Our team of highly qualified clinicians supported parents of a child with autism in Abu Dhabi by providing tailored consultation on evidence-based practices and interventions for autism through our GOALS program. We helped this family establish an individual education plan for their son and provided them with the knowledge needed to become good consumers of autism intervention.

Finally, we offered guidance on coordinating and integrating their son's educational and therapeutic services and team members to ensure optimal long-term success.

Our team supported families from Argentina by providing virtual consultation, training, and care coordination through our GOALS program. One example of our impact involved a family preparing to move to the United States. We provided invaluable guidance on guardianship, education, and vocational needs, ensuring a smooth transition and helping the family feel confident in moving.

Our team also provided support, consultation, and training to a family looking for intensive early intervention services for their child. Our virtual consultations connected these families with the resources and expertise they need to address their children's unique needs and promote optimal development. 

We have actively supported the autism community in Australia. Our team has provided free training and consultation to a parent seeking resources for her adult son with autism. In support of this parent, we developed a proposal to offer select families and professionals in the local community access to the training required to become Official Program Providers of the Ernie Els #GameON Autism Golf program and our telehealth evidence-based parent training services. 

To increase access to golf for individuals with autism worldwide, we trained a seasoned physical education teacher and golf instructor with a vested interest in autism to become an Official Program Provider of the Ernie Els #GameON Autism Golf program.

We also collaborated with the founder of the HELPA app, a digital health platform connecting families and caregivers of children with autism and other special needs. We tested and provided invaluable feedback on the app's features and functionality specific to autism, which contributed to its successful launch.

Since 2015, we have served 113 clients and families from Brazil. Between 2020 and 2023, through the our Global Outreach Autism Learning Services (GOALS) program, we have provided 21 families from Brazil access to our highly qualified team of therapy professionals through our intensive telehealth and in-person train-the-trainer services. For the past several years, our transdisciplinary team has GOALS

presented at over 15 conferences in Brazil and trained over 50 Brazilian professionals working in autism. We continued to make a positive impact in Brazil by providing individualized consultation and training through our GOALS program to Brazilian families of children with autism and their team of professionals, impacting over 40 caregivers across 9 clients. In addition, our team collaborated with five additional countries to produce "Voices of Autism - Together as ONE (See Below)."

"Voices of Autism - Together as ONE," a musical composition by our Executive Director, Dr. Marlene Sotelo, is an international collaborative video that resulted from a project involving people with autism and guest artists from six countries: Brazil, the United States, Chile, Ireland, Italy, and Spain. The project was led by the "Auritmo Team," composed of five musicians, educators, and music therapists from the United States (Dr. Marlene Sotelo, Michelle Hintz, Erica Lyles), Chile (Juan Francisco Cortez), and Brazil (Rodrigo Gudin Paiva). This powerful piece aims to raise awareness about autism and celebrate the unique experiences and voices of individuals on the spectrum.

Since becoming a registered Canadian charity in 2013, Els for Autism Canada has executed 46 Golf  Challenge events, raising $5.2 million to support Canadian autism programs and giving $2.3 million in grants.  

With the support of Els for Autism Canada, we conducted a multi-site telehealth group parent training study. This study led to a manuscript submitted for publication, and our research findings were presented at a national conference. 

Els for Autism Canada also regularly hosts the Ernie Els #GameON Autism Golf programs and participates in our annual Ernie Els #GameON Autism International Golf Tournament. 

We have a client from Chile who has been traveling with his family to Els for Autism over the summer to participate in our Moovin’ & Groovin’ Summer Camp. As this client is now an adult, he participates in our Adult Day Training Program during his summer vacations. We also had a young professional from Santiago, Chile complete an observership with follow-up virtual meetings to support her journey to becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Furthermore, we hosted a music therapist from Rancagua, Chile for a two-day observation and training session in our music therapy classes.

And finally, our team collaborated with five additional countries to produce "Voices of Autism - Together as ONE (See Below)."

We collaborated with two dedicated professionals from China to provide consultation, support, resources, and a service proposal. Understanding the limited access to autism services across the country, these professionals requested help to make virtual, evidence-based parent training available to the families under their care. In addition, we provided them with our Global Support Services brochure, which they translated into Mandarin to ensure that their families could access information about all our virtual services. 

