New kind of autism organization

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Hey, graham, did I read in another thread that you had trained to be research chemist? I did too, until I switched to neuroscience. We could use your inputs in science and art related areas, I'm sure.

Sweet Girl; do you have any specific ideas on how you would like me to help?

Super Granny, I would like you to choose a topic that you really want to write about, perhaps an introduction to the housing project/interdependent community, something like 500 words to verry merry berry strongly and succinctly convey the problems that motivate the idear and the potential solutions to those problems through the project. LOL, I feel like I am assigning homework.

Lol - well I was training to be a research chemist, but after a couple of years realised that my true calling was in art, so I quit halfway through the course and switched to art college instead! of course I've always maintained an interest in the sciences, but not at a level high enough to class myself as an actual scientist Had I kept within the sciences I would have loved to do neuroscience - I find the whole subject very fascinating

As a neuroscientist, you may have heard of some interesting research I was told about by my consultant. Apparently what they did was to use strong electromagnetic fields to manipulate the brains of 'NT' subjects. Basically they temporarily 'switched off' the part of the brain that filters sensory input - the very part of the brain that is malfunctioning in us and making our sensory issues so debilitating sometimes. Before the procedure, the subjects were asked to draw copies of photographs. After having the 'filter' disabled those same people were asked to perform the same task - and found that they could draw much better and in far more detail than they had ever done in their lives.

Knowing this made me realise that the very sensory problem that gives me so many headaches is also the same thing that makes me so good at art. Something that we could perhaps teach to younger people to boost their self image and confidence, that their curses can become their gifts

I think I can definitely give some input within the field of art, I already teach art to adults, and provide art services to people on the spectrum.

I often find that by helping people to achieve a wonderful piece of art their self confidence is greatly enhanced. One guy who was suffering from severe depression due to the suicide of his son told me "when I leave here I feel ten feet tall, because I've achieved something I thought I would never be able to do! ".

I work on the same principle with autistic people, helping and encouraging them to discover the ability to draw what they see. Which is quite different from 'Art Therapy' where the client is asked to do simple art tasks then asked about their feelings about what they did.

I'm not sure how this would translate into what you are doing, because it is for me, a very 'hands on' type of teaching! But I do think that people with ASD actually have greater artistic potential than NT's because of their enhanced perception

Anyway - Ramble over

I'll do what I can… if only to create things for others to improve!

I like this idea very much.

Thanks, , you are graphic designer and (I think I read) programmer, right? We could definitely use some of your skillz + autism knowledge. Can you think of any article or project that you would like to do in category 1, 2, 3, or another? Also, do you have tips for me for setting up website? I know web programming, so like what is good service provider, practical specs like that?

Thanks, Kingdom, a collection of pictorial based information would fit purrrfurrrtly in category 2, and many people would want it, so please share any eggsamples anytime you would like to.

Here is the transcranial magnetic stimulation study that graham mentioned: PDF

TMS was applied to fronto-temporal area to wear out that area and make it temporarily dysfunctional, then participants drew pictures based on pictures that they had seen. What was found was change in drawing style/complexity for 4 of 11 participants, e.g, for drawing dog, change from conventional side view perspective to front view or sleeping curled up, thus overcoming the most conventional object representation in the participants' minds. Two of these four participants also did bester on proofreading proverbs after TMS.

Proverb e.g.
A bird in the
the hand is worth
two in the bush.

Hmmm...after having read through this thread and the original that spawned this one, I must say all this is quite interesting! I am not sure what exactly I could contribute, but I'll do my best where possible

Hey thanks for that - I've been wanting to read up on the experiment ever since my consultant told me about it a few months back

All right... I suppose I'll jump in here. I've been putting it off long enough.

My skills: I'm good at writing and editing others' writing. I have minor skills with HTML and I know how computers work. I'm good with details, and I'm good at researching things. I'm a psychology undergrad with some training in engineering.

So do you guys need a grammar person?

Thanks, Callista!

I have noticed that you are verry merry berry good at coming up with and stating clearly many practical solutions for how to deal with situation or do something, so would you like to work on something for category 3?

Also, if you have time, would you like to research a specific topic for category 1, like one of the questions that cyberdad posted. The most specific concrete one is the different types of IQ tests and what they each measure.

This thread is kind of confusing, but I think it started out saying there should be a new kind of autism organization that does more things for people, saying the existing organizations are too limited.

I created a new organization with some other autistic people, called Divergent Labs. You can see the web site at divergentlabs dot org. It is a real corporation with a board, and has non-profit status pending. It has 2 programs as of now - a retreat center and a technical services program. It has the structure that more programs can be included without having to be under any single executive person, so other people could start programs for all the things mentioned in this thread (cohousing, craft coops, and so on) and be in the same umbrella, which helps all of us get some publicity and credibility.

The hardest thing is to work together. It's easy to start things, and hard to grow and sustain things to reach their potential, so that is why I like to encourage anyone who is starting something new to collaborate. Splitting off is easier and you get to be in charge of everything, but most of the time, nothing comes of it. There are hundreds of sites on the web along the lines of "I created a place where autistic people can share stories etc" and most of them are just the one person hoping others will join.

And I did try for over a year to build on the existing organizations, but they did turn out to be too limited - they are all basically controlled by one person. So this did split off in a way, but it is different because it isn't run by one person.

I do all the accounting and web stuff for now and could help other projects get off the ground by doing their paperwork and web presence.
-Star

Also Star, being under the umbrella of a non-profit [ the larger and more well known. the better] makes fund raising, and public involvement much easier.Years ago I used to fund raise for Jaycee community projects. Because of the size of the organization and the respect afforded it at the time, it was rare for me to approach any group and be turned down.

On the pro autistic project I am currently working on, I have received some [fairly small] donations. There have been a couple of times though, when someone looked like they were about to whip out their wallet, but said either "This is tax deductible, right?" or, worse, "Is this affiliated with Autism Speaks? I totally support Autism Speaks." [groan] The non profit status makes a difference. The numbers and name recognition make a difference.

Divergent Labs could be that group that many people choose to support, but, as I say over and over and over again, we need to cooperatively work together.

I would also add to the site a list of common myths and sterotypes and debunk them. and some videos would be nice on different topics on autism

btbnnyr, I've just read through this thread, and maybe I could contribute too, despite being from different culture and language. I know a little about finances, job-seeking and keeping, and perhaps applied psychology (from my experience and what I've been taught). I'm bad at organizing and arts and don't have too much energy. You may assign me some tasks too and we'll see if I can be of help.