Nestworks 3D Tech Hub Proposalnestworkschina.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/... · services:...

Project Proposal Prepared by: Leigh-Anne Russell, Cofounder - Nestworks Summer 2015

Giving families affected by autism hope for a better future, we create and sell virtual reality (VR) products and services that empower unemployed autistic youth with skills and training and

improve the quality of support for their transition to employment

3D TECH HUBSHANGHAI

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Unemployment rates for the estimated 67 million people with autism around the world are as high as 90% in some countries. We believe there are at least 5 million young people with autism in China of working age who could work, and want to work, but they don’t because they do not get access to the right kind of services: WATCH our video Autism in China - one family’s story (2’30”, needs internet connection).

The research has been done to show how virtual reality (VR) can be a tool to empower people with autism in overcoming barriers to employment. We are now fundraising RMB1.5 million (USD250,000/GBP150,000) to establish a 3D Tech Hub in Shanghai where we will bring this expertise to China, run pilot programs and develop more products to increase and sustain our growth and impact.

In collaboration with UK specialists in using virtual worlds to train and employ people with autism, and Chinese VR games developers, we will deliver tech-enabled skills development and vocational training and create autism-focussed VR job simulation games. With strategic partners, we will also increase local capacity to help young adults with autism have better employment opportunities by hosting professional development workshops and training for autism professionals, caregivers and employers delivered via a virtual cloud campus.

By doing all this with technology that is cost-effective, replicable at scale and easily customizable, we aim to significantly increase 1) the % of people with autism of working age who are receiving employment related support services 2) the number of supported employment programs specifically designed for people with autism 3) the % of young people with autism who enter into employment.

What kind of jobs could someone with autism do?

Someone with autism might prefer jobs they can do on their own, without the need to converse very often with fellow employees or customers. Jobs which take place in quiet surroundings, which have patterns, predictability and routine or which require attention to detail are often a good fit for many with autism.

While being a retail salesperson might not be a good idea, someone with autism could work well as a librarian, gardener, florist, graphic artist, music studio technician, school science technician, IT assistant, software developer, video games tester, data analyst and more…

Barriers to employment for people with autism in China

The barriers to employment which we have identified fall into the below three categories:

POLICY

Autism is officially classified as a “mental disability” in China, in the same category as schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders. As a result, people with autism tend to be ostracized socially and sometimes denied access to public services and support available for people with other disability classifications.

ATTITUDESMany autistic youth aren’t able to participate fully in their communities due to prevailing negative attitudes. Prejudice and discrimination come from both the general public when schools are pressured to remove autistic children from classrooms, and from employers who make negative assumptions about the cost and risk of hiring someone with autism.

SERVICES

Autistic youth do not get the specialist support that they need in order to successfully transition to employment once they reach adulthood due to a lack of qualified health care professionals and programs designed to address their varied and complex needs. People with autism make up just 10% of the total number of disabled beneficiaries currently receiving supported employment services.

NESTWORKS 3D TECH HUB - INVESTING IN TECH-ENABLED SKILLS-BASED TRAINING FOR UNEMPLOYED AUTISTIC YOUTH

http://v.qq.com/page/h/3/l/h0166kuuu3l.html

Our approach to a solution

Through the establishment of the Nestworks 3D Tech Hub, challenges in all three of the above barriers to employment categories will be addressed. Leveraging our core competencies in assistive technology innovation, we will focus on creating solutions to address the barriers to employment that people with autism face in terms of access to Services. Through the use of VR technology, we will increase the number of youth with autism in China who receive specialized tech-enabled skills-based training and support in transitioning to employment. In collaboration with strategic partners, such as the International Labor Organization (ILO), and others whose expertise is in policy advocacy and workplace diversity training, we will build a cloud-based virtual campus created by and for people with autism and work with the local community of parents, caregivers and employers to address Policy and Attitudes related challenges. In this way, we aim to show how VR is a cost-effective, customizable and scalable solution for helping people with autism around the world improve their chances of gaining and maintaining employment.

Why start with VR?

Research and experience in the UK and USA shows VR is a tool that can enhance vocational outcomes and lead to improved social functioning of people with autism. However, more testing needs to be done in order to find out whether the skills and behaviors learned in the VR environment can be transferred to new environments in real life contexts. In April, Nestworks, in collaboration with Shanghai experts in the field of autism and special education, challenged local VR games developers to design games specifically to help young people with autism build skills and competencies that are needed in order to increase opportunities for employment. Ideas for three games were demoed and a prototype game is now in development. See Table on next page for more details on the specific benefits VR offers.

Phase One Overview

With RMB1.5 million (approx. USD250,000 or GBP150,000), we can launch Phase One of the Nestworks 3D Tech Hub. Outcomes include a) complete product development of the VR games for autistic youth, a cloud-based virtual campus and portable 3D projection cave; b) local team trained and supported in the selection of autistic beneficiaries by UK experts in using VR with adults with autism; c) pilot programs in tech-enabled skills-based training conducted and evaluated, delivered via the specially created VR games and cloud campus for a minimum of 20 underemployed autistic youths in Shanghai.

Phase One will not only directly contribute to filling gaps in the understanding of VR and its benefits for people with autism globally, it will establish China as leader in this market.

Phase One SpendingEquipment 20% (approx. RMB300,000 / USD50,000 / GBP30,000) portable VR Hub hardware and portable 3D projection cave, head mounted devices, gesture tracking and motion capture sensors, 3D modeling software.