Our team collaborated with the Founder and CEO of HiRasmus, a user-friendly platform for data collection focused on children with autism. Our contribution included feedback on the various components within the system, such as data types, customizable workflows, prompt levels, session documentation, and photo and video features.

Through this partnership, we connected HiRasmus, their colleagues, and the Els Club in Dubai to explore and host a mini-conference on the International Behavior Analyst Organization and their work to improve ABA credentialing worldwide.

Studying the design of The Rupert and Shanken Education Wings on our campus, we published two research articles with Dr. Magda Mostafa at the American University of Cairo, on the impact of ASPECTSS®, the first set of evidence-based design guidelines worldwide to address built environments for autistic individuals. In addition, Dr. Mostafa consulted with our team on the preliminary schematic design of our newest project; a Specialized Autism Friendly Recreation Complex due to open in 2026. 

Through our Global Outreach Autism Learning Services (GOALS) program, two professionals who started a school through the Ministry in Matata City (Big Bend), Eswatini, reached out to our team to gain access to training on evidence-based practices for autism for their staff serving 26 children diagnosed with autism.

To ensure they could receive accessible and affordable professional training, we provided initial recommendations during a virtual consultation call, shared our free online training, and connected their team with the team at Els for Autism South Africa. 

A dedicated professional working with children with autism in Ethiopia reached out to Els for Autism. With only two centers serving 150 children with special needs, the need for more significant support and resources was evident. To address this, we connected with the professional via video conference to discuss the specific needs of children with autism in Ethiopia, shared insights from our programs, and proposed a plan for ongoing training and consultation. 

Our team supported a provider in France, associated with the Golf Paris Lounge Champ, in becoming an Official Program Provider of our Ernie Els #GameON Autism Golf program.

Our Executive Director, Dr. Marlene Sotelo, collaborated with award winning composer Bernward Koch www.bernwardkoch.com to create a musical piece to be used by adults with autism in the workplace. Dr. Sotelo provided her insight as a music therapist, singer/songwriter, and expert in the field of autism, while Bernward worked his magic in composing the song.

The 6-minute composition was entitled "Rising Soul". It was then shared with autistic adults to provide feedback on its utility in providing a sensory break and calming opportunity during the workday. A second version, "Rising Soul II" was composed with participants' feedback incorporated.  

As an Official Program Provider of the Ernie Els #GameON Autism Golf program, the Fafali Organization is bringing the game of golf to autistic individuals in Ghana. The Fafali Organization organized a team who participated in our 2023 Ernie Els #GameON Autism International Golf Tournament. 

We supported the professional development of a dedicated educator from Haiti through their attendance at the 2023 Autism Innovations and Global Impact Conference. This opportunity allowed this professional to gain valuable insights into using recreation as a supplemental intervention for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and expand the knowledge base of evidence-based practice for autism in Haiti.

We provided free consultations and resources to a family in Pune, India, who needed support in helping their son with autism. The family was specifically looking for a golf coach who understood their son's needs and unique learning style, as well as guidance on secondary school options to prepare him for college in the USA.

Ireland is also an Official Program Provider of the Ernie Els #GameON Autism Golf program, which utilizes the sport as therapy for individuals with autism to learn and practice foundational motor skills while also practicing social and communication skills. Ireland, along with England, and the U.S. participated in our multi-site golf study. This allowed our team to track the progress of 46 youth throughout a six-week golf program. The results showed improvement in communication, social, motor, and regulatory skills for all participants. This past year, the manuscript for the multi-site golf study was approved for publication, and we presented the study at an international conference in New Zealand.

In addition to our impact through the game of golf, we have also served as a resource by helping a family of a young child with autism connect with local providers in their area to create an intervention plan for their child.

Through our Teaching Educational Autism Methods (TEAMS) Program, we have hosted two board-certified behavior analysts and one neuropsychiatrist, which led to the translation of three e-TEAM library webinars into Italian.

Additionally, our longstanding relationship and collaboration with Dr. Roberta Fadda at the University of Cagliari led to Els for Autism becoming an internship site for an Italian psychology intern. Most recently, our partnership with Dr. Fadda led to a request for our team to support the Comune di Iglesias (City of Iglesias) in developing a system of services for autistic individuals, their families, and the team of professionals providing services.

