Inspiring the Minds of the Future
FutureTech is a STEM program that aims to break down social, economical and educational barriers for children and young people on the autism spectrum.
We believe that children on the autism spectrum hold the keys to unlocking some of the world's most complex challenges. However, we recognise that these children are often the ones who fall through the cracks of traditional educational and social opportunities.
We believe we owe it to them, and the world, to change that.
OUR MODEL
Our model is unique in that it has been specifically designed for children on the spectrum by mentors and support workers with personal and professional experience of ASD (autism spectrum disorder)
Studies support the concept that individuals on the autism spectrum struggle to learn topics they are not directly motivated by.
That is why our model is participant-driven where learning is collaboration and exploration led by participants and facilitated by STEM mentors and support workers.
WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE?
Our Exploration Sessions run every Saturday.
Exploration sessions are run across several hours to allow for both learning and social opportunities.
We begin with several learning stations based on STEM education and led by our expert team. Participants choose which station they would like to engage in and spend the duration of their learning time here.
Participants then break for lunch where they are encouraged to eat together and socialise without technology
Our Exploration Sessions finish with (most) participants most preferred task; games.
Harnessing our purpose built minecraft and discord platforms and other technologies at our disposal, participants are encouraged to socialise over mutual interest in gaming and tech.
OK, SO MY PERSON LOVES ROBOTICS AND WANTS TO TAKE THEIR LEARNING FURTHER.
GREAT. We have developed several structured workshops for our participants in topics such as;
- Game Design
- Robotics
- Web Development
- Science
Participants who want to take their learning past exploration can opt in to our structured learning workshops that take place on weekday evenings, again putting the choice and control in their hands.
BUT WHY?
FutureTech Founder, Rebecca, has a younger brother with ASD and ADHD.
Growing up, Rebecca could always see her brother's brilliance however as he entered high school she became aware that not everyone did.
'I was achieving high As and Bs throughout high school, while Sam was barely passing - it made no sense to me considering his intelligence was clearly far superior to mine'
'I moved to Australia and found the situation to be just a grim here, so many incredible minds being squashed by the 'sit down, listen to me' structure in schools. Children who have the power to bring about real world change being excluded from education because the environment and delivery is not designed for them'
'That is where the concept for FutureTech came from, how do we reach these kids and guide them towards their full potential. It started as an idea then became a reality with the support of another N4P. Over the last 2 years we have find tuned the model and are now ready to spread our wings as our own organisation'
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Donate to our crowd-funding page to support our project by selecting a reward from the list on the right. Thank you so much for your support!!
Together, we will inspire the minds of the future.