Program 70% (approx. RMB1,050,000 / USD175,000 / GBP105,000) project management; VR cloud campus environments and games design and development; tech-enabled skills-based training services for 20 autistic youth; capacity-building programs via the cloud campus for parents, caregivers, volunteers and employers. impact evaluation reporting.

Space 10% (approx. RMB150,000 / USD25,000 / GBP15,000) rent, fit-out, office admin

Phase One TimelineMonth 1 - 2 Engage local autism-friendly community (parents, caregivers, employers, volunteers) and train local team; create and launch VR cloud campus; complete stage 1 VR game demos; select autistic beneficiaries for pilot testing of services.

Month 3 - 6 Pilot testing and optimizing of services for autistic participants via virtual cloud campus and VR games; workplace diversity training and awareness raising community events via virtual cloud campus.

Month 7 - 8 Pilot tests results analysis and evaluation report. Preparations for scale up and roll out of Phase Two.

Phase Two will be scaling up of services and taking products to market (see Appendix for more details).


How can virtual reality help someone with autism develop the skills to become more employable?

BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT: TYPICAL TRAITS AND/OR CHALLENGES FOR PEOPLE WITH AUTISM

HOW SERVICES USING VIRTUAL REALITY TECHNOLOGY CAN HELP OVERCOME THESE BARRIERS

Needs vary greatly between autistic individuals.

VR offers a cost-effective, replicable method of highly individualistic support, e.g. the environment and game experience can be customized, and multiple people in different locations can be supported at the same time. [Fig. A]

Inadequate support system for people with autism, as well as autism professionals, caregivers and employers.

VR offers ability to create a cloud-based campus to engage the local community (government, parents, professional caregivers, employers and volunteers) to increase awareness and improve capacity. [Fig. A]

Existing skills training tools using 2D screen based apps cannot fully engage the mind and body.

VR offers a whole-body, immersive experience which the brain perceives as real. [Fig. B, Fig. D]

Many people with autism have sensory over-sensitivity, for example to light, sounds and touch.

VR can be experienced via whatever mode best accommodates an individual’s sensitivities: using avatars and a computer or tv screen or with the latest fully immersive experiences using headsets and projection rooms incorporating eye-tracking, voice and gesture recognition and motion tracking. [Fig. B]

Dealing with the unexpected or changes in routine is often very stressful for someone with autism, and being able to plan ahead can also be a difficult skill to master.

Planning, prioritizing, and problem-solving tasks can be incorporated into the VR game experiences, e.g. for a particular job opportunities at a bakery, autistic players could be asked What ingredients do you need? Where will you get them? What will you do if you run out of flour? [Fig. C]

Acquiring social skills is harder for people with autism, e.g. recognizing and responding appropriately to verbal and non-verbal communication, including facial expressions and tone of voice.

VR games can be designed to encourage the most frequently needed social skills, e.g. make eye-contact with the "friendly" smiling or laughing face before advancing to the next game level, or to gain extra points or rewards. Difficulty levels can be controlled and progress tracked. [Fig. C]

Some people with autism need help overcoming phobias and learning skills and strategies vital for independent living, e.g. recognizing potentially threatening or dangerous situations.

VR allows someone to role play a wide variety of scenarios in a safe environment with support and guidance. [Fig. D]


What might that look like? Watch this video.

Fig. A: Skills development and training for people with autism, their professional caregivers and potential employers in the 3D Tech Hub Cloud Campus: accessed via a computer and portable Hub hardware powered by Intel, these interactive environments are customized with content created by and for people with autism. Individualized support and coaching via private text and audio chat. Live interactions with real people, presentations, audio and video possible in real-time and on demand.

[images on this page show content created by our UK-based project partner, hao2.eu on the Autism Innovation Meetup grid and include screenshots of sessions with autistic trainees]


http://v.qq.com/page/w/n/b/w0166b746nb.html

http://hao2.eu

Fig. B: Immersive VR games for skills development and vocational training for people with autism. Compatible with sensors for gesture and motion tracking and playable using head mounted devices or projection rooms (VR caves).

[images on this page are from the Nestworks VR Make-athon, except the last 2 images which are of a VR projection cave.]


Fig. C: Roleplaying and training scenarios in VR to gain the knowledge, confidence and skills needed before attempting them in real life.

[images on this page include screenshots of virtual reality educational content created by Duke University School of Nursing (pharmacy), Hao2 (clinic), Owlchemy (chef’s kitchen job simulator) and Utherverse Academy (virtual cooking class)]


http://www.jobsimulatorgame.com/

http://utheracademy.com/

Fig. D: Personalized support sessions using custom-created VR environments to overcome challenges or barriers to employment caused by specific anxieties or phobias.

[images on this page show the University of Nottingham’s Blue Room experiment which used VR to enable children with autism to deal with the things that terrify them the most. In the safe VR environment, they were able move around the scene with the help of a psychologist using a touchscreen tablet, and explore the situation that they were fearful of or found upsetting while parents watched from outside via a video link. The below image montage shows the progression of the therapy for a young boy who eventually overcame his fear of a particular section of road.]

CONTACT Let us know how you can support the 3D Tech Hub. Contact Nestworks cofounder, Leigh-Anne Russell: [email protected]


http://www.autismdailynewscast.com/virtual-reality-room-helps-individuals-with-autism/13069/joworgan/

APPENDIX: IN MORE DETAIL For millions of people around the world, particularly those living with disabilities, gaining access to equal opportunities for learning is difficult, sometimes denied altogether. As a result, they grow up disproportionally impacted by extreme poverty and face great barriers to overcoming their situation due to the discrimination and exclusion they face. Little will change unless attitudes change.

