After two years of teaching social skills to autistic children in Hamilton, Amber Clark has witnessed some remarkable developments.

The Paget native participates in a programme every second and fourth Saturday of the month at the Tomorrow’s Voices autism centre.

During these classes, she helps youngsters aged three to 18 learn day-to-day skills which many of us might take for granted.

“We try to get them playing and interacting with each other, and having proper conversations,” said Ms Clark.

“We’ll also take them out into the community, so they know how to interact with people.”

Ms Clark’s interest in working with autistic children began while she was a student at Canada’s Acadia University. After participating in a programme at the Nova Scotia establishment, she returned to Bermuda and discovered Tomorrow’s Voices.

“It was exactly what I was interested in,” she said.

“We try to work one-on-one with the children as much as possible, and I’ve seen a lot of them grow and improve in their conversation skills.

“You’ll see something that’s difficult for them to do, even with help, and then within a few months they may master it with very little help.

“One child was very reliant on other people, and to see him form that sense of independence in such a short period of time was just wonderful to see.”

Ms Clark, also an after-school leader at Saltus Cavendish School, was rewarded for her voluntary work last month when Tomorrow’s Voices offered her a paid position in the same role.

And she continues to enjoy guiding the children through their social education.

“A lot of them are capable of achieving the same things as the rest of us,” she said. “It just takes them a little more time, or having things put to them in a different way.”