Before the lock down last year, some Young Advisors started to develop a project with and for young people with special educational needs and disabilities details of which are below, this work stopped because of the pandemic but the group has recently reformed with new members.

 

The group is for young people to express their viewpoints on issues that occur in Lewisham. Our team come from all backgrounds and have unique abilities including special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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This is a safe and supported space for everyone to learn, grow and connect. Our work has just started. We need you! If you are between 11 and 25 and want to champion key topics for Children and Young People with SEND then get involved.

 

We meet every two weeks on zoom.

 

The group created a new name: Champions of Inclusion and contributed to International Women's Day 2021. The group also wanted to celebrate Autism Awareness Week 29th March - 4th April 2021.

 

Celebrating

Autism Awareness Week 2021

The group decided to interview some people who work with young people with SEND and ask them some key questions:

 

Hello Micah, I would be happy to answer your questions, we are so proud of you!

 

1. What advice / support would you give to someone who you know struggles with Autism? 

If something doesn’t make sense in your head, ask someone you trust to help you understand.

Sometimes you might not understand the reasons people do things but there will always be someone who can explain.

The National Autistic Society are brilliant with advice and support. https://www.autism.org.uk/

 

 

2. Are there enough social opportunities for children and young people with autism? If yes, which schemes would you recommend and if not, how could this improve? 

I think it depends on the area that you live in, some places have fantastic opportunities for people with autism. My friend’s sister uses CASPA in Bromley, they are an award winning Charity who support autistic children and young people, and also to their families. https://www.caspabromley.org.uk/ She has made friends there and gets to do lots of different activities.

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3. Careers, preparing for adulthood and future opportunities: what does the school do to support young people with autism from this perspective, empowering their journey to independence and to reaching their potential? 

We try really hard to encourage pupils to use their autism as a superpower because they are awesome! Just because you have a learning disability, it doesn’t mean you can’t achieve what you want to achieve, as a school we try to give advice and support wherever we can with Post-16. As our pupils leave us at Post-16 we endeavour to send our pupils to a Post-16 placement where we know they will be supported Post-18!

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I feel privileged to have been interviewed, thank you Micah!

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Miss Williams-Jones, SENCO Conisborough College

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Hello Micah ,

 

1)   What advice / support would you give to someone who you know struggles with Autism? 

When you are not clear about something, it is best to ask questions and be sure to ask the right people. 

At times you will come across people who do things in a different way instead of jumping to conclusions, ask questions for clarification. Direct them to a right source of information such as 

 

www.childautism.org.uk.

www.ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk.

The National Autistic Society https://www.autism.org.uk/

 

National Autistic Society - Autism support

The National Autistic Society is the leading UK charity for autistic people (including those with Asperger syndrome) and their families. We provide information, support and pioneering services, and campaign for a world that works for autistic people.

www.autism.org.uk

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2)   Are there enough social opportunities for children and young people with autism? If yes, which schemes would you recommend and if not, how could this improve? 

 

I will say yes depending on where one lives , however,  the society needs more funded schemes that will help children and young ones with autism www.aspens.org.uk  The miracle project.

 Some local authorities have very good supports in place .

 

3) Careers, preparing for adulthood and future opportunities: what does the school do to support young people with autism from this perspective, empowering their journey to independence and to reaching their potential? 

 

As a school, we try our best to ensure all our students with learning disabilities, feel proud of who they are , we help them to understand that they are unique and can achieve.  Their disability shouldn't stop them from reaching their goals.

 They learn / do things in a different way and have great skills that makes them unique. 

 We do our best to make them independent and help them identify their strengths and skills , that will propel them into Post 16 . Advice and support is given towards the right college for them .

Mentoring is provided at different stages of their journey other support given includes , communication strategies,  social skills ,time management etc. 

 

Thank you Mr Spence for allowing me to be part of your interviewing panel 

 

  Mrs Akanni, Specialist SEN Teaching Assistant

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For a different and interesting perspective Ms Chaintini interviewed Ang, 47. who explained what it is like not to have been diagnosed as autistic as a child.

 

 

1.   How do you feel about this interview? I find it difficult because I have never been diagnosed. I have always been told “this is just how you are, you are an oversensitive and emotional person”. Now, it feels like saying “I am autistic” is more of an excuse – it feels like people are making excuses for me, when it is just my stupid behaviour. I actually feel really defensive about it right now – I do not think there is anything wrong with me – it feels weird. I was not told I had autism as a child – it was not a thing back then, why is it a thing now?”. I do not know. It just feels strange. 

2.   Adulthood, independence and employment. It is not something that affects me all the time. I just feel that this is me and I feel like saying “I am autistic”, it almost gives me a leeway to do these things more. Growing up has not been different. This has always been how I am – nobody told me a reason before. I have been able to be independent and I have not really faced any major issues with housing or budgeting or looking after myself.  However, employment was a completely different story. I was fine once in the job, but going for an interview, talking about myself, especially to people I did not know, in a place I did not know was absolutely nerve wracking. Going through an interview was one of the worst experiences of my life. It would have been so much better if I could have just been allowed to just sit with someone who was doing the job first, and have a look at the job and a friendly and informal chat.  

 

3. Friendships. I have made friends through circumstance, like sitting next to people in the class and you end up being friends with them. Then I made friends through work. Any friends since school and work are mainly people I have met through the internet. I do not go out to socialise and meet new people. I do not talk to people I do not know.  

 

4. Triggers. Noises and noisy environments, crowded places, over-stimuli, too many people talking to me at the same time, or one person bombarding me, or someone giving me too many things to do on one go. A major trigger is when someone asks me to do something and then they change their mind. Or for example when we agree to go to A and B and then suddenly C and D are added to the agreed schedule. Or if I am going somewhere and people are coming that I do not know or that I did not know about.  

 

5. Strategies that you have develop to cope with these triggers? Ear defenders have helped, ear plugs in the night, having a bath, time in nature, going for a walk, being by the seaside and walking on the beach, jigsaw puzzles and reading books. Overall, having space and time to myself.  

 

6.  Advice to younger people, to parents and to professionals? If someone needs space, you need to give it to them. When they need space, just give it to them immediately, without negotiations or further delay. Please do not expect any attention to what you are saying at the minute, not because we do not want to, but because the thought “I wanna go! I wanna go!” is just so overwhelming and the only thing we might be able to think of at this stage. Be kind, patient and gentle. Yes, be kind. 

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More Interviews to follow

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