The ChallengeAutism is considered a “new” phenomenon in China with the first cases only officially diagnosed in the 1980s. There are no official statistics for the number of people with autism here, however, based on the UN’s estimate that 1% of the world’s population - 67 million people - have autism and the fact that around 20% of the world’s population live in China, the number could be as high as 13 million people, including an estimated 1.8 million children.

Autism is classified as a mental disability in China which puts it in the same category as schizophrenia. This leads to social isolation of children with autism as they are excluded from state funded special schools that other types of disabled children are permitted to attend. China’s public school system is not equipped to support all children with special needs, and some parents of autistic children have been asked to remove their child from public schools after complaints from other parents. For the most part, demand for services has meant the costs of specialized, often privately-run special needs education programs, put quality autism care out of reach for many people. Those lucky few who receive early intervention support as a child may have a chance to acquire strategies for interpersonal communication, for overcoming social anxiety and/or behavioral challenges they might face and some are able to reintegrate into the public school system.

Compared to countries like the USA and UK where the law protects equal opportunity employment rights for the disabled, the current law in China requires public and private organizations to reserve a mere 1.5% of job opportunities for persons living with disabilities. Coupled with the stigma of having a “mental disability” and with few options of supported employment programs, the vast majority of adults with autism do not find employment and are not able to lead independent lives when they reach working age. Globally, it is estimated that 70% of autistic adults are not financially self-sufficient. Adults with autism face the highest rates of unemployment, are paid less and work fewer hours than people with other types of disabilities. It is estimated that 90% of Chinese adults with autism are out of work, and in Shanghai only a handful have been lucky enough to find part time employment. Many young people with autism spend their days in the full time care of their primary caregiver, often a parent, who as a result is unable to go to work themselves. Due to economic pressure at home, or simply because there is no other choice available, some parents spend as much as RMB100,000 per year to send their child to live at community centers called Sunshine Homes, a government initiative primarily for adults with intellectual disabilities. In any one of these places, in addition to people who are intellectually challenged and those living with autism, you can find other young people with a variety of conditions and special needs, such as downs syndrome, cerebral palsy and various mental health issues.

There is a severe lack of health care professionals who are trained in dealing with autism related needs; fewer than 100 doctors who are qualified to treat autism nationwide. Furthermore, there are no specialist vocational programs which cater to the needs of adults with autism or which enable older children with autism to transition to employment. In a 2014 Blue Paper on Needs of Parents of Autistic Children in China, a research report conducted by the China Association of People with Psychiatric Disabilities in collaboration with the China Autism Association, it was revealed that the majority of the 4000 parents of children with autism who were surveyed lack confidence in their child’s chances of finding employment once they grow up and as a result over 70% worry for their child’s future when they are no longer around to care for them.


The Opportunity

There is a desire by the China government to improve the vocational training program offerings at the Sunshine Homes and enable the staff of these facilities to receive the appropriate level of professional training. Furthermore, the government has just released a new State directive and call to action on a 5 year work plan to address rising mental health issues. It lists autism as one of the top 3 mental health issues to be given national priority. The goals include enabling more social inclusion by changing negative perceptions through the use of the media, as well as raising the standards of care and ensuring people receive basic support services by doubling the number of trained professionals, welcoming international exchange and adoption of best practices from overseas as well as channeling resources to enable more civil society organizations to establish and deliver mental health support services.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has recently announced their involvement in spearheading a new RMB3 million government funded pilot program of supported employment for persons with intellectual disabilities and the training of professional job coaches in six provinces around China. However, to date, none of these programs are in Shanghai or focus on the specific needs of people living with autism and only 10% of the beneficiaries have autism.

Furthermore, in recent months, we have received some validation that VR is an affordable, assistive technology for people with different disabilities.

VR allows a high degree of user-control and interactivity between the user and the virtual environment. It provides a cost-effective, safe environment for rule learning and repetition of tasks, allowing users to practice behaviors in role-playing situations. These environments are dynamic, multi-sensory and customizable and the brain seems to perceive these experiences as real. In the UK and the USA, preliminary research into the applications of VR technology in the treatment and support of people with autism show promising results which suggest that VR is a tool that can enhance vocational outcomes and lead to improved social functioning. However, there are gaps in existing knowledge, such as whether the skills and behaviors learned in the VR environment can be generalized to novel environments.

With the rising popularity of VR games, advances in VR tech now enable most VR systems to recognize the user’s body gestures and track eye movement and there is already work on incorporating sensors to detect other physiological signals.

Our Approach to a Solution

Speech therapists in Shanghai demonstrated to us how they use apps to aid children with autism acquire life skills and strategies for non-verbal communication. However, they also shared how these and other 2D screen-based solutions have limitations, especially in terms engaging and connecting with the child physically and emotionally.

Leveraging the more immersive capabilities of VR technology, in collaboration with several experts in the field of autism and special education, we hosted China’s very first Make-athon in April to challenge the local maker community to create virtual reality educational games designed specifically to help young people with autism overcome the communication, socialization and behavioral challenges they face and increase their chances of independence and employment. As a result, ideas for three VR games were demoed and we are now developing a prototype game for testing.

