Skip to main content

Ambitious about Autism - Video chats for autistic young people aged 16-25

At Ambitious about Autism, we have been running peer support for autistic young people aged 16-25 as video chats throughout COVID-19 focusing on wellbeing and building peer relationships. We've seen the benefit of these sessions for the young people we've worked with for their overall wellbeing and how they have developed confidence with the wider group.

This is an opportunity open to autistic young people aged 16-25 across England with sessions that are running every Tuesday and Thursday, twice a day, up until November. To take part they need to fill in a volunteer agreement and send this to participation@ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk as part of our safeguarding procedure.

These chats aren't focused on skill-building but are focused on building friendships and supporting mental wellbeing with those who have similar life experiences - being autistic. Previous topics have included: book club, travel stories, online games, quiz afternoon and building mental wellbeing.

Attached to this post should be the volunteer agreement that young people who want to get involved should fill in and send and the rules of engagement developed by and with the young people already taking part in the video chats.

If you want to find out more or have a chat about what this opportunity is like please do get in touch by email - sobrienquilty@ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk

Who to contact

Contact Name
Sarah O'Brien
Contact Position
Participation and Policy Officer
Telephone
07714588548
E-mail
sobrienquilty@ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk

Where to go

Name
Online via ZOOM
Notes

This opportunity is online, young people are sent doodle poll links to sign up to their chosen session topic and time.

On the day of the session the ZOOM link is sent out to young people who have signed up to a session

Time / Date Details

When is it on
Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. 12:00pm - 1:30pm and 4:00pm - 5:30pm. Four sessions per week.
Time of day
Term Time
Afternoon
School Holiday

Other Details

Costs

Table of costs
Table of costs
AmountCost Type
£0

Availability

Referral required
Yes
Referral Details

For young people to take part they must fill in the volunteer agreement and send this to participation@ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk 

Young people can be referred by professionals or parents/ carers/ guardians or themselves.

 

 

Other notes

Our group has three things in common:

  • An autism diagnosis
  • Aged 16-25
  • Live in England

All staff that run the group have had at least 3 years of experience working with autistic young people specifically and more broadly have experience of youth work. For the young people who take part it is focused on fun, wellbeing and socialising, for the staff we take care of safeguarding, plan and facilitate the sessions.

For those who have taken part it has been an opportunity to have conversations that don’t focus on the current pandemic and meet other autistic young people, we’ve had some lovely friendships blossom from this – we’ve been running them since 20th March and they will run until early November. For the young people there is also no pressure to ‘fully participate’ which I hope the Rules of Engagement (attached) show.

Local Offer

Local Offer Age Bands
16-25 years
Give Us Your Feedback

A - Z of Services