feature program has Sam happy and laughing during sessions .
“ Sam has more confidence and had no problems returning to school this year ,” she said .
“ He ’ s met others like him with a view to future friendships and is building a network of support .
“ The mentors are on the spectrum , so Sam takes more notice of them and has more confidence in them because they understand .
“ Online mentoring works much better because this is Sam ’ s safe place . He doesn ’ t feel comfortable face-to-face in person as much as he does online . He can participate and enjoy online without dealing with his sensory sensitivities .”
Sam said he likes that he can be himself during the sessions .
" Being well supported when starting high school can help lay the foundation for a student on the spectrum ."
“ I can mute myself if I don ’ t feel okay to talk , and don ’ t have to worry about people touching me . I ’ m making new friends and they ’ re all good people ,” Sam said .
Ms Callow said initial results from the mentoring program are that students have greater confidence , a sense that they belong to a large community of support and a better ability to see themselves through a strength-based lens .
“ In fact , one of the things our mentors help the kids develop is their
own ‘ I CAN Profile ’ for their teachers , which details their individual strengths , things that stress them out , and approaches that help bring them comfort .
“ For students starting out at a new school , and for the teachers who wish to understand them better , this profile can be an invaluable tool .
“ We ’ ve also seen some meaningful friendships result from the program when students discover that there are kindred spirits in the group .” www . icannetwork . com . au
Family Planning NSW is the state ’ s leading provider of reproductive and sexual health care services .
To support the reproductive and sexual health and rights of people with disability , we provide education and training for disability workers , teachers and youth and community workers ranging from one day introductory courses to more advanced two-day courses .
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For more information or to register visit www . fpnsw . org . au or email education @ fpnsw . org . au linkonline . com . au autism
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