Details.
A teen mentoring program in which adolescents with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnoses mentor younger children on the autism spectrum. The program runs from September through May and includes monthly social, recreational, and community service events. Mentors participate in training and individual goal-setting focused on mentoring, leadership, planning for the future, and community connections. Mentors are typically high school students ages 14 to 21. Mentees are typically children ages 9 to 13 with an autism diagnosis who would benefit from role models and group activities. Participants cannot require 1:1 staffing or engage in aggressive or self-injurious behavior.