Staatsburg, New York….Anderson Center for Autism today announced that Anderson Center Consulting and Training (ACCT) will be hosting Tik Talk: a free social skills program designed to support neurodivergent and autistic middle and high schoolers. The training opportunity is paid for by Dutchess County and will run for 7 weeks. Participants, who must apply for the experience, will meet once/week with their age group to strengthen communication and interpersonal skills. Applications are due no later than Friday, July 5, 2024.
Anderson Center for Autism, founded in 1924, provides educational, vocational, residential, clinical, and training programs designed to help further its mission of “optimizing the quality of life for individuals with autism.” According to the Centers for Disease Control, 1 in 36 are diagnosed with the neurological disorder, which can present with a wide range of communication, sensory processing, and socialization challenges. Anderson Center Consulting and Training is an affiliate of Anderson Center, and offers onsite and online programs to empower individuals, family members, corporations, municipalities, and colleagues with the knowledge needed to maximize success for autistic and neurodivergent people.
Said Patrick Paul, CEO/Executive Director of Anderson Center for Autism, “By working with a wide range of entities, Anderson Center Consulting and Training has been building a culture of greater inclusivity and accessibility all over the Hudson Valley and beyond. With this newly-launched Tik Talk social skills program, we turn our attention to the young people of those communities who need support learning how to more confidently connect with others, so that they can fully experience their supportive communities and enjoy greater feelings of success overall in their lives.”
Tik Talk is available to students ages 12-21 who are interested in learning how to initiate and build friendships, enhance social interaction skills, build self-advocacy skills, and better understand the points of view of others. The groups will be split up by age and will meet once/week for a total of 7 weeks in Poughkeepsie and Wappingers Falls, NY.
Explained Kathleen Marshall, Director of Program Services for Anderson Center Consulting and Training, “It has often been said that the quality of our lives is directly tied to the quality of our relationships. Autistic and neurodivergent individuals often have a hard time expressing themselves or reading social cues, which makes it difficult for them to build relationships. We hope that Tik Talk will give the younger generation a chance to bridge communication gaps so that they can enjoy higher-quality connections and improved well-being. We are very grateful to Dutchess County for funding this initiative, and we expect that this program will grow in the years to come.”
Applications, due by Friday, July 5, 2024, are now available through Anderson Center Consulting and Training. The program is free of charge. For more information or to register, call 845-889-9616 or email ACCT@andersoncares.org
About Anderson Center for Autism
Our mission at Anderson Center for Autism is to optimize the quality of life for individuals with autism.