CategoriesAwarenessA person attends therapy. A young adult joins a programme. Someone receives support. Slowly, the service becomes the story. This is the Human Service Client stereotype — and what Social Role Valorization asks us to do about it. Client Person Beneficiary Citizen A person attends speech therapy. They become a therapy client. A young adult […]
CategoriesAwareness“Happy Friendship Day!” Across India this weekend, phones will light up with messages, old photographs will be shared, friendship bands will be tied, and social media will fill with memories of the people who’ve stood by us through life’s ups and downs. Friendship is one of the few relationships we choose. It isn’t based on […]
CategoriesAwarenessTackling Stereotypes · Article 2 of a Series — Changing the Story from Devaluation to Dignity “Pity may appear compassionate, but it often becomes one of the greatest barriers to dignity and inclusion.” Imagine introducing someone by saying: “This is Rahul. Poor thing… he has autism.” Or, “She suffers from Down syndrome.” Or, “Please help […]
CategoriesAwarenessAt Ashish Foundation, we believe every individual deserves the opportunity to learn, contribute, and be valued within their community. Through our “Engaging Autism: Valued Roles for Fulfilling Lives” project, we have witnessed how the right support, high expectations, and inclusive opportunities can transform lives. Guided by the principles of Social Role Valorization (SRV), the project […]
CategoriesAwareness Parent SupportThe Role of Peer Relationships in Independence, Wellbeing, and Valued Social Roles When families think about preparing their children for adulthood, they often focus on education, therapies, employment, daily living skills, and safety. These are all important. Yet one of the strongest predictors of a meaningful adult life is often overlooked: friendship. Every young adult […]
CategoriesAwareness Parent SupportExploring the transition from education to work, friendships, and community life for neurodivergent young adults Every year, thousands of families across India celebrate a milestone they have worked toward for years: completing school. For many of these families, it is a moment of genuine pride. Years of therapy, learning, advocacy, Individualized Education Plans, and quiet […]
CategoriesAwareness CSR and CompaniesIndia’s corporate sector increasingly speaks about disability inclusion, neurodiversity hiring, accessibility, and workplace diversity. Yet one group continues to remain largely invisible within these conversations — individuals with high support needs. Most disability hiring models still define “job readiness” through neurotypical standards: independent communication, social fluency, quick adaptation, multitasking, and fast-paced productivity. As a result, […]
CategoriesAwarenessFor decades, disability support systems across the world have largely focused on helping individuals “fit into” society. The burden of adaptation has often fallen on the disabled person — learn better behaviours, improve communication, tolerate overwhelming environments, or become “work ready” for systems that were never designed with diversity in mind. But a growing movement […]
CategoriesAwarenessFor decades, special education has been built on a foundation of care, structure, therapy, and specialized support. These systems were designed to help—and in many ways, they have. Yet despite good intentions, many models of support have also unintentionally created separation: separation from typical environments, separation from real-life experiences, and separation from the valued social […]
CategoriesAwareness CSR and CompaniesStop Testing People. Start Understanding Them. Introduction: When Hiring Systems ‘Miss’ the Point A young man once walked into an interview after days of preparation. He had rehearsed answers and tried to align himself with what the system expected. The interview lasted just 15 minutes. He struggled with eye contact, took longer to respond, and […]
