Autism Re-Imagined: Creative Resources for Schools and Communities

该项目将扩大想象自闭症（2011-2014年）的影响，这是一个由AHRC资助的戏剧和心理学之间的合作，产生了统计上显著的证据，表明这种方法增强了沟通，社会互动和同情心。积极的结果，广泛报道（如新科学家，自闭症，戏剧教育研究）导致要求将方法转化为教育和社区环境。自2014年以来，我们为教育，健康和社会护理专业人士提供了一次性的外展研讨会，并开展了艺术中心居住与相关的外展活动（阿特金森2017）。教育和NHS的激进改革以及修订的诊断标准造成了供应差距，呼吁“社区和志愿部门”提供“额外能力”，为自闭症患者提供支持（肯特自闭症战略，2017年）。想象自闭症是很好的位置，提供追捧的服务和资源（如下所述）通过新的方法，已被证明有效。自闭症参与者的应用戏剧报告了从基于技能的方法（例如，使用戏剧来模拟社会适当的行为）的转变，以认识到即兴创作在促进社会创造力方面的潜力。根据Matthew Lerner（与iA团队合作的心理学家）的说法，这是“一种新兴的，新颖的自闭症治疗方法-它与ASD患者会面，而不是试图'修复'他们”，并且“改变了这些人在世界上对自己的看法，以及他们能够成为什么样的人。“iA项目与这种从赤字到残疾和创造力和能力范式的社会模式的转变有关。后续资金将使我们能够系统地响应多机构团体的培训和资源邀请，以便Imagining Autism方法能够接触到新的受众和用户社区。一个培训模式，为学校嵌入创造性的做法在课程中，最初在灯塔学校培训中心在肯特。在2018年3月至6月期间，我们将通过持续的专业发展研讨会在肯特学校采用这种方法。教师将被培训为“想象自闭症专家”，以传播整个课程的创造性实践。iA冠军将获得实用的资源（见3）以及来自iA从业者（包括自闭症艺术家）的培训和指导。自闭症社区咖啡馆受痴呆症和弹出式咖啡馆的启发，社区咖啡馆是艺术中心和社区场所的活动，为家庭提供支持，信息共享，网络和活动的社交空间。我们将尝试模型的不同迭代，以确定时间和内容。我们还将建立如何最好地参与自闭症社区。这也将是完善和推广iA Creative Box的平台（见下文）。咖啡馆活动与NAS社区团体合作，并与“Autscape”对话，以满足自闭症社区及其家庭对增加社交空间和交流机会的需求。iA创意盒将包含创造性的感官刺激，以吸引自闭症儿童。这种便携式资源将包含木偶、活动卡和DVD，可用于教育和社区环境。它的发展是通过用户群体协商的学校辅导方案的一个关键部分（见1）。这些盒子最初将以“家庭手工业”的模式制造，但后来，当我们开发出原型时，通过制造商。为了开发原型，将向自闭症社区咖啡馆（见2）和当地自闭症支持团体免费提供创意盒，以获得反馈和评估。自闭症重新想象将通过创新和创造性的途径，在不断变化的自闭症教育和支持背景下进行知识交流，扩大iA的影响。

This project will extend the impact of Imagining Autism (2011-2014), an AHRC funded collaboration between drama and psychology producing statistically significant evidence that the approach enhanced communication, social interaction and empathy. Positive results, widely reported (e.g.New Scientist, Autism, Research in Drama Education) led to requests for the methods to be translated into education and community contexts. Since 2014, we have delivered one off outreach workshops for professionals in education, health and social care as well as doing an arts centre residency with associated outreach activities (The Atkinson 2017). Radical reforms to education and the NHS and revised diagnostic criteria have created gaps in provision with calls for 'extra capacity' in the 'community and voluntary sector' to provide support for autistic people (Kent Autism Strategy, 2017). Imagining Autism is well placed to deliver sought after services and resources (as detailed below) through novel methods that have proven efficacy. Applied theatre with autistic participants reports a shift from skills based approaches (e.g. using drama to model socially appropriate behaviour), to recognition of the potential of improvisation in facilitating social creativity. According to Matthew Lerner (a psychologist who has collaborated with the iA team) this is "the emerging, novel approach to autism-which meets individuals with ASD where they are instead of trying to 'fix' them" and is "transforming how these individuals think of themselves in the world, and what they are capable of becoming." The iA project is associated with this shift from a deficit to a social model of disability and creative and capability paradigms. Follow on funding will enable us to systematically respond to invitations from multi-agency groups for training and resources so that the Imagining Autism approach can reach new audiences and user communities.Funding is sought for 1. A training model for schools to embed the creative practices within the curriculum, initially at the Beacon School Training Centre in Kent. Between March and June 2018 we will adapt the approach in Kent schools via continuing professional development workshops. Teachers will be trained as 'Imagining Autism Champions', to disseminate the creative practices across the curriculum. The iA Champions will be given practical resources (see 3) as well as training and mentoring from iA practitioners who include autistic artists.2. Autistic Community Cafés. Inspired by Dementia and Pop up Cafés, Community Cafés are events in arts centres and community venues that offer family friendly social spaces for support, information sharing, networking and activities. We will try out different iterations of the model to determine timings and content. We will also be establishing how to best involve the autistic community. This will also be the platform for refining then promoting the iA Creative Box (see below). Working with NAS community groups and in dialogue with "Autscape", the café events respond to needs identified by the autism community and their families for increased opportunities for social space and exchange.3. The iA Creative Box will contain creative sensory stimuli to engage autistic children. This portable resource will contain puppets, activity cards and a DVD for use in educational and community contexts. Its development is a key part of the schools mentoring programme through user group consultation (see 1). The boxes would manufactured initially on a 'cottage industry' model but later, when we have developed the prototype, through a manufacturer. To develop the prototype, a Creative Box would be available free for the Autism Community Cafes (see 2) and local autism support groups for feedback and evaluation.Autism Re-imagined will extend the impact of iA through innovative and creative pathways for knowledge exchange in the changing contexts of autism education and support.