Through our GOALS program, we supported a family that traveled to the United States for four weeks of an intensive train-the-trainer program. We also offered virtual consultation and support to a family that needed autism-specific training for the team at their child’s school. 

The Els for Autism team has supported a professional, associated with the Golden Tee Inclusive Golf program in Kenya, in becoming an Official Program Provider of our Ernie Els #GameON Autism Golf program. This initiated discussions on how to make mainstream golf in Kenya inclusive for individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities.

Our GOALS program provided a family in Mexico with individualized autism support, featuring intensive in-person coaching and training and ongoing virtual consultation. In addition, we offered many resources focused on evidence-based for individuals with autism and co-occurring mental health needs. 

Our team collaborated with Tover, a company in the Netherlands, and the University of Miami to study the potential benefits of the Tovertafel technology on improving social communication behaviors in children with autism. The Tovertafel is an interactive game system designed to promote meaningful play for individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities. Upon completing the study, our team presented the findings at the Florida Association of Behavior Analysis conference in Ponte Vedra, FL, in 2019. Our collaboration with Tover was invaluable, as it led to the creation of a series of interactive games within the Tovertafel, specifically designed for people with autism.

Free consultation services were provided to a family in Peru needing guidance on educational and therapeutic strategies to support their young child with autism. Online resources in Spanish and a referral to a local therapeutic clinic were provided, as well.

Our team has extended our reach to Qatar, offering valuable support, training, and resources to individuals with autism and those who care for them through our GOALS program. Our commitment to providing evidence-based services is exemplified by the story of one child and his family, featured in an Els for Autism 2018-2019 Community Impact Report. This child and his family's journey with autism highlights the transformative impact of our global outreach and program on individuals with autism and their families. 

Through connections with the Qatar Embassy, we have explored ways to collaborate in offering virtual consultation and training to Qatari families of autistic children. We also provided information on our various free webinars and virtual programs to share with anyone in need. 

Additionally, we had the privilege of hosting a student from Qatar as a volunteer intern in our 2024 Moovin' and Groovin summer camp. This opportunity allowed the student to gain invaluable experience in the field of autism and contribute to the success of our camp and campers. 

We collaborated with Swoosh Golf, an organization dedicated to providing specialized golf instruction to the community. To help Swoosh Golf expand its reach by including individuals with autism in the game of golf, we provided the head of Swoosh Golf with online training and virtual consultation on our specialized golf program. As a result, the head of Swoosh Golf became an Official Program Provider of our Ernie Els #GameON Autism Golf program.  

 Our team also collaborated with GolPhin Ltd. to provide training and consultation on our specialized golf program. Our team members provided in-person training for their team, leading to some of their members becoming Official Program Providers of our Ernie Els #GameON Autism Golf program. GolPhin provided A-Z Golf books for our on-campus golf students to supplement their lessons. 

Through our GOALS program, we connected with professionals from the Mustaqbal Center for Special Needs, a remarkable institution dedicated to providing comprehensive care and support to children with special needs in South and Central Somalia. To celebrate World Autism Month and help create endless possibilities for individuals with autism living in Somalia, we provided a virtual educator training on autism spectrum disorder in March of 2024, and we were an invited speaker at their World Autism Day event on April 2.

Our presence, through a pre-recorded video, focused on bringing valuable insights and inspiration on autism to a diverse audience, including representatives from government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), medical professionals, educators, and the wider community. 

Home to our Els for Autism South Africa Foundation site, Els for Autism South Africa is an Official Program Provider of the Ernie Els #Game ON Autism Golf program, offers three separate parent-led supports, including the RUBI Autism Network Parent Training, and has received professional development and training through our conferences and internships.

Els for Autism South Africa also participated as one of the four sites in our multi-site, telehealth, group parent training study and sent a lead team member to complete our TEAM Professional Observership program.

Additionally, we have consultation and training services for South African families and professionals through our GOALS program, and we have hosted South African university students in completing their required internships.

We collaborated with a dedicated golf instructor in Spain who shared our passion for making golf accessible to individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities. To support his efforts, we provided him with online training and virtual consultation on our specialized golf program. Our training and consultation resulted in him becoming an Official Program Provider of our Ernie Els #GameON Autism Golf program.   

