Autism Services in Action
FRIENDSHIP YEARS IN THE MAKING
For much of his adult life, Dylan* sat alone at family gatherings, not because he didn’t want connection, but because no one had ever given him the tools, the space, or the permission to build it.
At 24, he joined Friendship Builders at The Ed Asner Family Center (TEAFC) in Van Nuys, California. He arrived hesitant, often sitting quietly. By Week 3, he was volunteering in group discussions. By the end of the program, he had attended a social event alone for the first time in his life and walked away with two friendships he still maintains today. His family saw changes they hadn’t seen before: Dylan initiating outings with siblings, expressing himself more freely, and, for the first time, saying he “felt like part of a community.”
That’s not a side effect of Friendship Builders. That’s the point.
WHAT FRIENDSHIP BUILDERS PROVIDES
Friendship Builders is a neurodivergent-led social skills and relationship-building program for autistic adults. The curriculum was created and is facilitated by two neurodivergent instructors, whose lived experience shapes every aspect of the program. Each four-week workshop covers social skills, relationship building, communication, and real-world practice through community outings and monthly social mixers.
THE REACH
With support from NEXT for AUTISM, Friendship Builders served 112 neurodivergent adults in 2024–2025, exceeding its original goal. This was accomplished across four workshop cohorts and monthly community mixers with partners including the Los Angeles Dodgers, AMC Theatres, and Special Spirit Equine Therapy. Participants represented a diverse cross-section of the autism community including underserved populations like BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and non-speaking individuals.
THE RESULTS, ACCORDING TO PARTICIPANTS AND FAMILIES
(Pre- and post-program surveys were conducted with all 112 participants)
- 92% reported increased confidence in social interactions
- 88% of buddy pairs continued contact after workshops ended
Beyond the numbers, several participant groups organically formed their own ongoing social meetups after completing the workshop series. Families reported ripple effects at home, greater independence, more initiated conversations, and a visible shift in confidence. TEAFC’s mental health clinicians noted signs of reduced social anxiety across many participants throughout the year.
THE IMPACT: WHY IT MATTERS
Adults with autism face a well-documented crisis of social isolation, and community-based services consistently underinvest in addressing it. Friendship Builders is proof that when you invest in social connection and build that investment around the expertise of the people you’re serving, you don’t just improve outcomes. You change lives.
For Dylan*, it started with a conversation in Week 3. For the community, it’s just getting started.
*Name changed to protect participant privacy.
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