Establishing the Nestworks 3D Tech Hub will support the continued development of these products and subsequent pilot testing of services for unemployed autistic youth in Shanghai.


http://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MjM5MTY2NjAwNA==&mid=204760548&idx=2&sn=b66ef487f659b69b367ecf9b07c5a033#rd

The Hub will be a socially inclusive community space where we will host events and workshops for the local community (government, parents, professional caregivers, potential employers and volunteers) to increase awareness and improve capacity to meet the needs of people with autism of all ages. Some events will be delivered via a custom-created cloud campus which will be part of the Autism Innovation Meetup grid, an internationally accessible virtual platform.

We will launch programs which use VR to help older children/young adults with autism prepare for and transition to meaningful employment, with an emphasis on empowering people with autism to become trainers of others with autism. Through our partnership with social venture Hao2, we will adapt for the China market their award-winning methods of VR-based support for autistic adults which have proven effective in the UK.

With a user-led, action-oriented approach, we can bring help to people who need it now, while gaining valuable insights into the workings of autism, and build a body of evidence to aid professionals and families. Through the Hub’s activities, we will also be able to incubate ideas and co-create more innovative products and services which can be replicated, funded and scaled and be a model for social enterprise in China.

Social Impact Potential and Plan for Scalable Growth Assumptions: 50% of the total number of people with autism in China who are of employable age (between 15 and 50 years old) are potentially employable in some capacity. Based on feedback and estimates from experts in the field regarding the total number of people with autism in China, we assume that number is around 5 million people. Approximately 10,000 people with autism are currently receiving employment related support services, ie. <10% of all intellectually disabled people currently receiving support in China. Those 10,000 people account of just 0.2% of the total number of potentially employable 5 million of employable age in China.

The Hub’s pilot programs in Phase One will provide VR-based skills-building services to 20 unemployed autistic youth in Shanghai. The source code for VR games created and proven effective during Phase One will be made available via an online open-source assistive technology repository in order to enable developers to help more users with different conditions wherever they are in the world. Learnings will be shared via the cloud campus.

The Phase Two scale up and go-to-market roll out will focus on Shanghai initially with Wuxi as a planned secondary location. If we scale the assumed national figures to calculate rounded up estimates based on the populations of Shanghai* and Wuxi, there are 80,000 people with autism who are potentially employable (56,000 + 24,000), with fewer than 200 autistic people currently receiving employment related support services. *(The Shanghai figure of 56,000 was averaged from two unofficial numbers, one the scaled from the national estimate (92,000) and one estimate from the Shanghai Autism Society (20,000).

If we consider success to be to provide support services to 25% of that total population, i.e. 20,000 people, the current service coverage gap is 19,800 people. With a 15% increase in the number of autistic beneficiaries per year, it would take around 20 years to close this gap. However, as autism related research, awareness and advocacy has gained a lot more attention globally in the few past decades, and the China government has just released a new 5 year work plan to address rising mental health issues, and it lists autism as one of the top 3 mental health issues to be given national priority, a greater than 15% per year rate could be achievable if this new 5 year plan is successful in meeting its goals.

In addition, our approach to a solution taps into technological advances and trends which will support replication of programs at a fast rate and with minimal investment in terms of cost and infrastructure. Through delivery of our core programs and services, by year 2, we want to have provided opportunities for employment related services to at least 200 youth with autism in China and go on to achieve a one hundred times increase in the number of beneficiaries within ten years.


Impact indicators and goals of the Nestworks 3D Tech Hub’s core services

GOAL 1). Increase the % of people with autism who are of employable age in Shanghai and Wuxi who are receiving employment related support services.

Target: Achieve a rate of 25% (20,000), i.e. a hundred times increase on the current estimated coverage of 0.2% (fewer than 200 people) within 10 years.

GOAL 2) Increase the number of supported employment programs specifically designed for people with autism, especially those who are more able and willing to work.

Target: Achieve a >50% rate of young people with autism between the ages of 15 – 17 who take part in transition to employment support programs.

Benchmark: In the US, young people with autism have the highest risk of being completely disengaged from any kind of postsecondary education or employment. This risk is >50% for the first 2 years after high school.

GOAL 3) Increase the % of young people with autism in Shanghai and Wuxi who are able to enter into employment and become financially independent.

Target: Achieve a higher than 15% employment rate (“employment” can be considered as part time, full time or paid volunteering/internship positions) within 10 years.

Benchmark: In the US & UK, rates of employment for adults with autism are also low, with 25% to 50% of adults with autism participating in any type of paid employment in the US. The National Autistic Society (NAS) in the UK reported that only 15% of adults of working age with autism are in full-time paid employment. .


FINANCIAL Phase One PILOT PROGRAMS Fundraising Target: RMB1.5 million (USD250,000 / GBP150,000)

Spending estimates in Phase One Equipment 20% (approx. RMB300,000 / USD50,000 / GBP30,000) portable VR Hub hardware and 3D projection cave, head mounted devices, gesture tracking and motion capture sensors, 3D modeling software

Program 70% (approx. RMB1,050,000 / USD175,000 / GBP105,000) project management and impact evaluation, VR cloud campus environments and games design and development, capacity-building programs for caregivers, volunteers and potential employers in how to support young adults with autism using VR, delivery of VR skills-building services for 20 autistic youth

Space 10% (approx. RMB150,000 / USD25,000 / GBP15,000) rent, fit-out, office admin

Planned timeline for Phase OneMonth 1 - 2 Engage local autism-friendly community and train local team; create and launch VR cloud campus; complete stage 1 VR game demos; select autistic beneficiaries for pilot testing of services

Month 3 - 6 Pilot testing and optimizing of services for autistic participants via virtual cloud campus and VR games; workplace diversity training and awareness raising community events via virtual cloud campus

Month 7 - 8 Pilot tests results analysis and evaluation report. Preparations for scale up and roll out of Phase Two

Phase Two GO TO MARKET (tentative) Based on outcomes of Phase One, we would adjust the go-to-market strategy and potentially need to seek additional funding to scale up and launch Phase Two. The below is the tentative plan for operational scale up and sustainability.

