Community education program on autism spectrum disorder: a case study of an ecosystem intervention involving family, school, NGO, and community stakeholders

Background: This paper documents the JC A-Connect: Jockey Club Autism Support Network community education program, which was a decade-long, territory-wide, and cross-sectoral initiative in Hong Kong, China. It was created in response to the rise of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in mainstream schools which posed challenges to support their adaptation. The program came timely as the number of autistic students doubled during the project implementation period. Program: Unlike other initiatives that directly served the autistic individuals, this program delivered at the wider social networks aiming to promote social inclusiveness and empower the family, school, and community stakeholders. Three core strategies were formulated: (1) Iconic Character and Storybooks-An iconic character, Bling Bling, was created by the company of Mr. Men Little Miss, and five storybooks were written to equip readers with strategies to communicate with autistic children. (2) Media Promotion and Online Learning-Traditional media and social media were employed to disseminate the sharing from experts and families with autistic children to offer a balanced and constructive understanding of ASD. Free online learning resources were created. (3) Events for Public Engagement and Community Inclusion-Events were organized to educate the public, empower professionals, create positive community experiences for families with developmental delays and disabilities, and encourage mutual appreciation and respect among students. Outcomes and reflections: The program organized 56 public events, and created 2 online courses, 47 media promotion, 12 newsletters and over 60 free resources. Participants reported that the program helped them learn about ASD, and they became supportive toward building an autism-friendly environment. There were four factors leading to positive outcomes: The use of an ecological model for program planning and implementation, a strategic stakeholder management plan, an attractive icon, and a sustainability mindset. Conclusion: Through this case study, we seek to share our experiences in developing a cross-sectoral health program and to inspire health professionals and policy makers to consider intervening at social systems for systemic changes in communities. We acknowledge that the development, implementation, and sustainability of our strategies require multidisciplinary expertise and financial investment, and this calls for strategic planning, community-wide participation, and shared ownership.