La Brigata Indipendente
The association started from an idea of two young mothers: "Valentina & Valentina", when they came to realize that young people with ASD, like their children, face a everyday reality that hardly lets them put into play, because never looks at them competitive enough for the job market, as it is overwhelming and increasingly frenetic in todays tumultuous lifestyle.
Although Europe is known for an excellent welfare system, we still struggle
to give people with ASD an answer for full inclusion in life and work. It is fair
to say that we take care of the people with greater difficulties, but we still
leave those with less ailments, stuck at the starting gate and forgotten in
cities where their full potential remains untapped denying them the
opportunity they deserve.
This is exactly what young people with ASD from the Independent Brigade
are facing. Our girls and boys want to emancipate, work and live an
independent life. They have studied, they have prepared themselves, they
want to get involved, but the doors are still closed for them. History teaches us that when a road is missing you have to build a brand new
one, so where to start?
The only possible answer is: give them a voice! Let them speak, helping
them to make themselves known to show how much potential they have.
Autism has many faces, which we often do not know, and for this reason we
often only talk about it by hearsay. What we really ignore is what those living
with an autism spectrum disorder can really do, and we may find that it is
possible for many to live their daily lives independently and happily.
Many people with ASD are in that condition where they are skilled enough to
do a lot, but not that fast for today's business world that requires so much
speed and approval for hiring.
What does it mean? Are they wrong for this
world? Is the world of work cynical and cruel? Don't put it this way, it will
never pay off.
It just means we're looking for the solution in the wrong place!
If ASD were a vision problem for people, a good pair of glasses could
already help many... because tools matter; but sometimes they are not
enough. Much depends on the environment that surrounds us: if all the
roads of our cities were unpaved, only those few with an off-road vehicle
could reach their destination.
In fact, when the tools available are lacking, it
means that you have to work on the surrounding environment.
At the moment, the association is made up only of relatives of family of girls and boys with ASD and unfortunately, without the use of healthcare personnel, it cannot directly take on all levels of difficulty; this is to avoid creating difficult or risky situations for people in fragile conditions. The association currently does not have the expertise to develop new autonomy, but only to strengthen existing ones, starting from the minimum capacity for personal self-management for the needs of independent living without the need for support.
The association's activities are organized to be managed directly by the members without the presence of other figures.
When requesting to join, this condition is exposed to the applicant (and any guardian), who evaluates whether these conditions are compatible with their own. The association reserves the right to evaluate the applicant's suitability through an interview and reasonable observation. In the future, the association aims to also structure itself, within the limits of its available resources, to receive people with varying degrees of fragility in complete safety, with the help of qualified healthcare personnel to help them acquire new skills and independence.
Meet
Our girls and boys
Matteo
The passionate manga, anime, and superhero enthusiast.
Filippo
Our big-hearted cook, hard work doesn’t scare him.
Nicola
Our soccer and basketball expert.
Federica
Our passionate agility dog enthusiast.
Daryna
Our Latin American dance expert.
Giacomo
For him, means of transportation have no secrets, especially trains.
Our statute
La Brigata Indipendente
Union makes the difference!
The Independent Brigade is a non profit association for social utility, that was
born in September 2021, aiming at the empowerment and indipendent life,
for boys and girls with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and other frailties.