Big changes in life once an autistic youth turns 18. A Singapore exhibition captures their stories.

By Asia Samachar | SINGAPORE |

What happens to an autistic youth once they turn 18 years-old? It’s a major change as they are longer within the sanctuary of special education schools. It also presents a different set of challenges for the parents or caregivers.

A Singapore exhibition entitled ‘Finding What’s Next’ attempts to present the search for a future through the stories of 12 individuals and their families. One of them is 24-year-old Amit Singh.

The exhibition, running until 4 July, brings together a series of photographs, videos and personal effects gathered by three parent-advocates with autistic children.

In its storyline, the exhibition storyline tells us that the autistic youth have limited options once they cross the age point. They include costly day-activity centres or staying at home. The stark social isolation and lack of a national support system is likened to a cliff, where caregivers of autistic adults are often left on their own to find a better outcome, it argues.

Through a series of photographs, videos and personal effects, Finding What’s Next presents the search for a future through the stories of 12 individuals and their families, gathered by three parent-advocates with autistic children.

The exhibition involved interviews with fellow parents and sheds light on the daily lives and societal challenges that autistic adults face.

Produced by Lim Hwee Hwee and Sun Meilan, the project is hoped to be a bridge to encourage greater understanding of and empathy with autistic individuals and their caregivers.

By showing what is frequently hidden, Lee hopes to galvanise fellow parents to be courageous with their efforts in connecting with the community and inspire more people to care and take action. Click here for the website.

This is the entry on Amit:

No talking to strangers,” Amit, 24, would mutter to himself. An unfortunate misunderstanding years ago with a member of the public scarred this affable young man and left him wary of strangers.

Amit was labelled as a “public nuisance” and lost his hard-earned independence of travelling on his own. His mum, Mdm Nawandirijit Kaur, 55, had to leave her job to chaperone him so he would avoid further trouble during that period.

Amit bounced back from this incident with his cheerful personality and positivity. Upon graduation from Eden School, a special education school, five years ago, he found a job as an urban farmer at Edible Garden City, an organisation which champions the grow-your-own-food movement in Singapore. He would proudly introduce himself as “Amit urban farmer!”

Today, he not only contributes towards his family’s living expenses but also helps out around the house. His daily routine of housework, having chicken rice for lunch at the same coffee shop and evening prayers with his father keeps him secure and focused. Amit’s future aspiration is to spend more hours at work. 

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