AUTISM CONNECT

In South Korea, approximately 1 out of 38 children suffers autism – a far greater prevalence ratio than for the rest of the world (1 out of 100).

User centred research conducted around Seoul had two aims, to understand the present challenges that children with autism face, as well as the individuals who exist within and as part of their support network.

Through interviews with parents, siblings, specialists and professional carers currently playing an active role in the care network of autistic individuals we observed two main challenges that confront families with autistic children, Firstly, there was a lack of existing and accessible support systems. Secondly it was hard to find a legitimate source of data on the subject. More significantly, the families expressed how having an autistic child had made them feel isolated due to the taboos and lack of network - as one mother we interviewed puts it: "The siblings are often the ones left to face the difficulties of caring for autistic children. I think they need as much support as parents since they are part of the family as a whole."

We identified that a new way for families to receive accurate information about autism in South Korea in a safe and sharing-friendly environment could help create a better life for the autistic child by better supporting those who care for them. The proposed support network taps into the global knowledge base of current information that is made available for retrieval online and at a specific cafe that connects families to the support they need and enables them to interact with each other.

The main goals of Autism Connect are to provide a network and community that can provide information and support for the individuals and the families affected by autism whilst helping to create a greater public awareness of the condition.

Autism Connect was designed at the YONSEI-INDEX: Design to Improve Life Summer School in collaboration with Christine Bohn Willeberg, Go-Eun Choi, Emjey Sung & Ye-Jin An in a Studio taught by Nii Botchway, Gustav Friberg and Kigge Hvid.