All posts tagged The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation

The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation for Adult Autism Shares Its Pioneering Mission On the Global Stage in Beijing,China by Ryan Shindler

The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation for Adult Autism Groundbreaking KEYNOTE Opens New Doors in China

On August 22-23, 2019, The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation attended the International Symposium on Rehabilitation and Advocacy for Autism sponsored by the Ai You Foundation at the Crowne Plaza in Beijing, China as an invited KEYNOTE addressee.

Over the course of two days, this international conference featured lectures on psychosocial support for families with Autism, organizational management of Chinese rehabilitation centers, and- led by renowned behavioral analyst Vicci Tucci, how the Competent Learning model fosters inclusion for Autistic children. Two of our founding Board of Trustees members, Howard and Frederick Fiddle, proudly represented The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation as the only international organization invited to share its trailblazing mission, representing the US Charitable Sector at the Conference.

Howard Fiddle participated on an international panel that discussed capacity building and vital support from the charitable sector. Frederick Fiddle presented a KEYNOTE address on the work of The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation since its inception. This includes the establishment of hundreds of adult Autism programs throughout the United States, educational and public service publications relating to topics focused on adult Autism and most recently the historic establishment of five endowed funds at America’s leading universities, each focused on unique areas that vitally impact adults diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Tugging at the heartstrings of the audience, Frederick Fiddle led a moving story of Danny Fiddle, his late son for whom the foundation is named.

Sponsoring the event, the Ai You (AY) Foundation spawned with the then new foundation laws in China in 2004, uses its entrepreneurial staff to push Chinese nonprofits into the 21st century. AY dedicates its efforts to the medical needs of children who need it most, including the Ai You HeKang Rehab Center for children with Autism.

The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation shared its visionary mission of worldwide acceptance of neurodiversity and the need to value all individuals. Starting out in New Jersey, Executive Director Linda Walder expanded the foundation’s outreach to all forms of media worldwide, including USA Today, the New York Times, Traditional Home and Redbook magazines, to name a few. Today she writes in the blog she established entitled, Autism for a Lifetime: Finding Joy in the Journey. The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation shared its innovative and collaborative model that focuses on joint-ventures and partnerships aimed to achieve specific societal change.

The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation assures a global focus on cutting edge research, program development, and public policy in the world of Autism through the strategic implementation of The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation Adult Autism Endowed Funds. Located in the nation’s elite universities, The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation five Adult Autism Endowed Funds each focus on a specific area of adult Autism. The partnership with Yale Medical School, for instance, is the first Fund in the nation dedicated exclusively to support research projects relating to adults living with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). Helping those with ASD express themselves artistically, Brown University’s Theatre Arts and Performance Studies (TAPS) nurtures both undergraduate and graduate collaboration with the Autism community, fighting stigma and revealing the nuances of neurodiverse living. The Rutgers School of Social Work sends three to four Fellows to work as direct clinicians with family members of autistic adults and develop a web-based resource guide for families to use nationwide. At the University of Miami through The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation Transition and Adult Programs at the Center for Autism and Related Disabilities, model programs focus on job training and attainment, workplace support and social skills development. Yet these efforts would be naught without extensive public policy advocacy in all levels of government. Thanks to our gift of $100,000, fellows the Watts College of Public Services and Community Solutions at Arizona State can develop a comprehensive policy agenda serving the needs of adults with ASD and their loved ones through The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation Center for Public Policy located at First Place in Phoenix, Arizona.

“We blaze trails that aim to inspire the world to embrace the fact that Autism is a lifelong challenge, that neurodiversity is valued as a matter of human rights, and that the public and private sectors have an obligation to create the supports and services necessary for all individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders ASD) to live their best life possible,” said Linda Walder. The opportunity to present this vision not only opened doors to a whole new world but successfully inspired the international and Chinese-based audience to view Autism as a lifelong journey with promising destinations as diverse as those who have been diagnosed. The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation’s person-centered initiatives and programs have already helped countless adults with ASD lead fulfilling lives, and assuredly will for generations to come around the world.

