Press — autism awareness

Accessibility Goal: Inside Qatar's World Cup Sensory Rooms 0

STORY: Location: Al Khor, QatarFor the first time in World Cup history, three stadiums are offering ‘sensory rooms’

(Mark Dyer, Inclusive Design Adviser, Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy)

Watch the video here.

"A sensory room for those who don't know is a place where we can bring autistic children and adults, or associated neurodiverse disabilities to come and enjoy a football match in an environment that feels safe and secure. The place itself is set up to give them activities, give them calm, relaxation and opportunities to get away from some of the stimulations in the match that they could find challenging otherwise."

For those with certain sensory requirements,large, loud crowds can be overwhelming and a barrier to attending matches. The stadiums were built with hopes ofachieving the most accessible World Cup ever.

(Alison Saraf, Co-Owner of ‘Sensory Souk’, Mother of child with autism diagnosis)

"So what you will see around the room is a lot of equipment that provides a lot of support for them on different levels just depending on what their requirements are. As you see we have a lot of fibre optic lights."

"They are all very tactile but they also provide as I said this input these individuals need to calm and refocus their bodies."

Source: Yahoo News!

Stadiums in Qatar have Rooms for Autistic People 0

DOHA (AP) — Insulated from the deafening noise, lights and pyrotechnics that surround World Cup matches, there is a safe space for fans who might feel overwhelmed by the atmosphere of a stadium.

The journey of raising a child with special needs 0

On January 1, 2019, Sensory Souk opened the doors to its first retail outlet in Qatar,” shared Raana. The response of the people to the facility has been overwhelming and positive. “We have been much busier than we anticipated.

Kidzmondo & Baladna Park's Awesome Deal for Autism Awareness Month 1

We are so delighted to have collaborated with Kidzmondo and Baladna Park in Doha, Qatar to offer a great deal to children with Autism and related disorders for Autism Awareness Month!

SensorySouk's Raana and Alison's story shared with Qatar Expat Women 0

Raana Smith has been living in Qatar for the past 10 years. She’s from Richmond, Virginia and attended Virginia Commonwealth University many moons ago! (Yep, the same VCU that now has a campus in Education City).

Autism Awareness Month Events in Doha, Qatar 0

With the help of some great friends and resources, we've put together a list of events & activities for Autism Awareness Month starting today.

Take a look and see when and where you can drop by to support, learn, and connect with the cause.