The charity Tomorrow’s Voices is to host a community webinar aimed at improving awareness and understanding of those with autism and other developmental disabilities.

Executive Functioning, Did I Really Need to Do That? aims to provide support for people who need extra time with planning and organisation.

It will be led by Tomorrow’s Voices’ Jahnae Harvey, a board certified behaviour analyst and Bregitta Haley, a registered behaviour technician.

Ms Harvey said: “This webinar is really about looking at an individual as a whole, taking not just the skills they know but how they integrate them into day-to-day functioning and executing those skills.

“It’s about flexible thinking, working memory, self monitoring, planning and prioritising, impulse control and much more.

“It is for individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities as well as educators, parents and healthcare professionals. It’s also for community members as a whole.”

Tomorrow’s Voices is an early intervention centre for people aged 2 to 21 and includes an adult programme called Thriving Beyond 21 serving those aged 21 and above.

Ms Harvey gave an example of how the webinar may be useful to someone with a developmental disability who visits a takeout restaurant.

“An individual may have challenges with planning and prioritising – they may have a difficult time completing a task in a restaurant such as making an order or planning to get their funds together. You can assist them with planning and organising.

“For the individual, they can plan ahead and make sure their order is together and prepared before they get in line.

“They can scan the room to look for who will be taking the order.

“We can help with communication skills – greeting the worker rather than abruptly placing an order.”

The webinar will take place via Zoom on June 15 from 6pm to 8pm. Participants, who will receive a professional development certificate on completion of the webinar, can register by e-mailing info@tomorrowsvoices.bm or by calling 297-4342. The cost is $25 per person.

For more information about Tomorrow’s Voices, visit www.tomorrowsvoices.bm