Autism Hampshire to Deliver Hampshire Adult Workshops for Autistic Adults
11th June 2024
Autistic adults across Hampshire can now access a series of workshops to help them gain more insight into what makes them different and why.
Autism Hampshire received a grant from Hampshire County Council to deliver a series of workshops which was previously only available in Southampton funded by the city council.
This marks the first time we've been given this significant opportunity, reflecting its extensive knowledge, experience and commitment to supporting the autistic community in Hampshire.
The workshops are specifically designed by autistic adults for autistic adults who would like to gain a deeper understanding of their diagnosis. The sessions aim to help participants understand and accept their identity, moving away from societal pressures to ‘mask’ or conform.
"From the similar workshop commissioned in Southampton, we have received fantastic feedback from participants," explained our Service Manager for External Training, Katie Board.
“We know that workshops like this are incredibly important as people may have fought for years to get a diagnosis and then can feel lost. These workshops will hopefully bring more of an understanding to their lives and show them that support is available, whatever your age."
The workshops are CPD accredited and, wherever possible, delivered by an autistic trainer. They consist of six sessions, each lasting two hours for up to 10 participants, ensuring a supportive and interactive environment.
The workshops cover a range of topics, including:
- Introduction - Competing definitions of what it is to be autistic and the diversity of the autistic population.
- Thinking - Differences in the way we think and process the world. Accommodating such differences.
- Communication - Ways of enabling better communication between us and non-autistic people.
- Social Interaction - Distinctly autistic ways of being social and strategies for avoiding social burnout.
- Sensory Perception - How reactions to everyday stimuli may give clues as to our unique sensory profiles. Ways to stimulate or calm our senses.
- Behaviour - Legislation and guidance concerning equality and discrimination. How such legislation and guidance applies to us.
In addition to these workshops, we offer bespoke training courses tailored to the specific needs of individuals and organisations. These custom programmes are designed to provide comprehensive support for employers or individuals in a range of situations, for example, helping a workplace to identify accommodations to make their environment more suitable for autistic colleagues.
Click here to find out more.