Los Angeles Academy Vocational of the Arts (LAVAArs), is a project of Autism Unites, a new social-vocational all-inclusive training model that focuses on the “art of connection” as it’s guiding principle.
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“Autism Live” interview I on 2-4-2014: The guests are Susan Osborne, the Executive Director of ASIS and George Paige, award-winning producer and the director of GPA Entertainment. George Paige is talking about the documentary “Topanga”, the first of its kind collaborative vocational project between “GPA Entertainment” and ASIS. .
The mission of ASIS is to help young adults with autism spectrum disorders integrate into their communities so they can ultimately reach their fullest potential. “Match A Friend” (MAF) model is a relation-based innovative residential-social-educational-vocational autism integration concept. The goal will be to create a cohesive, collaborative community that is supportive, nurturing and positive. MAF started in 2010 with two friends, Adam, a young adult with severe autism and his friend/caregiver Cole. Take a peek at the video clip below called “The First Friend”.
By experiencing success and connections within their community, we believe that all participants in our programs will successfully transition to adulthood and go on to lead happy, successful, and productive lives. See our BROCHURE
In Spring 2012, ASIS launched the “Match A Friend” pilot program through a joint project with Joey Travolta’s Inclusion Films called “Through the Heart of Tango” (TTHOT). Inclusion Films documented the behind the scenes experience of the first ‘8 friends’ with and without autism. The purpose of this project was to introduce “Match A Friend” model, the new lense of looking at autism where someone who is seemingly disconnected actually teaches us the Art of Connection. The documentary was completed in March 2013 and at the same year was selected to be screened at the 5 major film festivals as well as was aired at the number of national news. Click to see trailer and the film history..
“Beautiful” (2013) is a series of social integration workshops provided by ASIS in 2013. Based on ASIS’ “Match A Friend” module (MAF), a group of young adults with and without autism were paired up as friends together learning the art of presence, focus, confidence, integrity and connection as the components of a true sense of self through the legacy of the unparalleled system of dance called Ballet. Preview Screening of the workshops took place on April 26-27, 2013 at the Autism Awareness Week in Santa Monica. Workshops were captured for documentary “Beautiful” (2013) in post-production. MAF model proved to be not only social, but also a vocational integration model.
Animation by ASIS’ animation instructor Masha Vasilcovsky (2009) Based on ASIS Fairytale “Dance Into Unity through the Heart of Tango”
This animation was created by Masha Vasilkovsky, the book artist of “Dance Into Unity through the Heart of Tango” – it was commissioned by the movie “Curve of Earth”, which received the Best Movie Award at the 2009 Monaco Film Festival. The theme of the animation was based on DIU Archetypal Fairytale “Dance Into Unity Through the Heart of Tango”
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Dance Into Unity 