On March 19, 2018, TILL hosted an International Exchange Symposium: Sharing Innovative Ideas to Empower People with Autism Spectrum Disorder, bringing together local professionals, educators and service-users with our counterparts in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to share ideas, research and experiences. Presenters representing the Middletown Centre for Autism, Ireland; University of Massachusetts, Amherst; Curry College; Department of Developmental Services (DDS); Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC); and the Department of Mental Health (DMH) filled the morning session, followed by luncheon discussion and networking. The afternoon session continued with a presentation from Autism Initiatives of Northern Ireland and concluded with very moving and personal stories from people who receive supports; service-users from TILL Springboard and Autism Initiative of Northern Ireland. In closing, Sara Jane Reynolds from AINI presented a plaque to Dafna with the Irish word cairdeas, which translates as friendship.