Ryan Schindler is an Autism Advocate in Atlanta,Georgia. He has an MPA from Syracuse, University and specializes in Public Policy. He loves playing board games, watching tv, and singing in a barbershop quartet. Currently Ryan is working on projects for The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation.

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by lindawf1 on February 23, 2020  •  Permalink
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Posted by lindawf1 on February 23, 2020

https://djfiddlefoundation.wordpress.com/2020/02/23/the-daniel-jordan-fiddle-foundation-for-adult-autism-shares-its-pioneering-mission-on-the-global-stage-in-beijingchina-by-ryan-shindler/

The Power of Advocacy

At this time of year with election day approaching it seems that everyone is advocating for something. Politicians are advocating their positions on key issues that affect their constituents.  Special interest groups are advocating for the politicians that represent their viewpoints. Business leaders are advocating for candidates that will enhance their prosperity while the underserved are advocating for more attention to their needs.  Opinions run rampant on social media like FACEBOOK and sometimes these opinions run those with opposing viewpoints out of town.

Everywhere one turns, whether tuning into television ( and not only the news show but entertainment shows too espouse political viewpoints) or getting one’s manicure or barbershop crew-cut, people everywhere are advocating their perspectives.  Yes, this is the American way, our first amendment right to free speech, and yes, we Americans hold this near and dear to our hearts and rightfully so!  It is powerful to advocate.

Why is advocacy so powerful?  First, on a primal level, advocacy allows us a vehicle by which to use our brains, formulate an opinion and then passionately share it.  I am not sure the amount of calories burned but perhaps someone has or will do a study as to whether constant advocacy leads to weight loss!  Anyhow, back on topic, it would seem that advocacy is a healthy form of discourse.  However, not always.

A childhood friend of mine was actually threatened and bullied by some other people from our childhood because of his political views that he shared on FACEBOOK.  They even threatened his mother!  This is a sad example of how advocacy can turn ugly and cruel.  There have also been recent instances that I have noticed advocacy envy where advocates who supposedly are working together for a cause, diminish and knit-pick the work that others are doing rather than celebrating the good intentions that create awareness.

In the world of Autism advocacy, many people living with Autism have difficulty with verbal communication (although they find other ways to get their point across for their needs and wants) so they are dependent on their peers who are more verbal, their parents and caregivers and professionals working in the field to express viewpoints.  The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation is extremely proud to have been among the first national Autism organizations and to be the first one focused on adults, to have an Advocates Advisory Board. We have always relied on our Advocates to guide us in our program development and in all else that we do. The Advocates on our Advisory Board all live with the challenges of Autism and some have posted on this blog and others will in the future.  These advocates currently serving as The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation adult self-advocate advisors are: Alex Bond, Stephen Daly, Amy Gravino, Susan Meyer, Jimmy Scancarella and T. Paul Voss. Each of these individuals has had opportunities to represent The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation; for example at: advocacy events; in the media; in pieces they have written for our publications; and social media; and at conferences and round-table think tanks to name a few.

In addition, The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation has proudly partnered with Autism organizations led by self advocates such as GRASP, ASAN and ARI and the programs, initiatives and awareness our partnerships have created are ones we take great pride in, especially because these affiliations and valued collaborations are driven by those who are on the front lines of Autism advocacy.  We are also very proud of the fact that these collaborations are serving the needs of the constituents that these organizations represent.

The power of advocacy is potent.  Even one voice can make a difference as we have often seen through history.  But the power of advocacy, like any other kind of power, must be cherished; and it should be used with careful consideration, respect, tolerance and positivity. Self-advocates should not be engaged as poster mannequins but as valued voices who drive the cause they represent. Groups working to achieve societal change and better lives should not vie against one another to be top-dog but rather support and respectfully disagree while mutually encouraging community engagement on the issues they care about. In these best case scenarios the power of advocacy is at its finest.Image

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by lindawf1 on October 22, 2012  •  Aside  •  Permalink
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Posted by lindawf1 on October 22, 2012

https://djfiddlefoundation.wordpress.com/2012/10/22/the-power-of-advocacy/