A one of a kind mobile school in Colorado will be opening its doors this fall to students with autism.
The mobile school is called Teaching Autism Community Trades, or T.A.C.T. for short. It primarily teaches children with Autism Spectrum Disorder skills in trade, such as auto mechanics, woodworking, and various types of art. T.A.C.T. is a Denver-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Founders Danny and Claire Combs created T.A.C.T. in 2016 and have partnered with different organizations to get their footing and provide different workspaces for their classes. Currently, they are teaching night and weekend classes. [gallery size="large" columns="2" ids="15056,15057,15059,15058"] Their mission statement:to educate, nurture and advocate for individuals and families within the autism community. Our unique and dynamic program empowers individuals with autism as they gain the necessary skills to succeed in the trades field."T.A.C.T. will offer vocational and full-time core credits combined with the opportunity to gain experience in the working world, giving those students a chance to be successful. According to the National Autism Indicators Report by the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, "Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) is the largest source of public assistance for people with disabilities who seek employment, and people with autism are a growing segment of VR service users." VR is part of the Rehabilitation Act, which authorizes federal grants to state VR agencies to implement vocational services, and they serve about half a million individuals with disabilities each year. The report found that many individuals with autism have a more difficult time not only finding, but keeping a job. T.A.C.T. is trying to mend that by giving students the opportunity to broaden their horizons, refine their skills and gain new experiences that could open doors for them in the future, especially in the workforce.
You can donate to T.A.C.T. through their GoFundMe page!
All photos courtesy of T.A.C.T.'s Facebook page.