Promotional Channels Phase One outcomes will be promoted locally and internationally via the Nestworks website, the Autism Innovation Meetup grid which houses the virtual cloud campus, and social media channels (Wechat/Twitter/Facebook), as well as via traditional print and online media such as tech and social innovation-focussed news websites, such as UK’s Guardian Online and Fast Company. Local government agencies such as the Science & Technology Commission’s Centre for Tech Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the China Disabled Persons Federation (CDPF) will be enlisted to help with promotion through the Chinese mainstream media channels.

Sales ChannelsProducts and services in Phase Two will be sold by Nestworks direct to some customers, such as the CDPF, local businesses and international schools, and also via distribution channel partners such as some government agencies, diversity and inclusion trainers, NGOs and special education organizations.

VR Games will be sold via online distribution channels such as iTunes app store and local Chinese equivalents as well as through other special education resource distributors.


Revenue Streams 1) VR-based training, education and professional development services 2) VR products and creative design agency services

Note: The in-house VR design agency will support any autistic trainees who show an aptitude and desire to become employable as developers in VR game and app design, a skill which is in high demand in China. Volunteers from the local VR developer & 3D artist community will support the on-the-job training of these autistic VR developers. Typically VR developers with 2 - 3 yrs experience can command salaries of over RMB14,000/month in China. Projected Sales by Year 5

CUSTOMER SEGMENT 1:

How we will reach them: By leveraging established connections (both direct personal relationships and through partners) with relevant Government agencies such as the CDPF, we would prioritize the selling of services to set up Hubs and run Train the Trainer courses at ¼ of the 200+ government funded Sunshine Homes for the disabled in Shanghai within 2 years (averaging 2 locations per month).

Why they will buy: The local government is calling the levels of professional care and services for people with disabilities at the Sunshine Homes to be improved, with 50 locations earmarked as vocational training centres. Furthermore, Autism is now listed as one of the 3 issues which are consider a national priority in the government’s 2015 - 2020 5-year mental health work plan.

CUSTOMER SEGMENT 2:

Sales Channel

Customer Segment

Value Proposition

Product Offering

Target Customers

Sales Value (RMB)

Direct + Partners

Government Agencies

China Disabled Persons

Federation, Civil Affairs Bureau,

Education Bureau

Cost-effective training for autism

professionals; Customizable,

replicable vocational training

platform for underemployed

autistic youth

Product A Portable Hub

Hardware + Train the Trainer course

with 24 weeks access to 3D Tech

Hub Cloud Campus for 50 registered users

50 locations 10% of 500+ centers for

mentally disabled (e.g. Sunshine

Homes), schools and NGOs with

autistic beneficiaries in

China

50*300,000 = 15,000,000

Partners

Autism Professionals

NGO/social workers,

therapists, special needs

educators, public servants, job

coaches

A way to up-skill and be more

employable/gain more customers thru accessible,

tech-enabled support for people with

autism

Product B 1 day professional

development workshop in how to support people

with autism via virtual worlds + additional 10

practice hours with autistic

beneficiaries via the 3D Tech Hub’s

virtual campus

8,000+ customers

20% of the 40,000 mental health/

autism professionals

China wants to have in service

within next 5 years

8000*500 = 4,000,000

Sales Channel

Customer Segment

Value Proposition

Product Offering

Target Customers

Sales Value (RMB)


How we will reach them: By partnering with organizations such as the International Labour Organization and the China Association of Person with Intellectual Disabilities and their Relatives we can tap into the relevant professional networks that are working with people with autism, such as special needs educators, job coaches, social workers and civil servants.

Why they will buy: Government mandates support the need for more cost-effective, scalable professional development programs: over the next 5 years, targets have been set to improve the quality of support services for people with autism and double the number of professionally trained mental health workers (from 20,000 to 40,000) within that same timeframe.

Of the 3000 neighborhood committees in Shanghai, each one is technically required to have 3 people on staff who are trained in providing employment transition and social support services. With this demand for more qualified specialists, the 10,000 students studying social work-related degrees at 200+ higher education institutions each year in China (12 universities in Shanghai offer social work degrees) will need to up-skill to compete in the job market.

CUSTOMER SEGMENT 3:

How we will reach them: Initially by joining forces with trusted thought leaders such as the Shanghai Autism Association and autism-focussed social media blogs and Wechat groups which are run-by and/or heavily represented by parents of those with autism in China. Word-of-mouth methods would be supplemented by exposure via farther reaching media platforms such as those supporting the government in promoting tech innovation and entrepreneurship.

