Just like everyone else, people with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) need to benefit from their free time in a functional and creative manner, engaging, in normal environments, in activities they enjoy. At GAUTENA, inspired by the frequent limitations experienced by persons with ASD in this respect, we have always placed special emphasis on the importance of this area, which is vital to the comprehensive development of the individual and his or her well-being.

¿HOW CAN YOU ACCESS THIS SERVICE?

The leisure and free time service is provided in collaboration with the social services and the youth and sports services of the Gipuzkoa Provincial Government. Nevertheless, in order to participate in the leisure and free time activities that we organise, a fee is required, but it is always easily affordable for the families involved.
GAUTENA informs the families of the different activities that may be of interest to them by means of the various campaigns carried out (holiday outings, summer camps, extracurricular activities…) Furthermore, we are happy to respond to any support or guidance request regarding clients’ participation in the initiatives proposed by other community resources.

¿WHAT DO WE AIM TO ACHIEVE WITH THIS SERVICE?

We aim to ensure that all those presenting ASD do participate in the programmes offered by their communities. For this, we try to ensure that the range of activities allows for possible participation of those who require special adaptations, and we advise and collaborate with the organisers in order to ensure satisfactory inclusion. At the same time, GAUTENA offers internally a series of free time activities that complement the general offer; thereby enabling people with a high level of dependence to make the most of their leisure time.

¿HOW DOES THE SERVICE WORK?

The Leisure and Free Time Service encompasses people of widely different ages, interests and characteristics. For this reason, we need to diversify our offer and adapt it accordingly. The service carries out most of its work by encouraging the participation of our members in activities organised by the community, i.e. the Provincial Government, local councils, religious institutions, youth clubs and schools... If a person with ASD requires support in order to participate satisfactorily in one of these activities, we alert the organisers accordingly. Furthermore, we also help finding and training those people responsible for providing this individualised support.

Alongside this, GAUTENA also organises a wide range of activities aimed specifically at people presenting ASD. These initiatives are run both during the school year (extracurricular activities such as sports, swimming, weekend groups) and, especially, during the holidays. At Easter, Christmas and in the summer time, a number of different leisure activities are organised: camps, short breaks, day camps, walks...These activities always take into account participants’ age and specific needs.

A significant part of the activities are carried out thanks to the collaboration of VOLUNTARY WORKERS. The Leisure and Free Time Service is responsible for welcoming and monitoring all volunteers participating in the different GAUTENA services.