April, 2022
The Importance of Parents’ Advocacy in Promoting Inclusion
8:30pm - 10:00pm Zoom
As part of its webinar series aimed at celebrating the Autism Awareness Month and raising awareness among the community of the autism spectrum disorder, neurodiversity and inclusion, Qatar Career Development Center (QCDC), a member of Qatar Foundation, is pleased to introduce a live webinar titled “The Importance of Parents’ Advocacy in Promoting Inclusion”, on April 14, from 8.30pm to 10.00pm. The webinar will be held in English with Arabic interpretation available.
The webinar will host a panel of Qatari mothers, Ms. Hamda Al Hitmi, Ms. Aisha Al-Amari and Ms. Nora Al Eida, who are the founders of Autism Parents, a community platform for families of people in the autism spectrum.
During the webinar, the guests will shed light on their motherhood journeys, ways to overcome social barriers, and the role of parents in supporting best efforts to create inclusive training and employment opportunities.
Webinar Outline:
- Introductions – 5 minutes
- Discussion Points
- Part 1 – 10 Minutes:
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- Autism Parents Group: Overview of its establishment, objectives and advocacy efforts
- Part 2 – 20 minutes:
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- Raising children in the autism spectrum disorder (ASD): From the diagnosis shock to breaking social barriers
- Importance of parents’ advocacy in raising awareness and driving acceptance
- Part 3 – 45 minutes:
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- Assisting in the process of social integration and life planning
- How parents can support best efforts to create inclusive training and employment opportunities
- Q&As – 15 minutes
- Closing and Thanks
Biographies
Panelists:
Ms. Hamda Al Hitmi, Ms. Aisha Al-Amari, Ms. Nora Al Eida, the founders of AutismParents.qa, a community platform to support families of people in the autism spectrum, that started on February 18, 2021. The main objectives of AutismParents.qa is to raise awareness, promote inclusion about the autism spectrum disorder and hold support groups for autism parents in Qatar and in the Arab world in general. The platform aims to promote acceptance first to the family and then the wider community. With acceptance parents would have a peaceful mindset to face challenges and obstacles through a better understanding of their child’s unique journey.
As mothers, the founders devote their time and energy to be part of the community their children are born into and create an environment accessible to them and their siblings and all individuals on the Autism Spectrum. The community starts at home with family and grows to schools, medical facilities and special centers, malls and entertainment and public parks.
Moderator:
Effrosyni Parampota, EMC, CCSP, GCDF-I is a career development expert and a DEI advocate, working for the last decade with Qatar Career Development Center. Among other goals, her work focuses on untapping career guidance potentials to improve the transition of People with Disabilities into Labor Market systems, create more opportunities to grow their skills, make informed choices about their professional future and encourage employers to create inclusive workplaces. Effrosyni is leading QCDC’s inclusive programs, and she is chairing the Working Group with QCDC, Awsaj Academy, PUE Inclusion & Wellbeing, and The Learning Center.
