Project Description
Autismo Burgos
SPAIN
Autismo Burgos is a parental Nonprofit Association of social initiative founded in 1984. They are members of Autism Europe, Autismo España, Federación de Autismo Castilla y León.
Their main objective is to promote and improve the quality of life of people with autism and their families by creating, developing and optimizing the required services in order to meet their specific needs. Currently they have 223 clients and 99 professionals working. ISO 9001 audited since 2001.
Their Quality Policy is characterized by:
Focused on people
Professionalization
Innovative attitude
Transparency
Scientific evidence based
Community based
Lifelong learning education
Their centres and services:
- Diagnostic Assessment and Guidance.
- Family Support.
- Special Education School for children with ASD “ El Alba”.
- Day Centre for adults.
- Housing Services “El Cerezo y El Olivo”.
- Leisure Time Service.
- High Functioning Services.
- Social Skills Program.
- Personal Assistant Service.
- Academic Support.
- Capacity: Supported Employment.
- Other activities: First Lego League, Tecnoartea.
- Branches in the province: Aranda de Duero, Medina de Pomar, Miranda de Ebro.
Their projects:
- IPA+
- SMART-ASD: Develop a software and protocols to help professionals and families to find technological solutions for students with autism and learning difficulties.
- AUTISM&UNI: Develop materials to help young people with autism having success in Higher Education.
- SPEAK UP: Prevent violence against children with autism.
- AUTISM IN PINK: Raise awareness and promote knowledge about women with ASD.
- NEW BRIDGES TO AUTSIM, Adult education (2007/2009).
- SIDE BY SIDE, on-line Training. (2004/2006).
- ANGLO-SPANISH DEVELOPMENT IN AUTISM program. (2001)
- I PROJECT EUROPEAN SÓCRATES I-II. Intervention in the aquatic way (2000/2001).
- PROGRAMMES OF EUROPEAN VOLUNTARY WORK. National Spanish Agency, INJUVE. From the year 2000 EUROPEAN PROGRAM OFFAMILY EXCHANGE. 1999.
- PROGRAMMES OF FAMILY EXCHANGE (1998/1999).
- HORIZON PROGRAM: work training and integration throughout the art (1998/1999)
- COMENIUS ACTION: Educational programmes, (1997/1998).
Their staff training activities:
Professional Training in Health and Social Care for people in a dependent situation
- Funded by the UE, Junta de Castilla y León and credited by the Public Employment Service of Castilla y León.
- 370 training hours (in-classroom setting) + 80 hours of internship in different institutions or associations.
- Professional Certificate, qualification level.
- Contents: Institutional organization; Reception of dependent people in institutions; Development of activities; Hygiene and food issues; Psychosocial support, communication and leisure time; Maintenance and improvement of skills for daily activities.
Initial Training for new workers, volunteers& internship students who join Autismo Burgos
- Internal training program for staff, volunteers & internship students who come to our Association.
- Online format, available on Moodle, estimated timeline one month.
- Structured in 4 teaching units, for each one of them the worker must: (1) Read the contents; (2) Fulfill a practical task related to the daily work; (3) Literature Review; (4) Self-assessment test.
- Teaching Units: (1) Introduction, conceptualization, characteristics and etiology of autism; (2) Principles of intervention with people with ASD; (3) Educational programs for people with ASD; (4) Specialized intervention and specific programs; (5) Advantages: easy management with a large number of participants, convenience and flexibility, provides knowledge on the practice when needed.
Staff involved
Coordinator of the Strategic Plan 2011-2014/ 2015-2018 Autism Burgos Association.
Extensive experience in the management and coordination of European programs: Socrates, HORIZON, EQUAL, as well as in the organization and development of International Exhibitions.
Member of the Organizing Committee of every Congress organized by Autism Burgos: 2001 (Autism and its future projection), 2009 (XV Anniversary of the Association) and 2012 (Conference on High Functioning Autism) and 2014 (XXX Anniversary of Autismo Burgos).
Currently member of the “Committee of elderly” in Autism Spain. She has also been member of the Strategic Plan Committee of Autism Spain (Confederación Autismo España). She has participated in several working groups related to nonprofit entities and I has a wide experience as observer at meetings of the Council of Administration of Autism Europe.
She has also participated in the CERMI (the main regional organization of people with disability) in Castilla León. This Committee has a consultant role in the draft and development of two important regional acts: The Social Services Act and the Equal of Opportunities for people with Disability Act.
She has an extensive knowledge of the National Dependency Law, having attended various training and conferences related to this matter. As manager of Autism Burgos she attends meetings with the Regional Administration of Social Services discussing a wide range of aspects regarding support for people with ASD (services to adults, housing, etc).
In the field of international projects, she collaborates as an expert in the CIVIS project (2016- ), which provides the infrastructure and support to enable people who have been diagnosed on the autistic spectrum, to re-enter the work force, and she worked as Project Manager in the European project “SPEAK UP. Development of a system for protection and empowerment of children and young people with autism as victim of abuse or unintentional perpetrator” (2013-2016).
She has participated both as coordinator and as a trainer for profesionals in the courses“Atención sociosanitaria a personas dependientes en instituciones sociales” (2014), organized by the local government, Junta de Castilla y León, and “Asistente Personal para personas con trastornos del espectro del autismo” (2014 and 2016), organized by Autismo Burgos
In the field of international projects, he collaborates as an expert in the “Autism in Pink Project” (2011- 2014), which sought to deepen the group of women who belong to the spectrum of autism as well as their current situation, their particular problems and needs. He also participated as an expert in the “Autism and Uni Project” (2014 – 2016), a project with the objective of knowing the current situation of young people with autism in higher education as well as the strategies that work best and the tools they need to get success in their studies.
He has participated in many conferences and seminars on educational intervention in autism in schools and community teaching centres and presented papers at several Autism Congresses over the last few years and is co-author of the ComicTEA comic, which aims to develop social skills through comic strips.
