A Film to Raise Awareness and Acceptance of Autism in Australia

16th OF February 2012

By Keeva Stratton

On February 28th a special screening with take place at Parliament House, in our nation’s capital, that’s set to bring greater understanding of what exactly Autism Spectrum Diseases (ASD) are, and how we can better assist children with ASD. ‘What are you doing?’ is a short ﬁlm, created by Autism Awareness, which aims to teach school aged children about acceptance and understanding of their peers with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

The ﬁlm approaches some of the fears children may have about ASD head-on—giving answers to their questions and providing them with practical advice on how they can be a great friend to a classmate on the autism spectrum. Through beautiful imagery, engaging narrative and quirky animation, the ﬁlm sends a message that children with autism should be accepted, supported and encouraged by their peers to be a part of their community.

With 1 in every 110 children born today being diagnosed with ASD, it’s never been more important to bring focus to this little understood, complex neurobiological disorder. People with ASD typically have problems with social and communication skills, which can affect their learning unless identified and addressed.

There are many popular misunderstandings surrounding children with Autism, such as a lack of ability to show affection, which further justifies the need to educate and demystify this common, but complex and varied disorder.

RESCU hopes that increased awareness and understanding of ASD within the community will lead to earlier diagnosis and more effective treatments, helping to reduce the impact autism has on a child and their family.

To view the ﬁlm trailer: www.whatareyoudoingﬁlm.com

To ﬁnd out more about the campaign: http://autismawareness.com.au/Get_your_members_out