If there is anything we have discovered over the past year, it is that we are a part of it. Many will say that this was not new, since they have always been part of a family, school, group of friends or even a football club. Not to mention being part of the human species. All of this is true. But it also seems to be true that we have taken all this for granted for a long time. And the pandemic situation derived from COVID-19 has come to challenge us all and remind us that we belong to something bigger.
In PIN, we have always been used to dealing with the challenges that children, adolescents and adults with Neurodevelopment Disorder have in their daily lives, but also those that their families and teachers feel. Also for this reason, and since November 2019, we have been part of the DesignMyFuture project. The main objective of this project is to reduce early school leaving, promote positive decision-making and prevent young people from entering the labor market with insufficient skills.
Many of these young people with Neurodevelopmental Disorder feel that they have difficulties in this area. And their parents have felt it even longer. How can we help our children to have adequate skills to enter the job market? And over the course of this pandemic year, their concerns have grown. Especially those parents who have children reaching the stage of making the transition to the labour market. In the DesignMyFuture project to help build a better future for these young people, we are collecting data from students, teachers and parents. The questionnaire for teachers is now available to be completed (see here.)
We know that throughout this year there are many efforts that we have all made to adapt. But we also feel that our life will continue and that it is still important to live it and respond to the needs of the people who are still present. In the same way that the information to build the questionnaire for parents has been being collected. And despite all the effort experienced by parents, they feel that the need to continue thinking about the future of their children remains as much or more present.
To this end, they have responded to our invitation to speak with us and share what they feel is necessary to be improved or built so that their children’s future can continue to be designed. Since this is PIN’s long-standing desire and also the mission of this project – DesignMyFuture.
Pedro Rodrigues from Progreso Infantil (PIN).
This original blog appeared on Post | Autismo no Adulto on 22 April 2021 and is reproduced here with the permission of the author.