Guild for Human Services CEO selected as finalist for Nonprofit Leadership Award

The Concord Journal

The Massachusetts Nonprofit Network recently announced that Amy C. Sousa, Ph.D., CEO of the Guild for Human Services in Concord, has been selected as a finalist for the 2019 Nonprofit Excellence Award in the Leadership category.

The winners of the Nonprofit Excellence Awards will be announced at MNN’s annual event, Nonprofit Awareness Day: A Celebration of Nonprofit Excellence presented by Citizens Bank, to be held June 3 at the Massachusetts Statehouse.

Boston Parents Paper

The Next Wave of Recess Renaissance

By James V. Major

At The Guild for Human Services in Concord, the challenge of designing an accessible, inclusive playground was not only accommodating differences in physical ability but age as well. The Guild, which serves individuals with intellectual disabilities, autism and behavioral/mental health challenges, operates a school and residential program for 85 youth ages 6-22 and a residential program for 55 adults.

Today is the United Nations-sanctioned World Autism Awareness Day, part of World Autism Month. Both observances are designed to increase understanding and acceptance of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) around the world. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that one in 59 American children, including one in 37 boys, is diagnosed with ASD.

In the last few years, I’ve read or heard hundreds of references to “helicopter parents.” Mostly, the references have underscored words of wisdom from parents about letting go of control and allowing children to experience age-appropriate responsibility.