Britt Wibmer clearly remembers when her son Gabe was diagnosed with autism at the age of three, in 2011. At the time, she didn’t know much about autism and the diagnosis felt quite scary. A specialist handed her a huge book put out by Autism Speaks, and Wibmer didn’t receive much else in the way of resources. “I was asking myself, ‘How can I survive this?’ Gabe’s behaviors were challenging at the time, and no one really knew what autism was, including myself,” she says. “Then autism awareness became a passion and a mission for me.”
Around the time of Gabe’s diagnosis, the real estate market crashed. Wibmer, a realtor, experienced financial difficulties but was still able to access therapies for Gabe on a sliding payment scale. When the market improved and she was back on solid ground, Wibmer wanted to give back. She involved herself with Washington Autism Alliance and Seattle Children’s Autism Center, chaired auction after auction, and helped found Best Buddies at Bellevue High School.
According to the Best Buddies website, “These programs build one-to-one friendships between people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), offering social interactions while improving the quality of life and level of inclusion for a population that is often isolated and excluded.” The organization also offers Integrated Employment and Leadership Development programs, allowing people with IDD to both earn an income and become leaders and advocates.
Friendships and social engagement can be challenging for people with autism, and Wibmer cites Friendship Circle of Washington as a group that’s provided much-needed kindness and compassion in that arena. Inclusion for all is their mission, and Friendship Circle “leverages the positive impact of friendship, understanding, and shared experience to transform the lives of children and teens with special needs and typically developing teens.” (friendshipcirclewa.org)
Now that Gabe is 16, he's participated in Special Olympics (soccer and swimming), created his own YouTube channel, and is particularly interested in cooking. Wibmer is working to help determine next steps for her son: Inclusive employment, supportive living situations, and opportunities to use his talents and gifts to benefit society.
Certain companies, MOD Pizza for example, really shine when it comes to inclusive hiring practices. Wibmer is hopeful that other companies can see the benefits of inclusivity and increase the number of job opportunities for autistic people that need supports or accommodations. As autism is truly a spectrum disorder, some autistic people need significant support structures in place to facilitate their success, while others require none.
The Els for Autism Foundation, established by golf champion Ernie Els and his wife Liezl, has a related Els Center for Excellence offering leading-edge programs and services for those on the spectrum. Outside groups are encouraged to observe the Els model in Florida and use it as inspiration for their own localities to enhance the lives of people with autism. As Wibmer says, “Every person is different, and their capabilities are different, and it’s important to meet and accept them where they are.”
Wibmer is hopeful that other companies can see the benefits of inclusivity and increase the number of job opportunities for autistic people that need some supports or accommodations.
