PIN are just one of the partners working on the DesignMyFuture project over the next three years. PIN’s work on this project is led by Pedro Rodrigues, Clinical Psychologist.
Since September 2012 we’ve been bringing together an experienced and cohesive team, of recognized merit inside and outside Portugal, united around the ideal of serving families in the fight against discrimination against those who are different or more fragile. For us, there are no problematic children, adolescents or adults, but someone with a problem.
PIN was founded in Paço de Arcos – Lisbon, Portugal, by Dr. Nuno Lobo Antunes, clinic director. Since its beginning we are always nearby the thousands of children that became adolescents, and then adults, with a neurodevelopmental condition (Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Learning Disorders). We have closely watched their needs and difficulties in interacting and communicating socially, but also their teachers’ and parents’ difficulties in understanding those same needs.
Many young people with a neurodevelopmental condition face multiple challenges becoming autonomous, going to university, getting a job, or being independent from their parents. Besides training their social skills, we also need to guide them to activities that best fits their knowledge. We also need to prepare organisations and employers to become sensible to these situations. And parents need to better understand how to support the whole process.
We believe in the complexity of the human being and, to understand it, it is necessary to look at it from many angles. We believe that nobody is an island disconnected from school, family or work, so if we want to help, we have to show solidarity with the different angles of this polygon.
Throughout this three-year project we will be collecting evidence regarding how young people, families and teachers engage in this transition period and how all of them engage in this process. Our contribution to DesignMyFuture will help young people from Portugal but also around European countries to strive and overcome some known difficulties that they face.