In addition, our team collaborated with five additional countries to produce "Voices of Autism - Together as ONE (Watch Below)."

Our team of highly qualified clinicians has supported families of children in Sweden, providing tailored consultation and training focused on evidence-based practices for autism. Our team of experts offered guidance on parent training and strategies for supporting communication development using Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC).

To help support the successful implementation of AAC in the home, we sent samples of visual communication supports, provided access to our free webinars, and created a service proposal for ongoing consultation and training.   

The Els for Autism team has provided virtual support to three different families who have children with autism living in Switzerland through our Global Outreach Autism Learning Services (GOALS) and RUBI Parent Training programs.  
 
In addition, our program director has been an invited speaker at the Autism Forum in Zurich, at The Inter-Community School (ICS) Zurich, and for United Healthcare International. 

As part of our Global Outreach Autism Program (GOALS), we provided virtual consultation services to support a family in Thailand. Due to limited access to high-quality professionals and autism services in their country, we shared information on best practice supervision guidelines for ABA services and evidence-based parent training services.

We also supported the Dignificant organization in Thailand in becoming an Official Program Provider of the Ernie Els #GameON Autism Golf program.

Our team has been working alongside Blairwood Academy in Nassau, The Bahamas since 2022. Blairwood Academy serves a wide range of students, including those with learning disabilities and autism. Blairwood Academy is an Official Program Provider (OPP) of the Ernie Els #GameON Autism Golf program, has replicated our Work Experience (WE) Program, and during July 2023 and 2024, their vice principal, along with students and staff, spent time on our campus to participate in therapeutic services and our Movin’ & Groovin’ Summer Camp.

Our partnership with Blairwood Academy and their replication of our WE Program have resulted in the establishment of employment opportunities for individuals with autism and developmental disabilities for years to come. 

A researcher in Turkey, who is teaching and pursuing his PhD in Audiology and Speech Disorders at Ankara University, reached out after reading our peer-reviewed publication on the Spring in Action Together (SIAT) program. He expressed a desire to contribute to children with autism and their families in Turkey by studying and implementing a Turkish version of our SIAT program.

To ensure the integrity and fidelity of our work, we provided consultation to the research team and granted them access to our program. We look forward to future publications in collaboration with this researcher and his colleagues at Ankara University in Turkey.

At the onset of the Ukraine war, we connected with autism organizations in the Ukraine to offer free support and consultation to their families. We created visual supports and social narratives to assist the children in understanding the situation in addition to communication boards. We also compiled a list of resources for families.

Home to our Els for Autism United Kingdom Foundation, England raises funds for the Ernie Els #GameON Autism Golf program and is an Official Program Provider of the program. Our Els for Autism US team has also supported families in England through our Global Outreach Autism Learning Services (GOALS) program, which provides individualized consultation and training on our campus or via teleconferencing.

Located in Jupiter, Florida, the Els Center of Excellence campus is a haven for individuals with ASD and their caregivers to receive services across the lifespan. 

Since being established in 2009, our team has grown into an organization of more than 50 staff members with leading experts in various disciplines to advance our programs and services offered to individuals with autism. In 2023, 367 individuals, ages 15 months to 76 years old, and 544 caregivers received our services in the United States. 

Our annual Golf Challenge, held at top-rated golf courses across the United States, continues to be one of the largest charity-driven amateur golf tournaments. Since its inception, the Golf Challenge has raised over $37 million, supporting the vision of creating limitless possibilities for individuals with autism.  

Our US location serves as a hub for the autism community around the globe, and our team has hosted four international conferences focused on sharing best practices for supporting and empowering autistic individuals on our campus.  

Our team also had the opportunity to collaborate with five additional countries to produce "Voices of Autism - Together as ONE (See Below)."

Through our Global Outreach Autism Learning Services (GOALS), we supported a family who traveled to the United States for four weeks to ensure their child received access to our high-quality, early-intensive behavior intervention program. During this time, the family also received evidence-based caregiver-implemented intervention and parent training services. This experience led to significant growth in the child and empowered the family with the knowledge and skills needed to ensure optimal outcomes in the future. 

Our team supported an organization in Vietnam in becoming an Official Program Provider of our Ernie Els #GameON Autism Golf program.