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The RIA Institute Bahrain, an inclusive education centre that caters to the needs of students with special needs, is gearing up to commemorate Autism Awareness Month with a series of events, as well as to mark its 20th anniversary.
Set up in 1999 by singer Christine Gordon and her husband, Dr Emad El-Attar, a chemist and fellow musician, it has grown from a humble beginning with seven youngsters to an operation catering for between 70 and 140 students.
“Reflecting on 20 years, it’s really a wake-up call because how we started out was like climbing Mount Everest,” said Christine, now director of student services at RIA. “We are almost at the top but you know what happens when you get to the top, people can get too complacent and crash and burn on the way down. We still have to remember what our mission is and that is to build an inclusive society.”
The attendees, aged two to 23, are assisted by a team of 17 trained and certified staff members.
RIA last year moved to a two-storey villa featuring a garden, an outdoor play area, a swimming pool, seven classrooms and a kitchen.
Since its inception, more than 1,500 families have been helped by its services. “I think people would be shocked if I told them how 20 years ago, people didn’t want to mix their children with other kids that were differently abled,” said Christine, a mother-of-three, whose son, Othmann, now 23, is autistic.
“I was determined that parents would not experience the trauma that I had when my son was kicked out of pre-school because he was different. Honestly, I should thank the lady who did it really, because without her, I wouldn’t have been so dedicated to educating others and enabling my son and other students with disabilities to merge into society and not care what people think. Now, it makes me proud to see people with disabilities being allowed to get access to mainstream education and skill-based training.”
Christine also created a new scholastic and hands-on work experience (WEX) programme with Peter Dunne, the director of adult services and community liaison advisor for RIA Adult Centre (RAC), aimed at helping to develop young adults into productive, confident and fulfilled members of society.
Next Wednesday, Christine is inviting families, friends, as well as sponsors and supporters to an open day to highlight the new facility. On the day, RIA’s trainee teaching assistant, Rhea D’Mello, who was born with Down syndrome, will tell guests what she learned from a self-advocate training event in Egypt.
On April 6, there will be a Train Around Bahrain event. RIA has teamed up with Bahrain Financial Harbour’s Harbour Gate for a Saturday fun run.
On April 7, supporters are urged to join a five-day ‘Include, Enable and Inspire’ Trash to Treasure T-Shirt Up-cycling Extravaganza to celebrate Autism Awareness Month by donating T-shirts to RIA or Harbour Gate to be redesigned. Cotton donations will also be made into art canvasses, bags, bracelets, toy stuffing and mats. The event is free to all.
Volunteer artists are welcome to help from 9.30am or 10.30am each day and 4.30pm or 5.30pm on Wednesday until April 11.
Christine added: “We have some things in the pipeline such as an October Gala but it’s still in the planning stage. We would also like to build a sensory room and seek sponsorship for ramps and to help students facing financial hardship.”
For more details contact the school on 33900702 or 3693030 and up-cycle co-ordinator Sarah on 38338064.
