Of autism and autonomy

Express News Service

Offering tailor-made vocational courses and even life-building activity training, The New Indian Express talks to city organisations that are helping children and adults with autism on the road to self sufficiency 

Hash Hack Code

A social enterprise that works with neurodiverse individuals, Hash Hack Code offers them with skill training, especially in tech.

It provides these individuals with tertiary education that often remains inaccessible, allowing them a path to self-sufficiency through jobs in the tech world, where skills are more important than a degree or certificate.

“Even though e-learning and mastering new skills have become easier, it is still not accessible to everyone. This is where equal access to education is more important than ever, as education is a continuous process and upskilling/reskilling is essential for a career. Our curriculum is thoughtfully designed to embrace the diversity of the human brain and mind to progressively learn computer programming. Through our graded lessons and Experiential-Learning methodology, we help to build the foundation and curate the interest in students,” explains Manu Sekar, the founder.

Success stories are aplenty with Hash Hack Code. Not wanting to stop here, the organisation plans to create a neurodiverse venture, which will also accommodate neurotypical people instead of the present scenario where neurodiverse people are force-fit into the neurotypical workplace. This would offer the neurodiverse folk a real chance at a career and progress, he notes.

For details, call: 9886693027

Gurukulam Centre For Children With Special Needs

Founded in May 2019 under the aegis of Radha Nandakumar, this is an organisation built by mothers of children with special needs. Children with autism find a significant presence here.

“For most of their lifetime, these children are only getting trained; there’s nothing that they take back home in monetary terms or otherwise. We wanted to start an initiative, we get these students to make products, crafts, etc., and have them be paid for their work. Every month, whatever payment we receive from the outsiders for the workmanship, we distribute it among students as their stipend,” explains Supriya Vijay, a trustee.

The centre works with brands like Hasta, for whom the students to blockprinting on t-shirts, and Paper Flower, for whom they do handrolling and packing of the dried flower agarbattis. They have a blockprinting unit and weaving unit on the premises; they train students in cooking and making paper bags too. Soon, they will start a salad and juice outlet at the centre.

Children’s individual talent in writing, designing, etc., are also nurtured. They also get them used to routines of everyday life, from taking bus rides to handling communication at a restaurant, managing money and such. All with the idea of making them more self-sufficient. 

For details, call: 9841318260

Sri Arunodayam

This trust offers some much needed care and attention to a particular set of children with special needs who have fewer resources of survival – those abandoned by their parents. Arunodayam works with the police, child welfare committee, etc., to find these people and bring them under their care.

While therapy is offered to all inhabitants, vocational training is given to those above the age of 18 years. There’s a tailoring programme that has the girl students making everything from cushion covers, aprons, cloth bags to masks since the pandemic. Boys are trained to make paper bags from newspapers and diyas.

“We also have a small kitchen garden where the older boys take care of the farming activity. The students are also trained to look after the younger children. Through this training, we employ students who become independent. While it helps them get some kind of revenue, it also is a form of occupational therapy for them. So, everyday is a learning for us,” notes Iyyappan Subramaniyan, founder and managing trustee. 

For details, call: 94449 15803

A Brush With Art

Mala Chinnappa has been working with children on the autism spectrum for 10 years. What began primarily as a therapeutic training, this art endeavour has evolved to allow a number of its beneficiaries to make a career out of the work.

“We try to address behavioural and emotional issues through art. Initially, art is used as a way for them to engage in and express more purposefully than to start hitting out. It calms a hyperactive mind and wakes up a person who is zoned out. From about the age of 14-15, they actually become young artists,” she narrates.

While students train in painting, drawing or sculpting, they start creating works that they put up and people are ready to buy; because they are very original works. Their work is appreciated for its abstract expressionism and cutting-edge contemporariness.

Their works are regularly displayed at the Cholamandal Art Village or the VA Gallery, Kotturpuram. Mala and team help make them into merchandise. Given that these students have the ability to just make art without paying heed to the end product, their work remains truly unique and hence, there is a huge demand for their endeavour.

This would help many of them become artists by profession; they just need a little handholding, she notes. 

For details, call: 9841068794