The first thing you probably noticed about this photo is Kirill’s smile. He loves being with people, but since he left school he had spent most of his time at home with very little company. The reason is that Kirill has autism and learning difficulties and cannot speak. Fortunately, he is able to attend activities at Communication Space, the charity centre in Moscow that we sponsor. Now he starts smiling as soon as he gets on the bus to go to a session at the Centre.
When Kirill was at school, his teachers had tried to introduce him to the PECS symbolic language, but without success. They concluded that he wasn’t able to tell one symbol from another.
At Communication Space he didn’t seem interested in the pictures to start with, but gradually he learned to recognise the symbols for food, games and other activities. If he got upset, his teachers would introduce the symbol for that emotion, and so he increased his vocabulary.
For Kirill, it is important that the symbols he learns are useful to him. His smile gets wider when he has understood the timetable and there is a trip to the park planned. He has also worked out himself how to ask for his favourite biscuits or to ask for seconds of lunch.
Now our colleagues are teaching him to take the intiative more often by using his communication book to ask for what he wants. He is also learning to cook using picture recipes, to follow a shopping list, and to clear up after himself. His mama notices his new independence and enjoyment of life.
Kirill is one of 20 young people who benefit from life-changing training, improving how he communicates at home, at the Centre, and beyond.
Alongside individual and group sessions, last year St. Gregory’s helped fund the Centre’s free online psychological support, reaching 134 parents of children with special needs across different regions of Russia. The funding also supported training for 214 specialists and parents from Moscow, Pskov, Rostov-on-Don, and other areas.
