A.W.A.R.D. Autistic World A Real Dimension arises from the awareness that, although in most Member States there is evidence of the inclusion of young people with disabilities in school and work inclusion actions, people with autism are instead currently very excluded. This is due not only to a widespread lack of awareness about autism and the needs of autistic people, but also because of a limited adequacy of the VET world with respect to their learning difficulties and the lack of specialized training for teachers, trainers and company tutors. This problem is particularly felt in the territories involved: Sardinia (Italy), Romania and Germany. In Sardinia, autistic young adults attend high school, some get a diploma, others only a certificate of attendance. For most of them the end of the school cycle represents the end of a daily commitment and of an actual formal inclusion, at least formally. In Romania, where a new technique for diagnosis was implemented in 2017, school involvement is difficult since the skills to involve the autistic young adults and the VET system is experiencing the same problem lack. In Germany autistic young adults are very involved but in different contexts and the concept of inclusion in working contexts with able-bodied people is still not widespread. The priority to which the project intends to respond is to allow young autistic people to lead a life of dignity and aim to be employed, as enshrined in the constitution. To do this it is necessary to share work educational and training strategies suitable to their peculiarities of learning and raise awareness of the work environment and the society so that they could become training and inclusive subjects. A.W.A.R.D. therefore aims to build a new VET training system and support for job integration directly involving all the various actors involved in the process: trainers, educators, company tutors and young people with autism. This through the development of a training model for trainers (IO1) that allows them to be able to combine psycho-educational skills and effective shadow-teaching methods through the acquisition of specific procedures for the workplace and acting as “job-coach”. The model through specific training will also involve company tutors so that the inclusion become effective. Furthermore, through an employment model for autistic people (IO2) which provides a close connection between training and work activity. Training, in fact, will take place as a business simulation in the classroom and it will be aimed at acquiring exactly those skills necessary for carrying out the activities that the young person will perform in traineeship. Two other tools will be developed to enhance the acquisition of specific and soft skills to support of VET training such as a video-modeling system used by the trainers, tutors, and by the students themselves that will also be based on footage that they will make on their own with their mobile phones. A short film will be made as a final product (IO3) to be used to raise awareness among schools, families, and companies on the new training system; a real game (IO4) conceived within the Chemnitz Gaming Museum which will enhance learning through playful strategies. The targets are: VET trainers and teachers (30), company tutors (45) and 45 autistic young adults aged between 17 and 29 engaged in VET courses or who have left the school and who will be reintegrated into a VET training system. A.W.A.R.D. also provides learning activity for a sample of teachers in order to share the model of work developed; a pilot course (in the classroom and 6 months of training) during which at least 15 autistic young adults in each country will be supported by teachers trained according to the new model. The pilot experience will allow to validate the models. 5 multiplier events will be organized to spread not only the products but also the results achieved. Among the expected results: • Setting up of a core group of a new class of trainers acting as a link between autism and the world of work in the 3 countries involved. • Making a "training package" available free for trainers and company tutors from any country interested in supporting young autistic people to enter the world of work. • Minimum 30 teachers who will strengthen their skills to support working inclusion of young autistic workers. • Implementation of a core collaboration group able to continue to give added value since it is made up of organizations from different economic sectors and nations acting as nodes of important networks. • Increased awareness on the issue of autism. • Promotion and dissemination of real employment opportunities for autistics young adults. • Partners’ cultural growth.
AWARD Autistic World A Real Dimension was born from the awareness that, although in most member states there is evidence of the inclusion of young people with disabilities in education and employment inclusion measures, people with autism often remain excluded. This is due not only to a widespread lack of awareness about the characteristics of autism and the needs of autistic but also to the limited adequacy of the VET world concerning their learning difficulties and the lack of specialized training of teachers, trainers and business tutors. This problem is particularly felt in the countries involved in the AWARD project: Sardinia (Italy), Romania and Germany. In Sardinia, young people with autism attend high school, some of them obtain a diploma, others only a certificate of attendance. For most of them, the end of the school cycle represents the end of a daily commitment and a real, at least formal, inclusion. In Romania the involvement in school is difficult because there is a lack of skills to involve autistic people, the same problem is experienced in the VET system. In Germany, the involvement of autistic people is very high but in differential contexts (i.e., in situations or classes dedicated only to them) and the concept of inclusion in work contexts with neurotypical people is still not widespread. The priority needs to which the project wanted to respond is to allow young people with autism to live a dignified life and aspire to work, as enshrined in the Italian Constitution. To do this, it is necessary to share strategies of education and training for work adapted to the peculiarities of learning, sensitizing the work environment and society so that they become formative and inclusive entities. AWARD has worked to build a new training system in the field of VET, to support job placement by directly involving all stakeholders in the process: trainers, educators, business tutors and young people with autism. The project has seen the development of a model of training trainers (IO1) that is based on psycho-educational skills and methodologies of working alongside the autistic person useful to operate as a "job coach". The model also involved company tutors, providing specific training so that inclusion was effective. The project also provided for the development of a model of job placement for people with autism (IO2) that is based on a close connection between training and work activity. The training took place in a classroom setting of pseudoenterprise and was designed to acquire exactly the specific skills required by the young person in training. To support the VET training were developed other tools to enhance the acquisition of specific and transversal skills, namely, a video-modeling system used by trainers, tutors and trainees themselves consisting of shootings made by them with their cell phones. As final products, a short film (IO3) was created to raise awareness of the new training system among schools, families and companies, and a real educational game (IO4), created in the context of the German Game Museum, in Chemnitz. The targets of the project were: VET trainers and teachers (30), business tutors, and young people with autism aged 17 to 29 years engaged in VET or out of school, who were brought back to a VET training system. AWARD has also provided a learning activity for a group of teachers to share the working model developed, a pilot course (3 months in the classroom and 6 months of training) during which 15 autistic people in each country have been supported by teachers trained according to the new model. The pilot experience has allowed validating the AWARD model. Several multiplier events were organized to disseminate the intellectual products and results obtained. Among the results: establishment of a first group of a new class of trainers who can act as a link between autism and the world of work in the 3 nations involved; free availability of a "training package" for trainers and business tutors from any nation interested in assisting young autistic people to enter the world of work; 30 teachers who have enhanced their skills to support the job placement of autistic people; activation of an initial nucleus of collaboration made up of organizations from different economic sectors and nations able to continue to give added value as nodes in key networks; greater awareness of the autism issue; promotion and dissemination of real opportunities for job placement for autistic people; cultural growth of the partners.