Therapy 

1. Individual therapy

THE LASTING PERIOD:
1st January – 31st December, 2007

THE BACKGROUND OF ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE PROJECT:
Therapy is the essence of activity of our organization. It has been realized since the beginning of the existence of the association in 2001, has gradually developed supporting a greater amount of people, it has been realized by more trained and regularly growing in number specialists’ group. A regular, usually individual, long-lasting, professional, realized in every case according to a unique program, and a complex therapy is the only chance for the development of autistic people within their individual capabilities. It is estimated that an autistic person should undergo various kinds of rehabilitation of 40 hours a week.

THE DESCRIPTION OF THE UNDERTAKEN ACTIVITIE:
In 2007 the individual therapy was conducted in the system of 1 hour a week, supplemented with everyday efforts of the parents and volunteers who realized the individual recommendations of the therapists. The association was giving help to about 60 autistic people, it is, however, worth noticing that completeness and continuity of the therapy depended on the good will of the parents of the children under our charge. In 2007 when realizing the individual therapy the organization was employing four qualified therapists who were supported by two speech therapists.

RESULTS:
The results of the work with an autistic person are a very individual matter, the effects are different at a different stage of work. In a time perspective of many years the results of the work are huge and the alternative to provide the therapy or not leads to the choice between the full twenty-four hour necessity of treatment and the feeling of suffering and relatively independent, happy life. Generally, we can say that the result of the task will be diminishing dysfunctions caused by autism: social interaction spheres, communication sphere, difficult and not accepted behavior sphere

FINANCIAL SOURCES:
The National Handicapped People Rehabilitation Fund within the framework of Partner Program 2006

VOLUNTEERS:
Our specialists and parents of autistic people were supported in a therapist work by 15 volunteers within a varied scope in 2007. Most of the volunteers were students of pedagogical specializations at the University of Zielona Góra. Within the framework of only this project the volunteers worked for 300 hours.

2. Group therapy

THE LASTING PERIOD:
1st January -31st December, 2007 with different intensity

THE BACKGROUND OF ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE PROJECT:
The project was a supplementation of the therapy and rehabilitation described above. It mainly concerned the diminishing of social dysfunctions connected with autism, its task was to teach such usually prosaic things as play or expressing emotions. Through the realization of the task the children’s motor activities were developed.

THE DESCRIPTION OF THE UNDERTAKEN ACTIVITIE:
The realization of that part of activity of the association is physical activities and artetherapy. The specialists worked in 4-8 people in one team and they were supported by parents and volunteers. The children were joining the artetherapy activities groups according to sex, age, interests and the level of functioning. Artetherapy was held in two cycles in a few groups and lead by two therapists for 80 hours altogether. Physical exercises were taken for the whole year, once a week except for holidays and they were open for all the members of the association – however, each time a few children were taking part in it.

RESULTS:
As it has already been mentioned the results of the therapy (the group one as well) of autistic people is a very individual matter. Generally, we can say that the result is diminishing of the dysfunctions caused by autism in communication sphere, the ability to express emotions, social contacts and the awareness of one’s own body.

FINANCIAL SOURCES:
The National Handicapped People Rehabilitation Fund within the framework of Partner Program 2006