Speed Friending

Speed dating is a great way to meet new people. It allows one to get to know a great many people in such a short period of time. Perhaps one or more of them will turn into lifelong bonds.

Now, imagine such a service, but instead of the average person hoping for chance of finding love, it’s a person with Autism Spectrum Disorder hoping for friendships. Such an event really does exist. The organizers of this event refer to it as ‘Table Talk’.

Table Talk is a monthly event “…for adults on the spectrum and for teens, helping them make friends and build relationships using a speed dating to make a friend model. This event was captured on the Netflix series Love on the Spectrum last season and has created quite a buzz for this program with waitlist every single month.” Claire Dees, the organizer of Table Talk, said.

Table Talk was created to help people on the Spectrum can get together with others like them and try to make friendships that will hopefully last a lifetime. Entry into this event does cost a small fee of $25, but many consider the benefits more than worth the cost. Such benefits include the opportunity to make new friends, free food, and games to be played after the main event, among other things.

The event, often held at a deli or restaurant of some kind, begins with each participant being split into two groups, movers and sitters. The sitters stay at one table for the duration of the event, while the movers go from table to table every five minutes. During those five minutes, the two individuals at the table begin talking, seeing if a connection forms between them. When the five minutes are up, the mover moves on to the next table and the process begins all over again until each mover has gone in a complete rotation.

All the while, each mover and sitter are marking down on a sheet of paper whether or not they liked or disliked the person the just spoke to, as well as why they hold that opinion. At the end of the event, these papers are collected. The following day, each of the event’s attendees are given an email by the event organizers containing the names and contact details of those who have mutual positive opinions of each other. The hopes of the organizers is that those who like each other will stay in touch and form lasting friendships.

Table Talk has been an ongoing event in and around Gwinnett County, Georgia, for many years. It has always attracted a sizeable following among autistic people. But in recent years, its popularity has exploded. This is due to the event’s exposure on Love on the Spectrum, a show that tries to find people on the Autism Spectrum romantic relationships. Since then, signups for each monthly Table Talk event have routinely been completely filled up within mere minutes of going live.

The organization that runs the Table Talk program, Spectrum Autisim, also hosts other events for people on the spectrum, children and adults alike.

“We also do social clubs and host a teen social club and adult social club and a homeschool group social club on a weekly basis. One of the most popular things we do is create family events on a regular basis so families can attend a judgment free They are fun free events like a fishing day, egg hunt, Pool party holiday party and more.” Dees said.

To learn more about Table Talk and other similar services, please visit https://spectrumautism.org/