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Using Vision Boards to Find Community Supports

Overview

This resource from ASERT provides information for direct support staff on using vision boards to find supports within a community such as meet-up groups and activities.

Community supports are those organizations and activities that improve quality of life by allowing individuals to be active within their local community. Some examples of community supports include meet-up groups, faith-based groups, and activities hosted by the public library or community centers. Some groups are created specifically for people with autism or other developmental disabilities, while others are open to all. The individual should be consulted about what goals or desires he or she has for finding and engaging with community supports. One way to do this is to work with the individual to create a vision board. A vision board is a creative method for exploring one’s preferences, interests, needs, and goals. Using visuals to develop a personal vision board can help to make the process of identifying potential community supports more concrete for the individual. Use collage, drawings, writing, painting, or other creative methods to answer the following questions regarding community supports:

  • What do you want from your community?
  • What do you have to offer your community?
  • What type of support do you need to participate in your community?

What  you can do now

  1. Using the vision board exercise, support the individual in articulating what he or she would like to gain from community involvement.
  2. Consider the individual’s strengths and interests and how sharing those with the community could benefit others.
  3. Once you have identified what type of activities the individual is interested in, plan how you may support him/her in reaching out to access these supports.

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This information was developed by the Autism Services, Education, Resources, and Training Collaborative (ASERT). For more information, please contact ASERT at 877-231-4244 or info@PAautism.org. ASERT is funded by the Bureau of Supports for Autism and Special Populations, PA Department of Human Services.