Programs for young adults with autism specifically to developing life skills in areas like cognitive, speech, gross motor, fine motor and social development.
The National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 data shows that youth with autism are less likely than their peers to engage in employment or higher education activities after high school graduation, especially within two years.
Fun Activities
Encourage autistic adults to participate in fun activities can help them establish a routine, develop sensory and processing abilities, learn life skills, foster independence and self-discovery and lead more fulfilling lives.
Engaging your teen and their peers in a storytelling circle can help foster communication and socialization. Begin each person's story by telling one sentence from their day, then pass the circle along until all have had an opportunity to contribute a chapter - this allows them to build upon themselves while practicing language skills without feeling evaluated or judged.
An informal taste test game between teens can teach them to distinguish different flavors. It also sharpens visual senses and increases tactile stimulation. Quilting provides an alternative activity which may bring therapeutic relief for autistic teens while improving motor skills and encouraging socialization.
Books and Magazines
Books written for children, tweens and teens can help people with autism accept themselves as unique individuals with their own talents, interests and eccentricities. While numerous books address autism from clinical or scientific angles, there are also plenty that encourage young readers to reject bullying and embrace people's unique characteristics that come with autism.
One such book is "My Friend with Autism," written specifically to foster understanding and respect among peers of children with autism, while simultaneously celebrating differences. Featuring humor, personal narratives and simple explanations to explain why certain behaviors of their autistic friends might appear strange to typical kids, it provides peers of children with autism the insight needed to build empathy and respect between peers of children with autism and themselves.
"Life and Love Positive Strategies for Autistic Adults," written by an autistic author specifically for autism adults and their loved ones, provides invaluable strategies on topics like how to manage sensory issues, stay healthy while dealing with depression/suicidal thoughts/relationships/work etc.
Writing
Many young adults with autism struggle to write. A variety of reasons may contribute to this challenge, including organizational deficits and motor or coordination difficulties. Writing is a complex cognitive process; people on the spectrum often exhibit issues with theory of mind or executive functioning (Graham & Harris 2005).
Numerous programs exist to assist adults with learning to write. Code Blue provides an arts and social skills program in a creative setting for young adults to share their stories; Chill Write offers safe space to practice social skills and receive peer mentorship.
Easterseals offers services designed to assist young adults with autism acquire independent living, work and educational skills. Their organization helps individuals develop self-advocacy skills as well as access therapies that address behavioral, social and communication concerns; in addition they teach vocational experience and functional academic instruction. Easterseals has both residential treatment and day schools located throughout Illinois that offer their services directly or via districts for children or adults aged 22+ respectively.
Social Skills
Social skills training provides people with autism and other developmental disabilities an opportunity to better communicate, read nonverbal signals, and understand conversations. Programs typically run by trained speech-language pathologists or behavioral specialists may follow commercially available social skills curricula.
Studies have proven the efficacy of social skills training groups; one such study published in Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders found that young adults participating continued to expand their social network months post training. Groups are designed to foster socialization by teaching both participants as well as parents or caregivers how they can help young adults practice these skills at home.
These programs can also help train specific skills such as conversational reciprocity, electronic communication navigation and handling difficult topics. One such program is the iLounge virtual intensive group which uses targeted PEERS curriculum sessions.
