3 September 2024
Every day, people around the UK and Ireland are carrying out good deeds, so I decided to celebrate the great work that charities, community groups/projects and not-for-profit companies do with a regular feature on Tuesdays, to tie-in with #CharityTuesday on social media.
This week, I caught up with charity Autism Hampshire to find out more….
How do you support people?
We provide autism-focused training, supported living services, mentoring for university students, community groups for autistic adults, and an Information, Advice and Guidance Team that responds to an average of 12,000 requests for help each year. Other services include a Local Autism Directory and our Autism Alert Programme.
How did you come to be founded?
Autism Hampshire was founded by the late Mr and Mrs Philip White MBE and a group of local parents with autistic children in Southampton from the late 1960s.
Over the years, the charity has developed and delivers high quality services that meet the diverse needs of autistic people in Hampshire and the surrounding area.
At the end of last year, Autism Hampshire joined Avenues Group – a charity specialising in supporting people with learning disabilities, complex support needs and autistic people across the south, London, Midlands and East of England.
How many people do you have working at Autism Hampshire?
Taking in our supported living services, we have more than 200 colleagues.
How can people support you?
We rely upon people’s generosity to deliver high quality services that meet the diverse needs of autistic people and their loved ones. We value all our supporters and appreciate the efforts they make.
Thanks to volunteers at our charity shop and at our community groups for autistic adults, we are able to support so many more people every year. We would always welcome new volunteers. By volunteering for Autism Hampshire, people can help make a real difference, whilst being more involved within the community and having the opportunity to meet new people and potentially learn new skills.
We are also continually grateful for people who help with our fundraising. Whether people are interested in hosting a family fun day, raising money at work or getting together a group of friends for tea and cake, there are lots of fun ways you can raise money for Autism Hampshire.
The generosity of people wanting to fundraise for us is very much appreciated by everyone here at Autism Hampshire. We have a free fundraising pack on our website which is filled with ideas and inspiration to help create your own fundraiser.
Your support enables us to provide services that meet the diverse needs of autistic people. Without your support we couldn’t do what we do.
Have you faced any challenges along the way?
In recent years, social care charities have faced huge external challenges. These include pressures on funding, the disruption caused by Covid-19, and the cost-of-living crisis. These influences have made it increasingly difficult to continue to provide high-quality services which are sustainable in the long-term.
To protect the future of our services, we decided to look for a merger partner which shared our values. This development, effective from 1 November 2023, promises ongoing benefits for autistic people in Hampshire and across the country.
Avenues Group is a charity specialising in support services for autistic people, people with learning disabilities and complex needs. The charity operates across South East England, London, Hertfordshire, Essex, Suffolk, Cambridge and Shropshire.
The decision to join Avenues Group was made following a thorough selection process. Autism Hampshire identified shared values, a shared culture and a shared commitment to quality as key factors driving their choice, along with expertise in enhancing the lives and careers of those they support.
Do you have any events coming up and where can people find out about these events?
We have a free online workshop for autistic adults (a series of six sessions) starting Monday, 16th September at 6pm. Whether you’ve been recently diagnosed and want to learn what makes you different, or you’re looking for strategies to manage social burnout, this workshop is for you. We’ll also cover important topics like equality and discrimination laws.
Hosted by our Serendipity Community Groups with our expert trainer Dave, this is a unique opportunity to gain valuable insight and connect with others. Spaces fill up fast. To register, simply email: serendipity@autismhampshire.org.uk.
Is there any advice you could give to other groups or organisations?
It is our vision to create a better future for autistic people. One of the ways we are doing this is spreading the message of awareness and acceptance. This is important in order to give people an understanding of what actions they can take to help autistic people. It is not down to the autistic person to change who they are but for others to make adaptations to support.
There are many people that are diagnosed or self identify as autistic, it is important that we have an understanding of not only the difficulties that some may face so we can make adaptations to support these people but also to recognise the qualities that autistic people have and that their different way of thinking can have a very positive impact.
You can find out more about Autism Hampshire on their website or via Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or YouTube.
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