Johannesburg hospital school for autism
Johannesburg hospital school for autism
The Tembisa Yellow Canary Project, is a Johannesburg hospital school for autism. More than that, it is a concentrated attempt to provide quality ABA, in South Africa, to those that could not otherwise afford these services.
Johannesburg hospital school for autism: Many communities in South Africa do not fully understand Autism nor do they have the resources, facilities or training to provide children on the Autism Spectrum the therapy that they require to unlock their full potential. Internationally, we now realise that a diagnosis of Autism, although devastating, is no longer cause to give up on a child’s development. Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) has proven to be a very effective way of teaching skills that, not so long ago, would have been thought of us out of these children’s reach. However, this knowledge has not seeped into all areas of South Africa. Parents in Tembisa, and similar communities, still struggle daily with children that their community do not fully understand and struggle to help.
The Yellow Canary Project is situated on the Tembisa Hospital grounds and is a Johannesburg hospital school for autism. The main goal of the project is to enrol as many children as possible into an intensive and effective ABA program so as to make functional and meaningful changes in those children’s lives. The program does much more than that. It educates young people in the community, our dedicated staff, how best to work with these children. It brings to light the fact that these children are not a lost cause and that with the right intervention, it is becomes difficult to pin down exactly what their limitations are.
One of the most important aspects of the project is to enlighten and teach the parents of these children. It is important to bring the family and the parents into the loop, making them part of the team, and giving them the confidence and skills, they require to make a significant change in the lives of their children and families. More often than not, theses families’ homes are one or two rooms, with a separate bathroom and sharing the property with several other families. By teaching behavioural strategies that they can use in their homes, without cost, and providing daily ABA therapy at the hospital, the project can empower these parents to raise themselves out of a situation made greatly more challenging by a child that seems beyond their control.
Despite the expertise and money being channelled into the project and the enthusiasm of the staff on site, the project could still greatly benefit from outside assistance. Space is limited, resources are few and time is in short supply. Donors and volunteers can provide welcome assistance – please contact The Star Academy if you are able to support this noble cause in some way.