We would also cross-promote our services and products via NGOs and special education schools with branches and influence throughout the country such as Huiling, Aihao Child and Essential Learning Group. With the portable Hub hardware, we can host free demos of the products and services in different

Partners

Parents/primary

caregivers of children with autism aged

14+

Be able to support and help

your child develop their

social and vocational skills

via a virtual platform that can

be accessed anywhere at

anytime

Product B Professional development

workshop (1 day) in how to deliver

support to people with autism via virtual worlds

20,000 customers

20% of families in Shanghai & Wuxi with a potentially employable child

with autism

20,000*500 = 10,000,000

Online (App)

Stores + Partners

Parents/primary

caregivers of children with autism aged

14+

Your child can role-play real-life

scenarios in a safe environment and develop skills

to increase chances of

employment and financial

independence

Product C VR Games for Autistic Youth:

Vocational training for

underemployed autistic youth (VR

headset not included)

500,000 customers

10% of families with a potentially employable child

with autism in China (% who can

afford a VR headset)

500,000*50 = 25,000,000

Sales Channel

Customer Segment

Value Proposition

Product Offering

Target Customers

Sales Value (RMB)


local communities around Shanghai during Phase One to raise awareness, get feedback and generate leads.

Why they will buy: The vast majority of parents are concerned about their autistic child’s prospects for leading an independent life, particularly as there are very few options for their child to receive support beyond the age of 8.

Many households are facing economic pressures as one parent is forced to stay home to supervise their out-of-work adult child with autism. They want their child to be safe and happy and the thought of what will happen to them when they are no longer around is a huge worry. Being able to have a direct hand in bettering their child’s future will be very appealing - these parents are extremely action-oriented and have collectively established hundreds of autism organizations in China.

CUSTOMER SEGMENT 4:

How we will reach them: During Phase One we will host open-houses both in person and via the virtual campus to showcase the benefits of being able to design and create customized VR environments to help overcome challenges and barriers that only a few individuals with autism might be facing. We would offer these services at a preferential rate to the first 50 customers.

Success stories would be promoted via mainstream media leverage our connections with government agencies and through affiliations with program partners who are tapped into relevant networks such as Yuemiao and Essential Learning Group.

Why they will buy: Given the fact that autism is a spectrum condition and the needs of the individuals vary so much, there is often not a “one size fits all” solution. Unlike 2D screen-based interventions, VR is a wholly immerse experience which the brain perceives as real. By custom-creating a virtual environment to transport someone to a place without their having to physically leave the room is not only cost-effective but also a major competitive advantage for service providers.

Direct + Partners

Schools Privately-run schools and institutions

offering special needs

educational support for

autistic youth

Customizable interventions for

autistic youth with data collection capabilities that

engage the brain and body more than a tablet or

computer

Product D VR Creative

Design Services: 5 custom-created

virtual environments for

training/supporting youth

with autism

50 locations 10% of the 500+ autism-related

special education schools and programs in

China.

(50*8000)*5 = 2,000,000

Sales Channel

Customer Segment

Value Proposition

Product Offering

Target Customers

Sales Value (RMB)


CUSTOMER SEGMENT 5:

How we will reach them: Through organizations already opening a dialogue with employers and providing workplace diversity and social inclusion training, such as the ILO and European Chamber of Commerce and by targeting HR and/or CSR decision makers among membership-based organizations, such as Amcham and Rotary.

Why they will buy: For the cost-benefits of more engaged and loyal employees who have been given the chance to participate in skills-based volunteering, and for the PR-value obtained through promoting the company as Autism-Friendly in China.

CUSTOMER SEGMENT 6:

How we will reach them: Through direct connections with key universities, and appearances at events affiliated with business associations where MNCs are members such as Rotary, Amcham, British Chamber, European Chamber and Swissnex. We would provide free experiential demonstrations using the

Direct Universities & MNCs

Cost-effective competitive edge

and sales boosting way to teach/train/reach a greater, more diverse number

of people beyond your physical

borders

Product D VR Creative

Design Services: custom-created

virtual campuses/ environments for

remote participation in classes, meetings,

tours & events

20 locations China-based

MNCs with int’l clients & top

Universities and business schools (e.g. CEIBS, Hult, Shanghai Tech,

Tongji)

20*50,000 = 1,000,000

Sales Channel

Customer Segment

Value Proposition

Product Offering

Target Customers

Sales Value (RMB)

Partners

Schools and Employers who

want a more inclusive and

diverse working environment

Cost-effective service learning CSR programs

that capitalize on the strengths of the organization and the unique

abilities of people with autism

Product F Autism-Friendly

Campus/Workplace

Training (1 day) in how to support

and include people with

autism using VR + additional 10 practice hours

with autistic beneficiaries via

the 3D Tech Hub’s virtual

campus

50 locations Schools and businesses in

China (20 people per session)

50*20,000 = 1,000,000

Sales Channel

Customer Segment

Value Proposition

Product Offering

Target Customers

Sales Value (RMB)


3D Tech Hub’s own virtual campus and host virtual events highlighting the cost-benefits of remote participation.

Why they will buy: It make business sense to create a more engaging and cost-effective way to reach and sell to more customers beyond their physical borders.

CUSTOMER SEGMENT 7:

How we will reach them: Through direct connections with key universities, and international schools, such as Shanghai Tech, Shanghai NYU, Shanghai American School and through active promotion on social media

Why they will buy: To learn new skills and create something beneficial to society. To keep up with the trend for more STEM-based education. To better prepare their students/children for success, and instill in them a sense of social responsibility.

THE TEAM We will bring multiple stakeholders together to achieve a coordinated, sustained impact and to evaluate the effectiveness of outcomes.

