Between the 18th and 22nd of April, in Novi Pazar, Serbia the Balkan Bridge team, together with two specialists working with children with autism in the Autism TODAY Association, had the opportunity to participate in the Training Course: Autism: Characteristics and Innovative Training Approaches, part of the GI.A.F.A.: Gamification Applications for Autism project (reference №: 2023-1-IT02-KA210-ADU-000151250).

The GI.A.F.A. project aims to educate specialists who are working with individuals with autism so they can have more interactive, innovative, and game-playing ways of learning. The training purpose is to increase trainers’ knowledge in the adult sector regarding the characteristics and peculiarities of autism, as well as detection mechanisms.

The trainees were hosted by the International University of Novi Pazar. They had prepared an amazing experience for all the participants from Bulgaria, North Macedonia, and Italy. Together with them, the participants enhanced their knowledge on the different spectrums of autism, how to approach and work with kids and adults with autism, and also had the opportunity to visit two amazing organizations working with children and adults with special needs. Together, they got involved in some of the activities of the two centers, such as crafting beautiful pictures with the youth with Down syndrome in the Udruženje psihologa Novi Pazar and also having an amazing dance time with the local beneficiaries from the Association MNRO „Tahir Taša Delić“.

The Bulgarian participants took an active part in the mapping of the characteristics, strengths, and identification tools of different forms of autism. After the mapping process, all of the trainees participated in the filming of eight videos aimed at giving publicity to topics related to autism and also serving as materials to enrich the attitudes of society about autism and people with autism.

The partnership, together with the participants, will have its next meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria, in October. When the host is Balkan Bridge, during this training, the topic may be the gamification tools that could be used during the educational and working process with adults with autism.