Assistant Professor of Social Work Mount Vernon Nazarene University
PEERS® (Program for the Enrichment and Enhancement of Relational Skills) is an evidenced based 15-week psychoeducational group for persons with autism. This workshop will highlight how improving social skills can lessen the injustice of employment barriers of young autistic adults in sustaining employment, while helping them to forge new friendships.
Learning Objectives:
At the end of this session, attendees should be able to:
1. Upon completion participants will be able to appreciate the numerous barriers to getting and keeping employment for young adults with ASD, a significant social justice problem.
2. Upon completion of the presentation, participants will understand how the PEERS® program teaches social skills to enhance the lives of people with autism in both employment and their friendships, a vital quality of life issue.
3. Upon completion, the participant will be able to understand the perceived effectiveness of PEERS® from the perspective of parents and participants, as well as the impact for quality of life for young adults.
