IGNITE is a program of the Autism Society of North Carolina, with founding support from the Evernham Family-Racing for a Reason Foundation. Summer 2016 • Volume 3, Issue 3
IGNITE is a unique ‘peer-to-peer’ community center for young adults with high-functioning autism (HFA) or Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) offering activities, skills training, and educational workshops that foster social, financial, educational, and employment independence for its members. More importantly, IGNITE offers a social environment where members can connect with others and experience a sense of community. For more information: Alyssa Puccia, IGNITE Director 704-897-8982 apuccia@autismsociety-nc.org www.ignite-davidson.org www.autismsociety-nc.org You can donate to IGNITE online or send a check made out to the Autism Society of North Carolina: IGNITE • 209 Delburg St., Suite 134 Davidson, NC 28036
Thinking Like a Voter During this election season, IGNITE has taken the opportunity to focus on the many life skills involved in voting, which requires thinking critically, making decisions, and forming opinions. In our “Thinking Like an Adult” class, we have discussed how to consider what is really important to each of us as individuals, and how that leads to forming our own opinions. Ultimately, this is what drives us to choose a candidate for whom to vote. Education is key when forming your OWN opinion, and many sources of information exist in our modern world. We have talked through how to determine whether information is reliable – let’s face it, we all could use a refresher on where to get our information! In the age of social media, it is imperative to revisit the importance of trustworthy news sources. Classes introduced members to different ways to gather information to form their opinions, such as watching debates and staying up-todate on current events through trusted news media. It takes a lot of practice to differentiate fact from opinion and to decipher the hidden meaning behind words. Additionally, when the news is so difficult to watch, it can sometimes feel easier to skip it. It can elicit a lot of emotion for everyone, but especially for those on the spectrum. Fortunately, we can exercise our ability to be positive. As Mister Rogers said, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’” Just as Mister Rogers had his mother as a good advisor and mentor in his life, each of us should have those individuals in our lives. IGNITE not only talks about who these people should be and how to seek them out, we recruit particular members to take on mentor roles. But as we all know, it can also be difficult to accept the opinions of others. This can be particularly challenging when it comes to politics, so IGNITE continually teaches techniques for listening to others as they express their viewpoints and responding appropriately. Our class also covered the process of registering to vote, how to find voting locations, and what to expect when casting your ballot. It is our goal that exposure to this topic, as well as the life skills that link to it, encourages members to feel that they have a voice and to use that voice.