Tata Power partners with Beartsy Foundation to raise autism awareness and empower support champions in rural India through ‘Pay AUTention’ initiative.
In this story we are highlighting a new partnership between Tata Power Community Development Trust (TPCDT) and Beartsy Foundation. It is expected to raise awareness about autism in grassroots communities across India. The flagship initiative aims to empower parents, caregivers, public health workers, schoolteachers, and social workers to create early identification and acceptance for children with Autism, especially in small towns and rural parts of the country.
Read on to learn more about this exciting partnership and the impact it aims to create in the neurodiversity domain.
Tata Power Community Development Trust (TPCDT) in its effort to take Autism Support to grassroots communities through its flagship ‘Pay AUTention’ initiative, partners with Beartsy Foundation. Through this partnership, Beartsy Foundation will raise awareness among communities spread across the states of Maharashtra, Delhi, Karnataka, UP, Odisha, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh through the medium like street theatre, workshops, and awareness series in native vernacular languages.
‘Pay AUTention’: TPCDT’s initiative for early identification and acceptance of Autism
In line with its mission to foster diversity and inclusivity, TPCDT partnered with the Center for Autism and other Disabilities Rehabilitation Research and Education (CADRRE) in 2022 to launch ‘PAY AUTENTION’. This phygital support network aims to empower parents, caregivers, Anganwadi workers, public health workers, schoolteachers, staff of public service organizations, and social workers to serve as aware and empowered support champions enabling early identification and creating acceptance for children with Autism, especially in small towns and rural India.
Beartsy Foundation’s commitment
Shikha Mittal, Founder of Beartsy Foundation said, “I am delighted to associate with Tata Power Community Development Trust for their incredible initiative Pay AUTention that aims at creating a support network for neurodiverse individual and their ecosystems. Setting up Beartsy gave me an opportunity to use the art for business when I first launched the corporate awareness programs. Since 2010 I have been consistently working to positively impact Indian workplaces by raising awareness of people’s financial, mental, social, and occupational health by using street theater in the corporate corridors. I feel vindicated in my belief as I take it forward with the Tata Group through my social arm.”
“I am fortunate to begin my innings with the prestigious Tata Group. When I started 12 years ago, Be.artsy’s first project was for Tata Power Delhi Distribution. Life has come full circle as I launch the Beartsy Foundation, I am fortunate to start with Tata Power once again”, She added.
Pay AUTention programs across multiple states
Through Pay AUTention, Tata Power aspires to create a collective platform for key actors to optimize existing efforts in the Neurodiversity domain, to cross-pollinate, and enable required support ecosystems for early diagnosis, acceptance & care. The initiative aims to leverage the combined power of technology, people, corporate and existing Govt. schemes networks. The initiative also aims to steer collective efforts to amplify the reach of Govt. early intervention centers through phygital enablers and apps, which are currently being piloted.
Beartsy Foundation is committed to supporting TPCDT in spreading the message, building upon its strength and on-ground experience of carrying out mass awareness programs. Beartsy Foundation, a new-age not-for-profit organization is focused on creating shared value for grassroots communities. The foundation uses impactful and local communication solutions to support larger causes.
Phase wise awareness programs
In the first phase of its collaboration with Pay AUTention, Beartsy Foundation has carried out 16 awareness programs in Mumbai (at Chembur, Mankhurd, Kandivali, Nariman Point), Bangalore (Hennagara Village, Hinnakki Village, Govinda Shetty Palya), and Delhi-NCR (Mangolpuri, Mayapuri, Rohini, Sangam Vihar and Noida Sector – 10 & 128) covering overing1750 people.
In the next phase of Pay Autention, 4 awareness programs were organised in Delhi-Noida region (Jasola Vihar, Sarita Vihar and Noida Sector 4 & 40) touching 350 audience, 2 awareness programs were held in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra and 2 awareness programs were organised in Balasore, Odisha in their native languages that is Marathi and Odia, respectively reaching 280 people in the primary intervention.
The pipeline of the upcoming awareness programs hopes to touch base the audience in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Furthering the initiatives, TPCDT is creating multiple partnerships to amplify auxiliary support systems for neuro-diverse individuals. The partnership is in line with Pay Autention’s larger mission of empowering 1000 early awareness champions who can lead music, play, and dance-based therapy along with a grassroots awareness series.
Understanding Autism
Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects a person’s social communication and behavior. Autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning that it affects individuals in different ways and to different degrees. Common symptoms of autism include difficulty in social interaction and communication, repetitive behaviors or interests, difficulty in understanding social cues, and sensory sensitivities. These symptoms can present in a variety of ways and can vary in severity.
Autism is a lifelong condition, but with early diagnosis and intervention, individuals with autism can lead fulfilling lives. Treatment options for autism include therapy, medication, and education and training programs. It’s important to remember that every individual with autism is unique, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to treatment.
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