Running an organization that accommodates volunteers with autism or hidden disabilities requires understanding, empathy, and flexibility. Here are some tips to create an inclusive and supportive environment for all volunteers:
Educate all staff and volunteers: Provide training to all staff and volunteers about autism and hidden disabilities. This can help create awareness and promote understanding among team members.
Flexible scheduling: Be open to flexible scheduling to accommodate volunteers’ needs. Some volunteers may thrive with consistent schedules, while others may prefer varied hours to avoid sensory overload.
Designated quiet spaces: Create designated quiet spaces where volunteers can take a break if they feel overwhelmed or need some time to recharge.
Clear communication: Use clear and concise communication, both in person and in written instructions. Avoid figurative language or ambiguous directions, as some people with autism may struggle with interpreting them.
Visual aids: Use visual aids, such as charts, diagrams, or picture schedules, to help volunteers understand tasks and processes. Visual cues can be beneficial for those who have difficulty processing verbal information.
Buddy system: Implement a buddy system pairing volunteers with autism or hidden disabilities with experienced and understanding volunteers. This can provide additional support and make the volunteering experience more enjoyable.
Task preferences: Allow volunteers to express their preferences for specific tasks they feel comfortable doing. Tailoring assignments to individual strengths can increase motivation and confidence.
Sensory considerations: Be mindful of the sensory environment. For example, dimming bright lights, minimizing loud noises, or providing noise-cancelling headphones can create a more comfortable atmosphere.
Regular breaks: Schedule regular breaks for all volunteers, ensuring they have time to rest and recharge as needed.
Positive reinforcement: Recognize and celebrate the efforts and contributions of all volunteers. Positive reinforcement can go a long way in boosting self-esteem and encouraging continued participation.
Accommodate communication preferences: Some people with hidden disabilities may have specific communication preferences (e.g., email, text messages, or written notes). Be willing to accommodate these preferences to facilitate effective communication.
Encourage feedback: Create a culture that encourages open feedback from volunteers about their experiences and any additional support they may need.
Avoid sensory overload: Limit the number of simultaneous tasks or activities that volunteers are expected to handle. Overloading the senses can be challenging for individuals with autism or hidden disabilities.
Patience and empathy: Above all, approach each volunteer with patience and empathy. Recognize that everyone has unique needs and challenges, and a supportive and understanding attitude can make a significant difference.
By implementing these tips, you can foster an inclusive and adjustable environment where all volunteers can contribute their skills and feel valued in an organization’s mission.
Autism Connection of PA received a special donation from J.J. Sedelmaier Productionsin White Planes, New York. Sedelmaier is an animator, film producer, author, illustrator, and a creative force who understands the importance attention, art, and design. He donated a light box for Autism Connection to use for activities for people of all ages and stages on the autism spectrum.
Light box in a box
Illuminating objects and images
Attention and focus
Autism Connection logo with backlight
How Light Boxes Help
Using a light table can be a highly beneficial tool for supporting the development and engagement of autistic people of all ages and stages. The soft, diffused light emitted from the table provides a visually stimulating and calming environment, which can help regulate sensory experiences. The translucent surface allows for the exploration of various materials and objects placed on top, enabling users to engage in sensory play, fine motor skill development, and visual tracking exercises.
The illuminated table also enhances visual attention and focus, making it an excellent tool for activities such as tracing, drawing, and learning letter and number recognition. And the versatility of a light table encourages imaginative play and creativity, allowing autistic people to express themselves and engage in meaningful, multisensory experiences. Overall, incorporating a light table into the learning and therapeutic environment can facilitate their sensory integration, cognitive development, and overall well-being.
List of Light Box Activities
Shadow Play: Use the light box to create shadow puppets or objects. Experiment with different hand gestures and shapes to create original shadow stories.
Tracing Art: Place a piece of paper on the light box and trace favorite characters or objects. They can color in the traced image afterward to create their own artwork.
