Olbia. The Mental Health Center of Olbia begins its activities inclusion in collaboration with local associations. Rehabilitative and recreational activities on the one hand, job placement plans on the other. The project for the inclusion of autistic people developed by the Olbia Mental Health Center of the ASL Gallura runs on two tracks that are destined to meet. Two lines of intervention designed with the common objective of making participants achieve a better awareness of their own abilities. The activity, which can already count on specific regional funding, was presented in recent days during an event open to the public organized by the association Sensibly.
“The project was born from the will of create a network in the territory between our service, the institutions and the many associations which we will soon ask, through an expression of interest, to present operational proposals. The people involved will be able to participate in socialization courses with activities in an external environment – explains Dalila Masia, Psychiatric Rehabilitation Therapist – such as excursions, musical, artistic and sporting activities. It will be the testing ground to test one’s skills and resources, always under the monitoring of the operators of our service in order to promptly verify the level of response from users. We therefore leave the clinics also to induce the population to change their approach towards autistic people, thanks to the network with bodies, associations, businesses and with the help of the Sensibile association which has known and addressed the problems of autistic people for years. Autism it is not disability, the condition of disability – he adds – occurs when the demands of the environment are too high or difficult to sustain and the resources are not sufficient to respond appropriately to tasks that are fundamental for autonomy. We will try to find the way to the right answers.” Giuseppina Moro, social worker, adds: “There is a double aim: on the one hand the therapeutic one which arises from group work and the comparison with the external environment as elements of skill growth e of integration, on the other, raising citizens’ awareness of autism issues with a view to inclusion, to definitively break down the stigma towards autistic people”. Another line of intervention will focus on job training. Psychiatrist Michelangela Sanna explains: “We will try to bring out the skills of young people with autism, overcoming the limits associated with job placement and we will do so with personalized projects, through thematic workshops and practical training meetings”. Autism manifests itself in the 18 to 25 age group, often in comorbidity with psychiatric pathologies (mood disorders, psychosis, anxiety disorders).
“This is mainly aimed at younger people project which fully embraces the spirit of networking that has distinguished us for some time – concludes Luisa Budroni, the Director of the CSM of Olbia – and we hope that the citizens show the right Attention by getting involved in this important inclusion initiative.”
