A dedicated volunteer who has given hours of her time to help autistic children thrive has been awarded the latest CableVision Community Service Award.

Erica Smith, 42, has been a champion for autistic children on the Island for more than two years and was yesterday honoured for her commitment to the charity Tomorrow's Voices.

As one of the charity's founding members and Chairman of the Board, Mrs. Smith has educated the public on autism and provided support for dozens of families, like her own, battling with the disorder.

She was yesterday praised by Telecommunications and e-commerce Minister Michael Scott and Education Minister Elvin James, who were present while she accepted the award.

Mr. Scott called her "a Bermuda gem and treasure for (her) service of compassion" and commended her ability to go beyond the walls of her own home and help other families in need.

Mrs. Smith, the Director of the Economic Empowerment Zones Agency, first became familiar with autism when her nephew Cire, now 12, lost all speech at 15 months old. He was formally diagnosed at Boston's Children's Hospital a few months later.

She began working with her sister, Cire's mom, Thea Furbert, 41, to develop Tomorrow's Voices which provides hands on therapy services for children aged two to 21.

Mrs. Smith said: "I just saw the struggle that my sister and my nephew's father had gone through and still continue to go through. As a person who first of all loves my family and second of all feels if there is a need you have to address it, I decided to do something about it.

"My sister asked if I would be involved and if I would help drive it and I said 'of course'."

Mrs. Smith has lobbied Government and insurance companies to lower the financial burden of treatment on families and is working to ensure more autism therapies are available within the public education system.

She has watched with pride as the children progressed and that is what keeps her going with the initiatives.

"There have been many, many times, when I thought this is too hard, this is too much work and maybe we should just pack it in and focus on Cire, but I just can't do it," she said.

"I feel for the other families and the young people themselves. I know families feel as if they cannot pass or die because who is going to take care of the child, but Tomorrow's Voices helps take care of that."

The charity has helped dozens of children with varying degrees of autism, a disorder that impairs a child's development and how they interact and communicate with others.

They have also helped families cope with the emotional and financial strain; and through donations are able to subsidise a majority of the treatment costs.

At the awards ceremony yesterday, Mrs. Smith admitted she wasn't in it for the recognition and called the work a "labour of love".

She said: "I am proud of what I have done, but I am more proud of what Tomorrow's Voices has allowed parents to be able to feel. I honestly think they feel now that they have a resource and they have someone looking out for their best interest."

For more information on the work of Tomorrow's Voices, call 297- 4342 or visit www.tomorrowsvoices.bm.