Tangrams: Provide tangram puzzle pieces and arrange them on the light box to create various shapes, animals, or objects. It’s a great way to enhance spatial reasoning and problem-solving skills.
Sensory Play: Fill transparent containers with colorful objects, such as beads, feathers, or buttons, and place them on the light box. Explore and sort the items based on different attributes like size, shape, or color.
X-ray Play: Gather various objects, like toys or natural objects, and place them on the light box. Observe the objects from the top and explore their internal structures, mimicking an X-ray effect.
Color Mixing: Place translucent colored materials, such as plastic sheets or stained glass shapes, on the light box. Overlap different colors and observe how they blend and create new shades.
Letter and Number Recognition: Use transparent letter or number tiles on the light box and arrange them in alphabetical or numerical order. This activity helps reinforce letter and number recognition skills.
Storytelling: Provide transparent story cards or characters and create stories on the light box. Arrange the characters, props, and backgrounds to bring imaginative tales to life.
Science Experiments: Conduct simple science experiments on the light box, such as exploring the properties of different liquids, observing the growth of plants or crystals, or investigating the refraction of light through various materials.
Building with Blocks: Combine transparent or translucent building blocks with the light box to create structures with varying colors and shapes. Experiment with balance, stability, and symmetry.
Big thanks to J.J. Sedelmaier for the donation. It will be put to good use.
Megan Montague Cash has dedicated her career to illustrating and designing for children – all children. She routinely asks for insight and feedback from the autism and disability communities as part of her project, Designing for Children with Learning Differences at Pratt Institute School of Design in Brooklyn, New York. Autism Connection of PA is thrilled to be part of the feedback loop, and we look forward to Megan’s future projects as well as the amazing designs her students create.
Letter of Appreciation
Dear Professor Montague Cash,
Autism Connection of Pennsylvania deeply appreciates and recognizes the invaluable contributions you have made in inspiring students, educators, and professionals to cultivate inclusive environments that promote growth, development, and learning for children with autism and learning differences. Your unwavering dedication, passion, and innovative teaching methods have nurtured an inclusive mindset, leaving a profound and lasting impact on the lives of numerous children and their families.
In sincere acknowledgment and deep gratitude for your exceptional achievements in the field of education and your relentless commitment to designing for children with autism and learning differences, we commend the remarkable work you have accomplished at Pratt’s Designing for Children with Learning Differences. Your exemplary efforts have exemplified an extraordinary dedication to fostering inclusivity and understanding for people on the autism spectrum.
Through this certificate, we honor your unwavering dedication, passion, and tireless endeavors in advancing the field of education and making a positive difference in the lives of autistic children and children with learning differences. Your legacy as an exceptional educator, who has dedicated their career to designing and illustrating for children, will resonate for generations to come. On behalf of the Autism Connection of Pennsylvania, we proudly present you with this Certificate of Appreciation, signed and sealed on this 28th day of June, 2023.
Your contributions of time, energy, and expertise have helped us in so many ways. From organizing events, providing support to families, raising awareness, and fundraising, you have been there for us every step of the way. Your hard work and dedication have enabled us to reach out to more people and provide them with the resources and support they need.
Your generosity and kindness have touched the hearts of many families in our community. Your willingness to lend a helping hand and be a source of comfort and support to those in need is truly remarkable. Your efforts have not gone unnoticed, and we are forever grateful for everything that you do.
Sensory-Friendly performances have become a relatively new tradition for many families in the Pittsburgh area. The venues offer a “relaxed” atmosphere that is calm and welcoming. The accessible performances emerged in 2013, and have continued to create lifelong memories for people with autism or sensory processing disorders ever since, and the Pittsburgh CLO has adopted the tradition with its sensory-friendly A Musical Christmas Carol.
Autism Connection spoke with Vanessa Braun from the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and Lindsey Kaine from the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre to learn the history of sensory-friendly performances in the Steel City, beginning with two groundbreaking features: The Lion King and The Nutcracker.
