our strategy
G.E.M.S. program short-term outcome:
~ communal activities that engage individuals from the formerly incarcerated youth communities which create unity through our culture in a safe environment where it is appreciated and understood, connecting to our spirit and our means, our communities although dispersed and extended, are always flexible to return to our roots.
G.E.M.S. long-term outcome:
~ is envisioning the reshaping of the world we live in with empowered and accomplished formerly incarcerated youths.
01
GOAL: ENTREPRENEURS TO BUSINESS OWNERS
Strategies: coaching and mentoring formerly incarcerated youth’s business leaders, creating business models, and developing best practices.
02
GOAL: WRITERS TO AUTHORS
Strategies: creative writing and publishing non-fiction books based on personal life experiences.
03
GOAL: ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE
Strategies: promoting quality of life by developing training curriculums for small businesses, non-profits, communities, and faith-based organizations on how to work with the formerly incarcerated youths.
04
GOAL: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Strategies: formerly incarcerated youths benefit from working together to make a difference in the civil life of our communities and developing the combination of skills, knowledge, values, and motivation to make that difference.
05
GOAL: YOUTH LEADERSHIP EMPOWERMENT
Strategies: promoting and educating on self-esteem, building positive communication, establishing personal identity, dating violence awareness, establishing good relationships, goal planning, community engagement, self-advocacy, and using performing arts and theatre as a form of self-expression.
06
GOAL: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND PUBLIC POLICY
Strategies: promoting education and awareness of policies that affect the formerly incarcerated youth communities-at-large.
07
GOAL: ARTS, THEATRE, MUSIC, AND CULTURE
Strategies: promote a holistic approach to the entire human being to bring balance into one’s life by improving awareness and increasing world-class exhibits of art, cultural artifacts, contemporary theatre, and music education.
Featured Video
My current position as a Registered Behavioral Technician for autistic clients and my experience in witnessing the lack of services and the need for the Autism Innovation Program is my motivating factor.
I know what it takes to thrive when all the odds are against you. The drive that impulses me to succeed and to help others in need to better their lives in the community.
As an Entrepreneur and President of G.E.M.S. (Gaining Education
Maintaining Success), I have the experience of what it takes to manage a business that comes from the heart.
Mission
to provide appropriate interventions and methods for young adults 21+ diagnosed with autism to improve their quality of life.
PROBLEM: Autism affects all ethnic and socioeconomic groups.
Children with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities are one of the most underserved groups in the state of Connecticut because of a lack of service providers, the financial hardships of many families, and the overwhelming number of services that a young adult needs.
Over a thousand autistic people are on a waiting list for government services such as housing and personal care. It’s unfortunate that the only state in the Northeast with such a long waitlist is Connecticut.
In Connecticut, the Department of Developmental Services is only allowed to provide services to those with intellectual disabilities, which are defined as having an IQ of 69 or less.
Although some autistic individuals may have high IQs and not all have intellectual disabilities, they are still constrained by qualifications and the IQ requirement for people with autism spectrum disorder.
The state’s services are complex and there are various House Bills circulating in legislation and most of the services are provided by private nonprofits who are overwhelmed with all the services they currently provide.
Over the last two years, Connecticut has been able to remove 250 children from the waitlist. The fact that Connecticut accomplished this for the first time in over ten years is insignificant in comparison to the number of children who still require services.
Adult autism symptoms are most noticeable in communication skills, interests, emotional and behavioral patterns, and sensitivity to stimuli such as noise and touch.
The number of students with autism has increased four times from 92,997 in 2000-2001 to 377,909 in the 2009-2010 school year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who estimate that one in every 80 to one in every 240 children in the United States has autism spectrum disorder.
The Connecticut Autism Spectrum Resource Center asserts that it is evident there are no specialists qualified to work with young adults who have autism spectrum disorder in the fields of medicine, psychiatry, social work, psychology, or teaching.
Parents are becoming increasingly desperate as the needs of their autistic children interfere with their employment. There is also a waiting list for the few available people with autism experience. Because of the high demand for services, families will contact multiple providers with waiting lists and have their names added to each.
SOLUTION
The Autism Innovation Program was created as a means of giving young adults 21+ with autism spectrum disorders the high-quality services they require to live fulfilling lives as members of their communities.
Since all previous services end at age 21, the Autism Innovation Program will offer services to young adults over 21 who have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Young adults will learn fundamental life skills through the Autism Innovation Program, including how to build lasting relationships, safely navigate their neighborhood, receive career training, and set goals for their long-term success.
The Autism Innovation Program will help young adults be more successful and have a positive quality of life by keeping a structured routine and schedule to help build tolerance and flexibility when unexpected changes occur.
A young adult with autism spectrum disorder might behave inappropriately for their age and have the needs of a younger child. Their needs and sensations change as they age, which can cause confusion and make things seem even more challenging and complex.
The behavioral interventions for autism that are founded on applied behavior analysis and its guiding principles are the most thoroughly researched and frequently used.
vision
A world with young adults over 21 who are successful in life, where they have been able to mature into managing their behaviors, having extraordinary careers, living in their new apartments and having a fulfilled life of their own with little need for services.
LONG-TERM: open the Autism Innovation Program facilities where the needs, services and programming will be offered and implemented to help the young adults with autism spectrum disorder and their families.
Let Us Help
Having a young adult with autism spectrum disorder can be difficult for both the person and their family. When basic social interactions are severely lacking in the communication of any kind and needs are not met, challenging behaviors start to emerge.
Bold Solutions
- Life skills: household, food, finance, medication and self-care management
- Community engagement: transportation mobility, jobs, shopping, healthcare providers, meetings, appointments, events and friends.
- Career: develop skills necessary for job success.
- Readiness for residential life: develop independent living, roommate.
Reliable Direction
The Autism Innovation Program will help young adults by enhancing their learning, motor, and communication skills, as well as their focus and memory, lowering their stress levels and sensory responses.
Professional Autism Training
you can help close the gap of service providers by donating and specifying where you want to allocate your donation.
visionary
Believe in Autism Innovation Program Mission, Solution and Vision
Your donation of any amount will help build a better future for young adults and on their behalf we Thank You!
advocate
promote awareness about Autism Innovation Program and get involved.
VISIT OUR SHOP
All proceeds will go to fund the Autism Innovation Program. We thank you for your kind contribution to our young adults 21+ autistic community.
Since all previous services end at age 21, the Autism Innovation Program will offer services to young adults over 21 who have been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. Young adults will learn fundamental life skills through the Autism Innovation Program, including how to build lasting relationships, safely navigate their neighborhood, receive career training, and set goals for their long-term success.
As an Entrepreneur I have had to get creative in developing different sources to generate income like my online G.E.M.S. store which would be a perfect platform to generate marketing and branding products for the Autism Innovation Program. I believe in the mission of G.E.M.S. just like I believe in the mission of Autism Innovation Program because there is a passion that gets to the heart. The Autism Innovation Program will create funding by offering autism training to professionals in medicine, psychiatry, social work, psychology, teachers and community advocates to close the gap of inexperienced professionals identified previously.
VISION
A world with young adults over 21 who are successful in life, where they have been able to mature into managing their behaviors, having extraordinary careers, living in their new apartments and having a fulfilled life of their own with little need for services.
LONG-TERM: open the Autism Innovation Program facilities where the needs, services and programming will be offered and implemented to help the young adults with autism spectrum disorder and their families.