Program Management Nestworks: A social enterprise registered in Shanghai and operating since March 2014. Nestworks is a platform to create technology-based products or services, such as smart hardware, software and wearable tech, to improve the lives of the elderly and disabled. These innovations enable access to better education and employment opportunities, and are tools that empower people to achieve greater mobility and independence. Cofounded by UK-born Leigh-Anne Russell and David Li from Taiwan. Leigh-Anne will be responsible for overseeing the 3D Tech Hub Shanghai project. She has called the Greater China area home for over 20 years and was instrumental in the creation of Gongyi Xintiandi, Shanghai’s largest government-backed social innovation initiative. David is also cofounder of China’s first makerspace, Xinchejian, and curates Hacked Matter, a think-tank dedicated to investigating the process of tech innovation in China.

In response to China Premier Li Keqiang's pledge to establish a new platform for innovation and entrepreneurship and to cultivate “maker culture” in the country in January, the Shanghai Municipal Center

Direct

Individuals, Schools and

Parents of teens (who are not autistic) from more affluent

expat and local communities.

STEM-based (service) learning to develop skills

for success in the digital age

(imagination, empathy,

collaboration, experimentation)

Product E VR (Weekend/

Summer) Camps: Learn to code and create VR

environments and games for people

with special needs

200 customers Local software

developers interested in VR

as well as students from the 30+ int’l schools

in Shanghai

200*3600 = 720,000

Sales Channel

Customer Segment

Value Proposition

Product Offering

Target Customers

Sales Value (RMB)


http://cn.linkedin.com/in/leighannerussell

http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/shanghai/blog/ngos-move-into-the-new-gongyi-xintiandi/

http://xinchejian.com/

http://www.hackedmatter.com/

for Tech Innovation invited Nestworks to be a founding member of an alliance of local organizations that support tech innovation and entrepreneurship.

To maximize potential for investment and scalable impact, Nestworks has a hybrid legal structure and is registered both as a Chinese NGO, a Chinese domestic company and a Hong Kong company.

Staff To manage the Hub’s pilot programs effectively, we would want to employ a full time program manager overseen by a program director part time and would also hire a part time volunteers coordinator when needed. We will also make an international call-out for VR games designers-in-residence to be in Shanghai for several months to ensure the timeliness and quality of the building and testing of the VR games.

Volunteers Through the hosting of regular Idea Incubator community events at the Hub, we will continue to engage the support of volunteers from the local community of VR developers, software engineers and designers who are happy to contribute their time and skills for the generation of new ideas - hardware, software or a service - for the application of VR as an assistive technology and to coach autistic trainees as they build their VR creative skills. While some of the VR programming and design software is free, to make these events as productive as possible and to speed up the prototyping of ideas and completion of testable demos, we will need to invest in providing ready access to a number of VR headsets, such as Oculus Rifts, and other VR hardware, such as the HTC Vive and Steam VR, LEAP motion, as well as a certain amount of credit to enable purchases of ready-made VR 3D models, textures and animations from the 3D asset store (in time, we can sell our own original creations on the 3D assets store, too).

Program Partners VR Tech & VR Hub Training Program Hao2 (pron. "How to"): UK based social venture, approved UK central government service provider. With their award-winning proven concept and expertise in teaching adults with autism to create VR environments, Hao2 is our partner for the provision of the Phase One cloud-based virtual campus, which comes with accounts for up to 50 registered users and training in using 3D virtual environments for engaging and training people with autism. The 3D Tech Hub cloud campus comes with its own dedicated branded virtual island in the international 3D autism good practice grid called AIM (autism innovation meetup) which is being created by Hao2 to support the Hubs it is currently helping local government/councils, NGOs and education providers to set up in the UK, EU and Commonwealth. The Shanghai presence on the AIM grid will provide an accessible gateway for autism organizations in China to engage in the international autism innovation good practice network in an inclusive, sustainable and scalable way.

In Phase Two, we plan to partner with Hao2 in the roll-out of their award-winning 3DNovations Hub and Train the Trainer program using the portable, low-energy Hub hardware as a tool for creating more vocational training, employment opportunities and positive outcomes for people with autism in the local community. The tech infrastructure and support package enables any organization to rapidly set up and provide target users with access to collaborative open source virtual reality 3D environments and cloud services using personal avatar accounts in an engaging, agile and inclusive way. Each Hub comes with access to a customizable cloud campus (interactive virtual environments created by and for people with autism). A Hub enables multiple people in different locations to simultaneously access and participate in cloud campus events while allowing for individual support and coaching at the same time.

The 3DNovations Hub packaged training program is for 4 people (1 professional caregiver or parent of someone with autism, 2 people with autism, 1 admin role). For the professional caregiver and 2 people with autism, the program includes built-in tools for learning and content creation and covers up to 20


https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/

http://hao2.eu

https://www.digitalmarketplace.service.gov.uk/service/4867415116611584

http://www.3dnovations.co.uk/Products/3DNovations_Hubs

hours of in-person training in how to navigate, engage in, design and build VR environments, customized and paced according to the individual’s needs.

On-going tech and 3D learning resource support from Hao2 will be available remotely via the cloud campus for up to one year after the training has been delivered. This initial batch of trainees will be given further opportunity for developing their skills and ultimately be responsible for training the subsequent batches of trainees. They will also have the opportunity to apply for accreditation of their skills against the latest tech industry qualification standards in the UK.