Autism Connection: How did the wonderful opportunity to bring sensory-friendly performances to Pittsburgh present itself?
Vanessa Braun: I first learned that the Theater Development Fund in New York City was making Broadway shows accessible to an audience on the spectrum through a piece on the national news. I went to work the next day and brought it up in a conversation with our Director and Assistant Director of Guest Services, telling them that this was happening in New York, and did they think that we could make a similar show happen in Pittsburgh. They then told me that The Lion King would be returning to Pittsburgh in 2013, and that they loved the idea and agreed with me that we were completely capable of bringing an autism-friendly or sensory friendly show to the Pittsburgh market.
“We started a trend and Pittsburgh, our region, has actually become a national leader in autism-friendly and sensory-friendly programming, which we’re pretty proud of and it’s impressive for a small city like ours.” -Vanessa Braun
Autism Connection: What did your research entail?
Vanessa Braun: Three representatives from the Cultural Trust traveled to the Kennedy Center’s (LEAD) conference and attended a session about their work conceiving of and executing their two shows with Disney, The Lion King, and Mary Poppins. We also met with the Theater Development team at the conference. They invited us to New York to see their second Lion King show in action.
After our fact-finding trip, we really got into the fine details of making this show happen. We secured the date with the tour, and it was to be the third week of a four-week run. It was vital for us to choose a Saturday to appeal to as many families as possible. We also stayed connected with our friends at the Ballet. Their first show would take place in December of 2013, and we worked together on some outreach, and of course, took the lead on training our front of house staff who would later work their show.
“Our sensory-friendly performances are a step toward making the excitement and beauty of a ballet performance barrier-free, accessible and welcoming to everyone in our Pittsburgh community.” Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
Autism Connection: What kind of organizational commitment did each of your organizations invest in these shows?
Vanessa Braun and Lindsey Kaine: For us it was first financial, even with a group discount on the entire house, we wrote Disney a 200,000 check to buy out every seat. Why, may you ask, do we buy out the house? It is because we recognize that Broadway is an expensive endeavor. If you are coming to a typical show, you are paying $60-150 or more per ticket. Top tickets for Hamilton were going for $450 per ticket. We know that that is prohibitive for a family, and we know that parents of children on the spectrum, or who have other academic or sensory needs.
Autism Connection: Did you hold special trainings for staff and volunteers? Did you bring in outside experts?
Vanessa and Lindsey: Every volunteer and front of house staff member was specially selected to work our first show. Even with our high criteria we brought in our friend and expert, Lu Randall Executive Director of the Autism Connection to train our team. Everyone who was in the theater that day was trained by Lu. Over the past ten years she has continued to train our staff and volunteer core and she and her team have been invaluable to us.
Another group of people who we work with is the group of actors who are on stage. We like them to know a bit about our audience and differences that they may experience in timing or audience reaction. We explain that some laughs or applause breaks may differ from the typical show that they do night after night. We always get a great response from these cast meetings.
Vanessa Braun, Director of Accessibility and Manager of Employee Engagement at the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
Lindsey Kaine, Manager of Accessibility & Program Development at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
Autism Connection: For readers who may not have been to your performances, can you describe the differences and similarities to a typical performance that an audience member may see at one of your shows?
Vanessa and Lindsey: First, we have a team of outside professional volunteers, doctors, teachers, nurses, people who know the audience and who can help if needed. We spread them out throughout the venue. Then in the lobby we set up at least one quiet space and one activity space. In these areas, people can either stop in to blow off some steam or alternatively come to have a moment of calm.
In the theater itself, we have the lights up to about a quarter of their regular brightness, this is so that people can feel free to get up and down if they need to throughout the show. We have ushers and theater staff to hand out fidgets and share needed information. We allow personal snacks and communications devices that you would not see at a typical show.
Other than that, we want the experience to be regular with some supports, but regular. Production–what people see on the stage–is controlled by the touring show, but a few elements are softened or removed. So, the show takes out a bright flash of light or a sudden noise. The important thing is that the show stays true to itself.
