April is Autism Acceptance Month and to honor the occasion, the LEGO Foundation has announced a new grant. The Play for All Accelerator will provide up to $20 million worth of funding to 25 social ventures, organizations and social enterprises for the purpose of supporting children with autism and ADHD.
Currently, resources and support services for neurodiversity are very underfunded across the globe. Rather than develop critical technology for neurodiverse children, current technology is being adapted to them, which means many of the most basic needs of these children are not being met. That’s where the Play for All Accelerator comes in. The grant seeks to inspire new innovations and get a handle on play-based learning experiences that will help neurodiverse children succeed.
“Neurodivergent inventors, scientists, and artists have reshaped entire industries. I am thrilled that the LEGO Foundation has committed to investing in reimagining the world of play and learning so that innovators, specialists, and those with lived experience, together, can build a future that supports the full participation of neurodivergent children in society,” shares Dr. Maureen Dunne, Senior Advisor and Special Educational Needs and Disability Expert for the Play for All Accelerator.
With an estimate that one in 160 children are diagnosed with autism and 5% of the world have ADHD (per WHO), there are plenty of people who will benefit from the grant.
The Play for All Accelerator’s first cohort starts in Apr. 2022 and will run until Feb. 2023. Participants will need to go through several phases that include a three-phased selection process, pitch to a panel that includes the LEGO Foundation and a final application stage where they can test their ideas. Up to five organizations will become partners with the foundation long term, and will receive funds to execute their ideas to benefit neurodiverse children.
Anne-Birgitte Albrectsen, CEO of the LEGO Foundation shares, “By opening the Play for All Accelerator to organisations located anywhere in the world, those who benefit can become catalysts for future innovations. By working with partners, we aim to raise awareness, understanding and acceptance of neurodiversity and challenge the stigma of diagnoses around the world. Ultimately, play helps children find and hone their strengths giving them the best chance possible to make friends, study in school and set themselves up to thrive in life”.
The LEGO Foundation is already leading the way when it comes to child-led activities. Together with its partner, Play Included, the pair launched the Brick-by-Brick™ programme which empowers children to embrace the way their brain is rewired and not feel forced to communicate in a neurotypical way. The success from this program that shows how much learning through play is beneficial is a big factor for the new Play for All Accelerator grant.
To learn more about the Play for All Accelerator and how to register for future cohorts, head to learningthroughplay.com/play-for-all
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