Program Partners Prototype autism-focussed job simulation VR game design and development Ximmerse: Guangzhou-based VR games company that also develops its own range of VR hardware Ximmerse is our partner in the design and development of a prototype job simulation game played with the latest virtual reality technology. The game design is inspired by the fact that the Shanghai Municipal Library currently employs at least one person with autism on a part time basis to sort and tidy books. In our expansion of this role, players solve problems and perform tasks related to different jobs in the library and its cafe, incentivized with points and rewards such as unlocking new levels, they can acquire vocational, social and communication skills as they advance through the game.

Following successful testing of this game by players with autism during Phase One, we would partner with the Shanghai Autism Association to facilitate additional internship opportunities at Shanghai Library.

Program Partners Trainees from the local community of professional caregivers and people with autism Huiling and Yuemiao: NGOs with track records of supporting people with autism in China. Huiling and Yuemiao would help recruit and support eligible candidates for the Nestworks 3D Tech Hub pilot program’s vocational training activities. Trainees would be selected from their in-house programs as well as sourced via their larger networks of professional caregivers and parents of young people with autism in Shanghai.

Huiling was founded in 1990 in Guangzhou and now has offices all over China with services that advocate for and enable people with intellectual challenges to become more included in society. Huiling Shanghai focuses on the needs of people with autism who are aged 15 and above. They currently support 8 young adults with autism in a full time assisted living home and are in the process of expanding their facilities located in the outer suburbs of Minhang district.

Yuemiao was founded in 2003 in Shanghai and currently operates two facilities which provide both day care and full time assisted living environments for people with a wide range of special needs. Their in-house programs range from the therapeutic to the recreational and include some vocational training programs that teach basic handicraft skills. Of the 100+ people in their care, around 25% are autistic. Yuemiao is on the Board of a China-wide alliance of special education organizations and also regularly hosts professional development and knowledge sharing events related to the care and support of those living with autism. In addition to the two aforementioned facilities, Yuemiao has a satellite office within the Gongyi Xintiandi community where they also plan to open a training-centre and supported employment bakery-cafe for people in their care.

Program Partners Support with pilot program’s local capacity building efforts and strategic partnership building The International Labour Organization (ILO): agency of the United Nations, PROPEL-China program The ILO’s Promoting Rights and Opportunities for People with Disabilities in Employment through Legislation (PROPEL)-China program works with key stakeholders (government, social sector partners, project partners including the media) on laws, policies, programs and services to promote the labour market inclusion of persons with intellectual disabilities. Their most recent project mentioned earlier is paving the way for more supported employment programs and training of job coaches across China.


http://ximmerse.com

http://www.gyxtd.org.cn/index.php?m=content&c=index&a=show&catid=13&id=9

http://www.ilo.org/beijing/what-we-do/projects/WCMS_191065/lang--en/index.htm

http://www.ilo.org/skills/areas/inclusion-of-persons-with-disabilities/WCMS_308012/lang--en/index.htm

As a complementary and value-added component to the Nestworks 3D Tech Hub’s vocational training and professional development programs, we would invite ILO’s to contribute their expertise in providing training for job coaches and potential employers to increase their awareness and capacity for supporting, hiring and including employees with autism.

ILO would also be able to leverage their established working relationship with the China Disabled Persons Federation (CDPF), in order to facilitate opportunities to apply for government funding by way of procurement of services to replicate Nestworks 3D Tech Hub pilot programs across Shanghai and eventually to other provinces.

Advisors Autism The Essential Learning Group (ELG): ELG is social enterprise dedicated to providing high-quality special education services in Shanghai, Guangzhou and the Greater China area. Staffed with a large international faculty and training a growing number of local Chinese specialists, ELG comes with expertise in autism related services such as speech therapy, behavioral therapy, sensory-integration therapy and providing a variety of diagnostic and educational assessment and consulting services.

During the Nestworks VR Assistive Tech Make-athon in April, we involved both founders of ELG plus several of their specialists in working with kids with autism. One of the ELG specialists who took part in the VR Make-athon wrote this reflection “On the Future of Special Education” based on their experience during the event.

Advisors VR Pixolabs: Local VR agency with their finger on the pulse of the latest cutting-edge technologies available both in China and internationally. Pixolabs co-organized the Nestworks VR Assistive Tech Make-athon in April and are our advisors on which of the latest VR tech developments are the most cost-effective, reliable and easy-to-use.

Pixolabs is also our direct line to the fast-growing Shanghai community of developers, artists and professionals working in the field of VR and curates the local Shanghai VR Meetup community events.

Through Pixolabs, we would seek to find VR agencies who could offer internship opportunities for the graduates of the 3D Tech Hub vocational training programs.

Impact Measurement and Evaluation Pilot program data collection, measurement of outcomes and evaluation of social impact New York University will be our partner to support the program’s impact evaluation. The university will be combining resources from their Ability Lab, an interdisciplinary research space dedicated to the development of adaptive and assistive technologies in the New York campus, and leveraging their Shanghai campus’ Interactive Media Arts faculty VR research activities focussing on immersion, interactive design and storytelling.

CONTACT Let us know how you can support the 3D Tech Hub. Contact Nestworks cofounder, Leigh-Anne Russell: [email protected]


http://www.apple.com

http://www.chinaelg.com/future-special-education-virtual-reality-assistive-technology/

http://pixolabs.com

http://abilitylab.nyu.edu/

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