see become autism friendly, or if you’re a New York City business owner who would like to make your space autism friendly.

http://cehdvision2020.umn.edu/cehd-blog/autism-awareness-month/

AFS is thrilled to be working with the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum on their exciting Early Morning Openings for families in the autism community.  The next Early Morning Opening will be on Saturday, March 2nd, 9AM-11AM.  This program is free, but space is limited.  To register, please contact access@intrepidmuseum.org or (646) 381-5163.

Autism Friendly Spaces is proud to announce an exciting partnership with The Metropolitan Museum of Art! Our AFS experts Dr. Donia Fahim and Dr. Gizem Tanol have completed the first Autism & Museum Accessibility Training for The Met. We look forward to future partnerships with The Met to continue our quest to create accessible, accepting, and enjoyable environments for all individuals, including the ones with autism…

For more information about the accessibility programs for individuals with ASD at The Met, click here.

Last week Dr Donia Fahim, Dr Jamie Bleiweiss and Deb Stein from the Theatre Development Fund (TDF) conducted a training for the cast and ushers working at the Minskoff Theatre in preparation for the Autism Friendly Broadway Lion King Show. This will take place on Sunday the 30th of September. When the tickets were released they were sold out on the day! This year the cast will be doing a talk back and during the training both the cast and the ushers shared thier moving experiences from last year. It is almost a year since the AFS team worked with TDF to bring about the first Autism Friendly Lion King Broadway show, which has gone down in history as the first of its kind. The AFS team are so proud to be collaborating with TDF and Disney to make the theatre accessible to individuals with Autism and their families. 

AFS will return to The Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway, NJ on October 7, 2012 and November 4, 2012 to help with the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders’ Sensory Friendly Theatre Series for children with autism and related disabilities. October 7th @ 2pm is The Pushcart Players’ Little Red Riding Hood & Other Stories and November 4th @ 2pm is The New Jersey Ballet’s Pinocchio. Tickets are only $8! For more information, go to http://ucpac.org/html/sensoryfriendlytheatre.cfm.

AFS is currently working with Union County, NJ in their creation of a new Sensory Friendly Theater series of performances specially designed for children with autism and related disabilities at the Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway.

“Exposure to the arts is an important way to help enrich the quality of life for young Union County residents who need special care and attention,” said Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella, who announced the series as part of his initiatives for 2012. “This series will enable youngsters to enjoy live performances with their families in a calming, supportive atmosphere.”

The new series, which begins on June 10 with Tom Chapin and Friends, is designed according to guidelines that help to reduce disturbances for youngsters who experience heightened sensory sensitivity. The Performing Arts Center is committed to a creating a judgment-free zone with plenty of trained autism specialists.

“The idea is to create an event that engages and celebrates individuals with autism and their families,” said Mirabella, noting the series is the result of a collaboration between the County Parks Division and the Union County Performing Arts Center.

Union County worked with Autism Friendly Spaces to design and execute the series of three performances, including Tom Chapin and Friends on June 10, Little Red Riding Hood and Other Stories presented by Pushcart Players on October 7, and Pinocchio presented by the New Jersey Ballet on November 4. All shows begin at 2 p.m.

Part of the cost of the series has been offset with County funding, helping to keep the price of admission affordable. All seats are $8 per person.

The Union County Performing Arts Center is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation operating in the historic Rahway Theatre. Conveniently located in downtown Rahway at 1601 Irving Street, this historic landmark is the cornerstone of the Rahway Arts District. The theater is a beautifully restored 1920’s era former vaudeville house and movie palace owned by the County of Union and managed by the nonprofit Union County Performing Arts Center.

For information on the Sensory Friendly Theater series visit the Sensory Friendly Theater web page or call the UC PAC box office, 732-499-8226. Information on all events and activities at UC PAC visit ucpac.org.

NEW YORK, NY – Families with children with autism have limited choices to share this great city of New York, but Jean-Claude Baker and Autism Friendly Spaces (AFS) want to change this. They have partnered to create the first ever Autism Friendly Brunch at one of New York’s most iconic restaurants, Chez Josephine, on Sunday, April 15, 2012, 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm, offering a special prix fixe menu, designed by Jean-Claude himself.

“The brunch coincides with the recognition of International Autism Awareness Month in April,” said Dr. Donia Fahim of AFS. “Attending a family brunch, going out for ice-cream or going out for dinner can be extremely challenging for families with individuals with autism.”

Mr. Baker and the AFS team will welcome people with autism and their families into a judgment-free environment. Under the guidance of autism experts, Chez Josephine will be transformed to make it accessible and comfortable for families with individuals with autism, while still maintaining its unique atmosphere. In addition, Chez Josephine staff will receive special training for the event, and autism consultants, calming corners and visual supports will also be available.

Dr. Jamie Bleiweiss of AFS added, “Autism is a significant disorder, affecting most areas of interaction with other people. We hope this inaugural brunch is the first of many New York restaurants to open their doors and create a future of autism friendly community spaces.”

Last year, the consultants from Autism Friendly Spaces Inc. collaborated with the Theatre Development Fund to help create a successful autism friendly performance of Disney’s The Lion King on Broadway.  “We want all individuals, including the ones with autism, to be meaningfully included within their communities,” said Dr. Gizem Tanol of AFS.  “The feedback we got from families after The Lion King once again proved that with training, evidence-based supports, and thorough assessment of the environment it is possible to create accessible, accepting, and enjoyable environments for all individuals.”

“Devin, my three-year-old godson, his mother and I were very fortunate to attend the milestone performance of The Lion King,” said Mr. Baker.  “For the first time, we weren’t isolated, but felt part of a big family united by loved ones affected by autism.  Devin, my little prince, was mesmerized by the performance – a new door in his life had just opened, and I know that many of my restaurant colleagues will also welcome him and his brothers and sisters of the autistic world.”

Mr. Baker, one of famed entertainer Josephine Baker’s adopted children, better known as the Rainbow Tribe, added, “Among my siblings in the Rainbow Tribe, Josephine Baker’s utopic dream of universal brotherhood, two of my brothers were children with special needs, and an unprepared world greeted them in the 1970’s.  Step-by-step, door-by-door, I would like the whole world to embrace our brothers and sisters, their families and loved ones in their struggle to live fulfilling lives despite their autism.”

Children with autism become adults with autism, and although effective education and care can make a tremendous difference in their ability to cope, the underlying problems do not go away and the importance of creating more spaces that are autism-friendly is integral to helping transform communities, enabling them to become more inclusive, accepting and welcoming to everyone.

Autism Friendly Spaces, Inc. (AFS) is an organization that serves as a creative catalyst of change, by working directly with families and neighborhood institutions to help communities become more inclusive. AFS understands the feelings of isolation and frustrations families with autism face on a daily basis, and aim to provide these families with greater opportunities to take part in enjoyable and valued community activities. Additionally, AFS creates a line of innovative intervention support products that help families enjoy participating in community activities and therefore increase their quality of life. For more information, visit http://autismfriendlyspaces.com. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

A tribute to legendary Josephine Baker, Chez Josephine exudes theatrical panache, a bit of Montmartre on 42nd Street, where Jean-Claude Baker and Jarry Baker are your warm and welcoming hosts who treat guests as family. For more information, visit http://www.chezjosephine.com.