Alstom Foundation to support New York Transit Museum with new programming to support youth and young adults with autism spectrum disorder
The New York Transit Museum is working to promote new programs focused on building social confidence and providing a safe space for social interaction for youth and young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). With a new grant from the Alstom Foundation, the museum’s social engagement program will focus on supporting children and youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) with a goal of expanding programming to older teens and young adults.
“The Alstom Foundation is committed to supporting social needs including access to mobility, access to water & energy, environmental protection and economic & social development, particularly the employability of women and youth. The New York Transit Museum uses their connection to trains and transportation to unlock opportunities for youth with autism to connect with their peers and to get skills they need to connect to future careers,” said CSR Director and Alstom Foundation General Secretary Anne-Cecile Barbier. “We could not ask for a more dedicated partner organization and look forward to supporting the Museum as they expand on the programming they provide for older teens and young adults.”
Director of the Autism Research Center at Cambridge University Simon Baron-Cohen suggests that trains are a common special interest among people with autism because people with autism “have a preference for predictable, systematic information.” Adults with ASD experience higher rates of unemployment and underemployment compared to their peers that do not have ASD. The New York Transit Museum is working to address these challenges and create engaging pathways towards meaningful careers. The programs offered by the New York Transit Museum align with the Alstom Foundation’s continued commitment towards local communities.
The Alstom Foundation’s support will help the New York Transit Museum continue their program Transit Quest, a five-day intensive camp for youth ages 14-17 and launch a pilot program for young adults ages 15-21 titled Transit Quest Propel, which focuses on career pathways. Both Transit Quest and Transit Quest Propel programs include immersion into the New York City transit system, group collaboration and exercises and inter- and intra-personal skills development. Alstom Foundation funds will support program expenses in 2024-2025, from staff costs to scholarships for low-income participants and more. Today’s announcement follows a long-standing partnership between Alstom and the New York Transit Museum. Alstom has been a longtime corporate member and sponsor of the Museum.
“We are delighted that the Alstom Foundation has recognized the incredibly important role that the Transit Museum plays in the lives of both New York families and New Yorkers with disabilities,” said Dani Simons, Alstom vice president of communications and public affairs, Americas and Alstom promoter of the project. “New York City is an important hub for Alstom with over 300 employees in the Tri-State area and we are proud of our long-standing relationship with the Transit Museum and to be able to support this important project that will help open doors for New York City youth.”
“Like so many of the young people we serve, the New York Transit Museum finds transportation inspiring,” said New York Transit Museum Director Concetta Bencivenga. “We’re honored to receive this support from the Alstom Foundation enabling us to continue to provide a supportive environment for teens to connect through their love of transit and to further explore what a career in the transportation sector could look like.”
