
Supported by the SIE Fund, ArtsConnect provided Expressive Arts Therapy services to 72 students from 6 primary schools in Hong Kong from August 2022 to July 2023, allowing students with Autism and low-income families to experience various forms of art creation together, thereby enhancing their self-expression ability, social skills and self-confidence, and promoting school inclusion.
Overall effectiveness
In order to understand the impact on students, we invited class teachers, parents and students to fill out evaluations before, during and after the activity. The impact measurement reflects the following data:
Students with Autism
Self-expression
14%
Social skills
13%
Grassroots students
Social skills
18%
Happiness and contentment
9%
Self-confidence
15%
Parents' feedback
The following are parents’ observations and evaluations of students’ social skills, self-confidence and expressiveness before and after the activity. Let’s understand the changes of students from the parents’ perspective!
About social skills
Parents of students with autism
"His social skills is not ideal, he likes to play hide-and-seek (hiding)."
Pre
"The child enjoys talking about their classmates after school, likes to share things with them, and shows significant improvement in social skills!"
Post
About confidence
Parents of grassroots students
"Not very confident. When faced with difficulties, she tries to solve them on her own, and if she can't, she will ask others for help."
Pre
"She has confidence and brave enough to try."
Post
About expressing thoughts
Parents of students with autism
"My kid observes others and their emotions before expressing his thoughts. His ability to express his ideas is somewhat weak; he will speak up when he feels encouraged, but sometimes it takes him a day or two to express himself."
Pre
"He is willing to express his thoughts and shares interesting stories from school every night before going to bed. Sometimes he also comes up with some funny and imaginative ideas, and everyone laughs together afterwards."
Post
About expressing feelings
"Feelings can be hard to express at times, and she don't know how she feels."
Parents of
grassroots students
Pre
Very willing to express her feelings, especially when she is angry, deeply moved, or happy.
Post
Student's Feedback
After participating in the activity, what progress do students think they have made?
Student with Autism
"I have been talking more to others. Playing with friends makes me feel happier.
"My social skills have improved, more people come to play with me; I can accept more things."
"I've gotten to know more classmates and learned to be gentle with them."
"I have reconciled with my enemies. We know each other better now. Before, we would get violence quickly, but now it happens less."
Grassroots students
"I play with my younger brother more and am more patience to him."
"I have become braver, for example, I shared during the last session."
"I've improved in cooperating with others. I remember crying in the first session, but now I feel fine to talk in public."
"Not as shy anymore."