This webcast will introduce the core components of self-advocacy. Essential self-advocacy theory will be connected directly to strategies people with ASD use to self-advocate. An emphasis on self-advocacy across the lifespan will be made, and resources and ideas will be shared to help attendees get started with self-advocacy supports.

Bio:

Andrew Nelson, director of direct services for the West Virginia Autism Training Center, recently co-authored “Essential Self-Advocacy and Transition,” with colleagues Valerie Paradize, Susan Kelso, and Alexander Earl. Published in the April 2018 issue of Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the article details the importance of self-awareness and self-advocacy skills in the transition to adulthood for individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.