Audience enjoying a sensory-friendly performance
Autism Connection: What do you have in mind for the future?
Vanessa Braun: In 2015 we started offering one sensory friendly show each year at the Children’s Theater Festival. We will continue that practice and keep an eye on the Broadway touring schedule. We look for shows out there that have broad based appeal, a show that will attract at least 2,000 community members, and a show that will be with us for three weeks or more. We love to bring Broadway to this new audience and are excited for the chance to do it again.
Recently we were reminded of how small the world can be, in a good way. A lovely family decided to choose us as an honorarium beneficiary at the passing of their very successful, graceful, and beloved father. We gratefully received contributions from friends and family for several weeks. More recently, one friend of the family sent a check to the man’s son, who then mailed it to us. The family noticed an astounding coincidence – our business address is the same as the original business address of their dad who started an extremely successful, nationwide medical testing business here when the business was in its infancy.
We chose our updated name many years ago based on input from autistic people who told us to call us “what we are” – enabling people to readily find us in online searches. Our logo is circular for many reasons – we wanted to paint a picture of an embrace, an inclusive and diverse system, with various pieces moving in and out as life with autism is complex, changing, and cycles across the years. Also, did you know, the eye completes a circuit as the nerve cells “talk to each other,” filling in the blanks most easily when a picture is presented in a fluid and circular shape? This is because of visual principles called “continuation” and “closure.” Our brand and logo says a lot about who we want to be for the autism community for decades to come.
Somehow it felt perfectly right to hear from this amazing family who has followed our news, information, and events for many years, telling us how excited they were to find out the roots of their dad’s very vital and important testing business were in our new office location. The concept of “what goes around comes around,” the idea of karma, a spiritual connection – or pure coincidence – are all possibilities, depending on what you believe. We are extremely grateful, whatever the reason, and chill bumps still raise on our arms when we tell this uplifting tale, perhaps needing to spread some positivity in the face of difficulties we all face.
How do we give thanks to the spirit or the persona of someone who has passed, both for his important contributions to medicine, and for leaving a legacy that has touched us all by supporting our mission? That question is impossible to answer. So let’s just thank you for reading, and for considering the mystery of how someone you likely never met is helping meet some of your autism needs now and in the future.
One of the most comforting experiences is the sound of a familiar voice, especially one you haven’t heard in a long time.
Grandparent Autism Support Group Comes Full Circle
There are those who look for help, and in the process, help others. Nichole Givner leads the Grandmothers with Love Autism Support Group in Pittsburgh, and I met her five years ago when she was seeking help, not only for her family, but for grandparents experiencing the same struggles. We initially met in person at Eat-n-Park in the Waterfront to talk with her support group about presuming competence, and to share resources, strength and hope.
“Grandparents play a key role in our grandchildren’s lives. We carry a double weight,” Nichole says in a soothing tone. As a grandparent, she tirelessly connects with local agencies, education programs, and therapists to ensure that her granddaughter has every opportunity to reach her fullest potential. As a parent, Nichole acquires and shares skills she has developed as a primary support for her daughter. She does this in part by helping others who have the same needs.
The Grandmothers with Love Autism Support Group currently meets monthly on Zoom, and Nichole brings in presenters who offer guidance, ranging from therapists to special education teachers and Early Intervention specialists. “How can grandparents recreate what is working in the classroom in the home? How can we give our children the support they need to make sure they are getting everything they need?” she asks rhetorically. “We do this by gaining knowledge.”
Nichole’s mission is clear, and her impact in the autism community resonates that it really is about the power of shared experience. We talked about making connections, serving as a lifeline, and most importantly, we talked about our children and her grandchildren. Toward the end of the conversation, she mentioned, “I didn’t recognize your name at first, but I recognized your voice.” This, to me, was one of the most encouraging sentiments considering the effect the sound of Nichole’s voice had on me when I first picked up the phone.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok
