Communication activities aim to raise public awareness of children with autism

Fifteen centre providing intervention services for children with autism in Vietnam have conducted various communication activities to raise public awareness on the syndrome as part of activities to respond to the World Autism Awareness Day (April 2).

Nguyen Thi Hien, Vice Director of the Vietnam Children’s Fund which is conducting a project to enhance public awareness of children with autism that covers the 15 centres, said that the best way to respond to the World Autism Awareness Day is to popularise signs of autism and call for stronger engagement of the community in supporting them.

On March 31, Khai Tri School for Special Education in Ho Chi Minh City, one of the 15 facilities, held a programme for children with autism, during which the children had chances to meet each other and develop their social skills. The event also gave an opportunity to the community to get better understanding on autism to give more love to children with autism.

During the programme, the Vietnam Children’s Fund and the Phu Nhuan Jewelry SJC (PNJ) presented gifts to children with disabilities and autism studying in the school.

According to the Vietnam Children’s Fund, on April 2, a parade in response to the World Autism Awareness Day will take place in Vinh Yen city of northern Vinh Phuc province with the participation of leaders of the fund, teachers and children with autism.

Funded and implemented by the Vietnam Children’s Fund and the PNJ, the project to enhance public awareness of children with autism started in 2018 and will last until 2023. It aims to help children with autism integrate into the society thanks to better understanding from the community.

After three years of implementation, the project has built and issued a standardised set of document on children with autism, which include rehabilitation measures for the children, while improving capacity for key management officials and teachers at intervention centres.

Within the project, many communications activities have been held to equip teachers and parents nationwide with better knowledge of autism through training activities, workshops and via the project’s website./.