Vocational Training for Children with Autism

KOMPAS/KORNELIS KEWA AMA

M Yasin

When therapy for children with autism at a special school is over, where will they go? That was the question that M Yasin tried to answer by opening up vocational education that accommodates children with autism. This form of education prioritizes the children’s future.

Not all children are able to enroll in university and be economically independent. Yasin seeks to accommodate children who have graduated from SLB Bina Anggita, a special school that he runs, and other special schools to get vocational education.

The vocational education building for children with autism, measuring 192 square meters in Wonocatur hamlet, Banguntapan village, Banguntapan district, Yogyakarta, looked deserted. There were no cheerful voices in like most middle school buildings. Seven autistic teenagers were busy with their respective activities in the corner of the building.

M Yasin said that thousands of autistic children in Indonesia seemed lost in life. When they finish therapy at special schools (SLB), most of them have difficulty finding work or continuing their education. In fact, they can be directed to live independent lives, whether through further education or entering the workforce.

The purposes of national education, including special schools, include creating independence for students with special needs. Further steps for people who graduate from SLBs in the country are not yet focused.

I built special vocational education to accept graduates of these schools.

Yasin runs five special schools specializing in autism or autism therapy under the Bina Anggita Foundation. One autistic therapy school at the level of kindergarten, elementary, junior and senior high schools in Banguntapan, Bantul, one in Gunung Kidul and one in Magelang.

"I built special vocational education to accept graduates of these schools," Yasin said.

Yasin was one of the pioneers of education for autistic children in Yogyakarta. In 1994, before autism was widely known in Indonesian society, he handled two autistic children from Yogyakarta in Banguntapan. The two children are independent today after graduating from university.

All SLB teachers in Yogyakarta know Yasin as an autistic child therapist. In his hands, children who have difficulty speaking can learn to talk, hyperactive children can become calmer and finally, they are trained as independent children.

At first, Yasin provided therapy and education free of charge to children with special needs. In 1995, when the operational needs and provision of educational infrastructure increased, it collected fees from parents.

When Yasin\'s effort to treat children with autism was exposed by the media in 1999, he was visited by many parents from all over Indonesia. They, Yasin said, wanted to have their children treated.

"Around 17 children came. They came from Papua, Aceh, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Southeast Sulawesi. We have no therapy room, no learning and playing facilities and infrastructure, no therapist, no desks and no teacher\'s room. We decided to form a foundation so that we could increase our learning capacity by renting a house near an existing school," he said.

Now, Bina Anggita Foundation handles 55 autistic children in SLB Banguntapan, 45 students in SLB Ma\'arif Bantul and 68 autistic children in Magelang and seven students attend communication education. Meanwhile, the school in Gunung Kidul is about to be closed because all the teachers have moved to another SLB.

Not all

He realized that about 400 autistic children who were treated under the Bina Anggita Foundation did not continue their education at universities, nor were they economically independent. This does not include graduates of state-run autistic SLBs and other autism foundations in Yogyakarta and its surrounding areas. These children are still dependent on parents or siblings.

Realizing this, in July 2017, Yasin built a vocational school with his own money. This school prioritizes autistic children over 15 years of age or graduates from a number of autistic SLBs under the Bina Anggita Foundation.

In addition to attending further autism therapy in the vocational school, seven children who were over 15 years enrolled there were also given skills training, such as batik making, sewing by hand and machine, painting, playing music and making meatballs, fried noodles, noodle soup, peyek kacang (peanut cracker) and crackers.

Idris independently worked on making the crackers until finally they were ready to be presented.

Although still in a state of recovery, these children tried to follow every direction and guidance given by 15 facilitators at the school. On Wednesday afternoon, Idris, 19, from Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, was practicing making peanut crackers. Idris independently worked on making the crackers until finally they were ready to be presented.

Each participant has one skill according to their wishes and hobbies. The mentor only directs them to hone the skill even though they must be repeated until they can do it themselves.

"Family members will not be willing to accept them as long as they are not independent. I want to build a village specifically for autistic children; they live independently in the village without being dependent on other people. They can earn money from selling meatballs, chicken noodles, doing sewing, painting, automotive and other activities. The point is, they are independent," Yasin said, determined.

Despite all this, Yasin noted that around 30 autistic children were enrolled at state schools after completing autism therapy at the Bina Anggita education for kindergarten, elementary, middle school and high school levels. Generally, they have mild autism and are accepted by the school, parents and the environment.

They are not bullied or abused. These children must also avoid the types of foods that contain casein, gluten and glucose. These children quickly adjust along with the majority of children in schools.

Now, some of them are attending secondary school and formal tertiary education. Three people are studying at Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta, in the vocational field; five people work in printing; two people are enrolled at Brawijaya University, Malang; one person is studying at IT Banjarmasin and one student studied is pursuing a master’s degree at Bogor Agricultural University in the field of animal husbandry.

"It really depends on the child\'s condition. If the autism is classified as mild or moderate, it can be treated or directed. Especially if the parents, public schools and the community give support. They are not bullied or abused. These children must also avoid the types of foods that contain casein, gluten and glucose. These children quickly adjust along with the majority of children in schools," said Yasin.

KOMPAS/KORNELIS KEWA AMA

M Yasin

M Yasin

Born: Sewon, Bantul, March 5, 1969

Education: Bachelor degree in special education from Yogyakarta State University

Wife: Ana Kunstantina

Children: Afa, 20; Nada, 17

Job: Chairman of Advisory Council for Bina Anggita Foundation, Yogyakarta