Their Voice: AutCon convention to help adults with autism

There are basically two ways to become an expert at anything.

The first way, according to inc.com takes three simple steps. First, decide what you want to be an expert in. Second, focus on one part of it at a time. Third, practice makes perfect so study it, practice it and present it.

When it comes to the area of autism spectrum disorders, there are a lot of wonderful "experts" who have done just that and made positive changes in the field.

The other way to become an expert on something is to eat, breath and experience it for your whole lifetime. As many as there are of the first kind of expert in the area of autism, there are probably 10 times that number who are "experts" because they live it. Family members, caregivers and educators who work with people on the spectrum most often turn to the first kind of expert for guidance in understanding and working with individuals with autism.

For a person diagnosed in the spectrum however, the type of expert they need is not the one who has studied the subject, but rather from a peer who understands it. That is why ScenicView Academy is hosting their first AutCon. AutCon is a unique event that will have presenters who are on the spectrum speaking to others also on the spectrum.

Marty Matheson, executive director of ScenicView Academy, identifies the origin of this event:

"In preparation for this event, we spoke with a number of individuals on the spectrum who reported that they feel somewhat forgotten, and that there is not an event out there for them," he said. "As we further communicated with them, these individuals stated they don't want to hear from professionals, but would much rather hear from others who are on the spectrum, who share some of the same struggles and can provide support, hope and ideas to further improve the quality of their lives."

Kari Bushman, with community relations for ScenicView, said, "One of the key elements to empowering any marginalized population is to elevate their voices and celebrate their successes. To date, this element of empowerment has been missing from the autism community, and is what inspired AutCon."

AutCom which is being labeled as "an unconventional convention for adults with autism," is being held on May 4 at 4 p.m. at ScenicView Academy in Provo. The $25 (advance) ticket price includes dinner, an event T-shirt and a ticket to their screening of "Avengers: Infinity War." In addition to the presenters and panelists on the spectrum, will be many companies who provide resources available to answer questions and provide information. Registration is available at http://svacademy.org/autcon.