Spectrum Designs, a Port Washington-based nonprofit that provides employment for neurodiverse individuals, introduced a new workshop focused on building communication and self-advocacy skills on March 20.
The program, called the “Find Your Voice Autism Debate Workshop,” was created by Ava Lefkowitz, a student debater at Paul D. Schreiber High School. Lefkowitz designed the workshop to adapt traditional debate and public speaking techniques for individuals on the autism spectrum, using visual tools and strategies informed by her research into communication challenges.
The goal of the workshop is to help participants — particularly those who have aged out of school — strengthen their ability to express themselves and advocate for their needs as they move into adulthood.
During the one-hour session, 12 Spectrum Designs employees and staff members took part in a series of interactive exercises. These included “Lights Out Listening,” a technique aimed at managing sensory overload and improving focus, as well as activities centered on reflecting others’ perspectives and building effective rebuttal skills. Participants who completed the session received personalized certificates.
Spectrum Designs employees come from communities across Long Island, including East Rockaway, Long Beach, West Hempstead, Kings Park and Port Washington.
Lefkowitz, who has volunteered with Spectrum Designs for years, said bringing the workshop to the organization was especially meaningful.
“It was particularly meaningful for me to bring this workshop to Spectrum,” she wrote in an email. “I have always held up Spectrum as the gold standard in inclusive employment.”
She added that helping individuals develop stronger communication skills is key to building independence.
“Self-advocacy is an important life skill for anyone,” Lefkowitz wrote. “The ability to be heard and understood is especially important for members of the autism community.”
Spectrum Designs leaders said the workshop aligns closely with the organization’s mission of supporting both employment and personal growth.
“Programs like this are essential to our model — supporting not just employment, but the development of lifelong skills,” Marissa Borzykowski, chief of staff of the Spectrum Designs Foundation, wrote in an email. “Empowering our team to communicate effectively strengthens both individual independence and our workplace as a whole.”
CEO Patrick Bardsley emphasized the importance of helping employees find their voices.
“Self-advocacy is something we all must learn and it can be especially challenging for those on the autism spectrum,” Bardsley wrote in an email. “This innovative workshop engaged and empowered our employees to find their own voices — a life skill that will help them tremendously both inside and outside of work.”
Lefkowitz said she hopes to expand the program and continue working directly with the neurodiverse community, which she described as one of the most rewarding parts of her work.
