Civil Society Case: Hao2.eu 3Dnovations & Autus

How do you influence decisions if they are made according to rules that are clear to everyone except you?  How do you make your voice heard if you have grown up with an unpredictable barrage of disapproval, exclusion and ridicule whenever you try to express yourself?  Especially if you've therefore withdrawn from the world, maybe to the point of not speaking at all? 

Arriving at the new 3D Launch Point, I am immediately greeted by the first thing anyone new to virtual worlds needs to know: how to make my avatar move about, and thus explore this new environment.

Balance, Hao2 and Pure Innovations have been working together in a pilot supporting people with autism through the virtual world using a Connect Up virtual café designed by a young man with autism.

Initial findings are that the project is achieving positive outcomes for people with autism with the majority of the participants reporting improvement in:

The aim of improving autism support in Europe is laudable.  However, is it informed by too negative a vision of the future for people on the spectrum? 

We are proud to celebrate World Autism Awareness Day on 2nd April 2015

View our second Getsetgo! schedule of activities: organised by young people for young people to achieve their personal, professional and creative goals, covering October to December.

Register here to participate http://www.hao2.eu/getsetgo