Autism Commune

I have an autistic kid. Now I hang around with families with the whole spectrum of autism. So many eccentric genes, smart people thinking outside of the box, social misfits who are the nerds who will make your computer work better than ever and find solutions that the neuro normals haven't figured out because they all walk on a common path.

I have a vision of sharing resources and living in a community where all levels of autistic people take care of each other and brain storm on creating new inventions.

The way it is now, little Einstein autistics are destroyed by society and forced into being low functioning mediocre depressed conformists.

We are a people.

 

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I'm talking to people. We just need to figure out how to pull it all together. Parents are so afraid of who will love their children and keep them safe after the parents die.

Autistic people love creativity and thrive on good vibes when people around them are in their creative zones. Care givers who want to put on a rock concert, create jewelry, bring a horse to work, paint pictures, anything that makes the care giver feel fullfilled would enhance the lives of the ones they care for.

Autistic spectrum people are a gold mine full of new ideas and new technologies. We could live in rural areas and have businesses inventing snacks for people on special diets and ship them all over the world. I can think of other things to do, too, plus the most disabled autistics are on social security so small incomes would be coming in and careful planning with resources would mean that the expenses would be low.

There's got to be strong supportive relationships with the families and the care givers and anyone else who wants to be a part of this cosmic autistic consciousness.

A shrink told me that the hippie movement of the 60's has got to have been inspired by high functioning autistics.

 

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<is on the "higher functioning" end of the autistic spectrum


it would be aneffective lobbying tool at least.....

 

Such a community would need to have a diverse range of people, but with a core mission they'd also share. As Meadow Lark points out, care givers wouldn't just be giving care but would be real people pursuing their own interests and as a part of a community which supports that.

I'd imagine that there would need to be a range of sources for the income -- to diversify and not overly depend on any one source. This would mean professional income, income from products which may include specialty foods, toys, etc., income from the care giving itself (many states pay very low wages here and have widely varying budgets from time to time, which is why they cannot be depended upon and should only constitute a minor portion of the revenue sources), income from providing advanced practicums for university studies for professionals specializing in this area (such as autism), income from providing a retreat location with services, grants and charitable contributions for 501(c)3, etc.

I also imagine that such a community would not only have some parents and care givers and professionals living onsite. But that there would be a larger community of associates living elsewhere with various levels of involvement. I suspect that some children might be brought in for a weekend respite for the parents (with care taken to prevent the possibility of the unusual but real problem of parents simply never coming back for their kids -- yes, it happens.) A coffee shop onsite would be nice for parents and others from anywhere to just sit and talk, too. Horse riding facilities, with an inside barn arena where children and their parents could go sit on the horses in a safe place and see how things work out before going on the trails, if they feel comfortable; horses sometimes being just led, sometimes ridden.

For the onsite care givers, despite the low wages, a place like this would offer access to resources such as horse riding and home-grown food and other amenities they could not hope to buy and it would offer a career path and not just a temporary source of modest income. Something worth staying for. And they would be able to take off for their own interests for a time, knowing that others can pick up the slack, when needed.

For parents, it would offer the chance to take off for a weekend without worry, knowing that things will be taken care of. It would offer a situation they could grow to know and shape and that would provide a place of love when they aren't around.

For professional providing part of the financial stability, it would offer those relationships they cannot easily buy, otherwise. As well as many of the same features everyone else would enjoy.

The problems I'd see would be all of the objective criteria needed to set something in motion that would last. This isn't easy. How do you deal with relationships onsite, should they go awry? How long does someone need to show that they fit it and can deliver before they move from a probationary role to something where the community makes a commitment in exchange for a reciprocal commitment? Who judges and how is it judged? What happens when someone permanent has circumstance changes that mandate that they leave, and they also need to pull out a share of the resources, as well? How is that accumulated and measured? What kind of core group is needed to get the ball rolling correctly, have the critical resources in place, and to guide the first few crucial years? What skills do they need to have? What will the transition look like, once the system appears stable and self-perpetuating?

Who else has achieved a long-term situation with a focus like this? What did their first business plan look like? How well did those first years match it? What went wrong? What went right? What unexpected problems arose? How did they solve them? What did their second cut at a business plan look like? Why did it change the way it did? How has their base of revenue changed over the years? How much of that change was anticipated well?

I don't think there is any real choice. It must be done. We need it, desperately. Not just parents -- there are many who would find this a wonderful home and place of community enterprise. And I think it can work with the right initial core group to get it past the critical point of long term survival. I sure hope so.

Jon

 

Yah it's possible - that any communities stay ectant longer than 5 years says it is possible - and the real hope come when you see some still active after more than a score of years and there are those that have been going even longer.
Have you looked in steiner groups (Anthroposophy SP?) they have been goinfg for a long while - think over a century and help the mentaly handicapped. Their organisations may give you some isights.
www.ic.org usually has connections you can follow and some blurbs as to other communityies evtant and attempts and what some of their guidelines are. I've shared my own as well inmy personal forumin the thread land community and gatherings - which covers many of the issues you brought up.

One of the most important things we must all remember is that no one else will make our dreams happen if we do not.

Blessings along your Way

 

Yes Yes Yes!!

