Dive Brief:
- New York high school students with autism are building a sense of belonging and community while learning how to navigate college through a mentorship program that pairs them with college-aged peers with autism at New York University.
- Started as a pilot through the Nest Support Project at NYU — a partnership between the university and New York City Public Schools — the Making Mentors program is supported through a $1.29 million grant from the National Science Foundation and is in its second year.
- The program’s current cohort consists of 20 mentors and 20 mentees. Each cohort begins in the fall, where selected college students receive extensive training on being good mentors before visiting the high schools to meet with their mentees.
Dive Insight:
“I really think that by having this opportunity for both the mentors and the mentees, we're changing a dynamic from the autistic student always needing help from someone that is not autistic, or gaining services from someone that's not autistic to an authentic relationship with someone who may see the world similar to the way they do,” said Kristie Patten, the principal investigator for the Nest Program at NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development.
Patten added that most programs for students with autism attempt to help them “act less autistic.” Making Mentors, however, aims to shift from that mindset, she said, as it's not about changing behavior but about fostering and building upon students' interests.
Mentor and mentee pairs are selected based on mutual interests or what mentees would like to learn. Throughout the year, the pair work on a project that culminates in an end-of-year showcase where they present to their peers.
The mentor serves as a guide to support the mentee with whatever their interest is and how they can bring the project to life.
The program collects qualitative and quantitative data before and after each cohort year. According to year one data provided by NYU Steinhardt Public Affairs Officer Jade McClain, mentors displayed a 50% increase in their awareness of the college experience, and 25% improved their ability to advocate for themselves.
“They are really taking ownership, especially in year two, of their leadership skills,” said Dora Onwumere, the primary research assistant on the project. “I've seen their ability to just articulate and advocate for what they want in the way that they feel is not making anybody feel bad or infringing on anybody, but that is their right.”
According to Patten, a crucial part of the Making Mentors program’s success and positive impact was making sure to have an autistic input in all aspects of the planning process. She said the program had a consultant with autism who looked at the training to assess its effectiveness.
“When you see it from their lens, you get it. But as a non-autistic individual, it's very hard to get it initially,” said Patten.
For schools that may not have formalized mentorship programs like NYU, Patten recommends inviting college students with autism as speakers who can talk about what's helpful to know about applying for and attending college.
Onwumere also recommends that schools are informed about what programs and assistance are available to universities and colleges to offer students with autism, and that they teach these students about such resources.
“What happens is, in K-12 everything is pretty much handed over to a lot of our students. Autistic students go into the IEP [individualized education program] meeting, and most of the time it's a passive experience,” Onwumere said. “Then you go to college, and guess what? There's no longer an IEP. All the things that you need as an accommodation are no longer there. You have to start it all over again.”
The program is funded for another year, but Patten and Onwumere said efforts are under way to figure out how to make the project sustainable beyond its current grant.
