The Els for Autism Foundation was established in 2009 by Ernie and Liezl Els to focus on the issue of autism, just a few years after discovering that their son Ben was profoundly impacted by the disorder, which affects 1 in 59 individuals. Els for Autism thus aims to provide families across the globe with best practice interventions and support. In early January 2011, Ernie and Liezl Els embarked on a goal to create a service that would allow lower-resourced families of children on the spectrum in South Africa with free access to effective treatment.
Els for Autism | South Africa focuses on empowering parents and caregivers by teaching them how to teach their child . Each session at the centre is designed to promote parents independence using online tools such as RethinkEd : https://www.rethinked.com/, as well as manuals such as the Rubi Network: https://www.rubinetwork.org/, to enhance parents knowledge of best practices in teaching a child with autism.
GLOBAL VISION Els for Autism is a game-changing resource, delivering and facilitating programs that are leading examples of what can be available to people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
GLOBAL MISSION We are committed to better understanding the aspirations of people with autism spectrum disorder and helping them to fulfill their potential to lead positive, productive and rewarding lives, through:
Understanding the nature of ASD and facilitating the development and delivery of treatment therapies, educational programs, training programs, and recreational programs as well as independent living programs
Ensuring the development of global outreach that will facilitate the sharing of best practices and programs
Raising awareness and promoting the value, acceptance, and inclusion of people with ASD
GLOBAL GOALS Provide high-quality information, intervention, education and support to local, state, national, and international families of diverse cultures
Provide programs based on best practices and develop innovative interventions through investigative study and analysis
Engage in research to further knowledge in the field of ASD
Establish funding required to sustain the mission and program goals through grants, donations, and events