Italian Association for Helping Autistic children – AIABA

The project “I’m going to live in the country”, supported by the Ente Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze, is constructed around a series of itineraries within the “Dopo di Noi” (After Us)  holiday home conceived exclusively for the care of people suffering from intellectual and autistic disabilities. This home is situated within the “Borgo di Elisa” situated in Borgo San Lorenzo, a structure for the rehabilitation of the disabled created entirely through the funding of the Ente Cassa. It currently numbers 27 operational units, 2 of which are semi-residential centres while another is a sort of day care clinic for autistic people. The main aim is to offer assistance to both the disabled person and his or her family within a protected environment so as to offer all of them a better future.

The project is divided into two parts. The first is a “future itinerary” in which 5 young people are involved. Launched as part of this is the “After Us” itinerary, comprising the use of the “Borgo Elisa” apartment situated in Borgo San Lorenzo. This rehabilitation structure has been specially designed to accommodate disabled people and was created through the funding of the Ente CRF.

In the first year the youngsters will attend the structure every two weeks; in the second year they will visit every week, whereas the third year envisages a more assiduous attendance leading up to all-round residence. Returns to the family are nevertheless possible when felt to be necessary.

The other part of the project consists of an “independence itinerary” made up of two groups with similar characteristics who occupy the accommodation at the week-ends for a total of two weeks a month, one for each group. The plan is for a wider utilisation of the apartment, scheduling coexistence between the permanently resident group and other alternating groups. The beneficiaries of the project are a maximum of 15 people, 5 from the “future itinerary” group and the remaining 10, divided into two groups, taking part in the “independence itinerary”.

More specifically, this programme addresses the care of people who have intellectual and autistic difficulties of a social nature, which is a new topic that has been insufficiently addressed to date. Special attention is given to the aspect of personal and social autonomy. The project is ready to welcome persons from other associations operating in the same sphere and is run with the participation and support of the Tuscan Regional Authority.