I have been enchanted, frustrated, amused and blessed by my experiences with people who have AS. I first began teaching these children in 1994. I was extremely disatisfied with the "restraints" put upon them to act "normal". After three years in that district, I left. I moved to a rural district with no constraints on education. Not to mention relations with "those parents who expect so much". Blah blah blah... Myself, my students and all who cared to be involved developed our own program. It was a delight to be a part of this pseudo-family. I not only taught at school but went to coffee with parents, visited children in their homes, had communal meetings with people from the neighborhood involved. No longer were they "those children and those parents", they were people with names and lives to share. I also spent time working at a home for older men with AS. These men were institutionalized and paid the price for it. The de-institutional movement took them from the homes that they knew and people that they knew and plopped them into society. I do not feel that institutions are acceptable in any way. But a better transition was desperately needed. The more a person with AS is exposed to life and beauty, the more he/she can blossom. The more resticted, the more dictated to - is a dis-service to them and us. I feel for everyone involved. It is a huge financial burden. There is much more to learn and understand. Yet at the same time, these individuals are not commodities. My heart breaks when I hear a principle, official, organization,...say that they can always cut funds from the AS program because there is no hope. Hope is alive and well and I commend you for your efforts. I no longer work in the school systems. I choose to "pitch in" wherever I can help - homes, fund-raising, groups, respite, fun... Not to sound like a traitor because I have known some very dedicated and caring professionals in the field, but if anyone has any questions as to the "typical" inner workings of the traditional western methods of "dealing" with those with AS and their families, I would be happy to help in any way. Kudos to you. Your children are blessed to have as dedicated loved ones as they do. And I believe this is one situation where the phrase, "It takes a village to raise a child" is most appropriate.
mdancer

 

I just met with someone from our state who funds disabled people. We're going to be working on retreats to get some fellowship and acceptance of how good we all are together, whether autistic or not, we are a creative group, care givers, family members along the spectrum, etc.

We will be having frequent retreats in our area and hope to brainstorm, from there, how to make autist communities and communes happen.

There is so much original thinking and geeky brain power to be enhanced if they don't get destroyed by the Stepford Wives model.

 

please don't forget to keep us updated Meadow Lark. especially if that message board gets up and running.

peace,

pansy

 

I met with some people from our state who have to pay for group homes if families don't want their autistic children living with them. They are giving me meeting space to talk about solutions and work on getting land.


Someone told me of organizations who will give land grants if you have enough people willing to work for a good cause.

I'm just getting used to the controls of a message board and will want people brainstorming together as soon as it is up.

The first thing I said the the people from the state when I saw them, (it was tongue in cheek, of course) was that by the end of the meeting I want the community up and in place and a vote from all the members to send a bus to New Orleans to bring back families with autistic people to stay with us until they're on their feet.

We all have so much in common. So much creativity that's untapped because our kids and us, who are along the autism spectrum have been so cowed by the school systems' main goal, to pound conformity in you, even if it destroys any potencial that you have.

 

I have Nonverbal Learning Disability, which seems to fall on the Spectrum somewhere around Aspergersr, give or take a few "traits" as people like to call 'em...I think this is a wonderful idea, and definently would draw such a wide range of peope--it would be amazing! I look forward to hearing more about this!

 

Okay, I've been looking around for likely places and refining the autism community/commune idea.

Here's a copy of what I just places on the Intentional Communities web site.

People on the autism spectrum, you know who you are. You are hyper-aware, sensitive, passionate and original thinkers.

Families of profoundly autistic people. You know that it will be hard to find a supportive community when your autistic loved one no longer has you able to support their needs.

Asperger kids - you know that the schools don't "get it." You have so much to contribute, new ways of looking at math, science, etc. but it's like you're a cat in a classroom full of dogs.
Care givers of autistic people - you know how full a life can be around autism. Art, music, horses, nature…

You KNOW the hippie movement had to have been started by people along the autism spectrum!

We NEED a place where we can flourish. We NEED a place where we can provide respite and retreats for visiting families where they feel excepted and ready to celebrate who they are.

We NEED a place where we can provide resources for people along the autistic spectrum all over the world who need to connect.

The puzzle pieces are all there. Help us put it all together.

Residence, respite and retreat.

 

Excuse me,

I see that this thread is almost a year old, I regret being so late in discovering it. I am Asperger Autistic and I was wondering if this commune/community idea ever came to fruition? If so, I think it is something I would want to be a part of.

 

This is a wonderful idea.

 

I agree. Would you be interested in participating? Does anyone have any suggestions as to where this should take place? I'm wondering if this idea would get more attention, if perhaps it was also posted on some neurodiversity forums?

 

hey, I'm a college student studying special education with a concentration in autism. I work with many levels on the autism spectrum. This is a wonderful idea! If this happened would it be possible for me to come visit? This would be a great experience for me.

 

i think this is brilliant=)

 

Bumble, Yes if this did work out, you could absolutely come visit, I think it would be a great idea!

Ok, so first things first. Where should this commune be? Texas? Maryland? Idaho? Any suggestions?

 

http://www.kindtree.org/retreat.html
just saw this, and thought it may be of interest to you all.. (or could give you some good ideas for activities, etc..)