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Devyn Glass IDC 2020 WiP

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Announcing the new Autism Reading Journal Group!

Our April Autism Friendlier Event produced thrilli

Our April Autism Friendlier Event produced thrilling discussions surrounding different aspects of working and university life.
From these discussions we have produced some steps towards an Autism Friendlier University.

#autism #autismresearch #autismsussex #autismawareness

Opportunity to take part in a study focused on the

Opportunity to take part in a study focused on the thoughts of Neurodivergent individuals on video conferencing!

Scan the QR code or use this link to sign up!
https://rb.gy/2b6mq

For anymore information please contact ap876@sussex.ac.uk

For out up coming event we are looking for submiss

For out up coming event we are looking for submissions to be shared at the event! Please take a look if you'd like to share something with us.

More details about the event can be found here:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/an-autism-friendlier-university-initiating-the-conversation-tickets-596959059617

Autism Friendlier University Event! Hello all, on

Autism Friendlier University Event!

Hello all, on the April 27th from 17:00 - 19:00 we will be hosting an event based around Autism Friendlier University.

This event will be taking place at the Meeting House, University of Sussex. This event is space limited so if you want to attend please get your free ticket below. More details of the event can be found here:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/an-autism-friendlier-university-initiating-the-conversation-tickets-596959059617

APPLICATION DEADLINE JANUARY 16TH Apply to be a p

APPLICATION DEADLINE JANUARY 16TH

Apply to be a placement student with Acorns ! For more details click the careers hub link below.

https://careerhub.sussex.ac.uk/students/jobs/detail/1856635/voluntary-professional-placeme

DEADLINE EXTENDED till January 16th!! Apply to

DEADLINE EXTENDED till January 16th!!

Apply to be a placement student with Acorns ! For more details click the careers hub link below.

https://careerhub.sussex.ac.uk/students/jobs/detail/1856635/voluntary-professional-placeme

Apply to be a placement student with ACORNs !! D

Apply to be a placement student with ACORNs !!

Details posted on Careers Hub

Deadline 17:00, November 18th

Our Stories Project Digital Presentation at the F

Our Stories Project
Digital Presentation at the Festival of Social Sciences

Tomorrow November 9th
16:00 - 18:00

Join using the link below!!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/our-stories-webinar-tickets-427803821747

Our next Autism Reading Group meeting is Tuesday 2

Our next Autism Reading Group meeting is Tuesday 25th October - 4-5pm on zoom. We will be discussing Autism and associated condition Anxiety. Everyone is welcome !

⭐️Email : acorns@sussex.ac.uk for details!

#Autism #ReadingGroup #Anxiety

Autistic Voice - June 2022, ARG recap Does this lo

Autistic Voice - June 2022, ARG recap
Does this look interesting?
Email: acorns@sussex.ac.uk to join the mailing list.
Key discussion points:
- We discussed the need for the use of diverse methods to enable the voices of all autistic indivduals to be heard. We thought about how the annual review process could be reformed to be more inclusive, for example by using methods such as digital stories.

- We focused on the support put in place in schools to be carried over to workplaces. We reflected on the life long nature of autism - it's not something that goes away when the indvidual leaves school.

- We also talked about the need to use a strength-based approach rather than focus on deficits. On the other hand, we need to make sure the difficulties individuals face are recognised and understand the support that may help them.

- We wrapped up our discussion by thinking about how social media could be harnessed to effectively help more autistic voices to be heard.

Head to our blog for more!
#autismsussex #autisticvoice #autismreadinggroup #autismawarenessandacceptance @sussex_psych

Our next Autism Reading Group will be on Tuesday 2

Our next Autism Reading Group will be on Tuesday 21st June 4-5 and we will be discussing the topic: Autistic Voice. We will be continuing the discussion from our recent event - 'autistic voices: across the spectrum' and hope this will allow both people who attended the event and people who couldn't be there to discuss the topic further!

We have a few videos to discuss and have thought of some questions to centre discussion around:

• How can we try to ensure that voices from the whole autistic spectrum are included in research? Including those with and without learning disabilities and all types of communication

• What good experiences have people had and what can be better across education(school, colleges, University), health and social care services ?

• How can social media, e.g., autistic bloggers, be used to empower autistic voices?

Email acorns@sussex.ac.uk or DM us for more details and a zoom link

#ReadingGroup #Autism #AutisticVoices

Autism and Gender identity May 2022 - ARG recap Ke

Autism and Gender identity May 2022 - ARG recap
Key discussion points:
- We talked about the role masking plays in covering both autistic struggles and questions around gender - individuals learn to fit in as their biological gender

- We discussed uniforms and the discomfort they can bring - both physical and emotional. We discussed the lack of acceptance in society for those who do not conform to traditional norms, be this autism or gender identity. It can lead to people feeling they are not safe to be themselves.

We reflected on how peer awareness and celebration of difference can help. The use of 1-1 support can be useful to help autistic individuals with disrupted identities accept themselves

- We looked at service implications for having high levels of gender dysphoria within the autistic population. We discussed how the system could be reformed to best support autistic people.
- We thought about how resources surrounding gender need to be made more accessible for children with all levels of understanding.

Head to our blog for more!!

#autism #autismawareness #genderequality #genderdiversity #autismreadinggroup

Upcoming autism reading group on autism and gender

Upcoming autism reading group on autism and gender identity!

Tuesday 24th May
4 pm till 5 pm
Email: acorns@sussex.ac.uk for more details

We will be discussing a few articles around gender identity and have some questions to focus the discussion around:

- How can we help autistic people to understand and feel comfortable with their gender identity?
- How can education be improved surrounding gender identity for autistic people particularly?
- How can clinicians/caregivers adapt their practice around gender screening and autism?
- What implications are there for services due to higher levels of gender dysphoria in the autistic population?

Feel free to message us for more details!

#autism #genderidentity #readinggroup

We are pleased to announce a really exciting ACo

We are pleased to announce a really exciting ACoRNs webinar coming up on Wednesday 18th May 2022, 10-12 – Autistic voices: Across the spectrum.

We hear much about capturing the 'autistic voice'. But what different ways can people across the whole spectrum make their voices heard?

Link in Bio to sign up

The theme for this webinar is autistic voice including a range of wide range of experiences and inclusive ways of empowering autistic voices.

This inclusive 2-hour session has two parts including talks from:

Part 1:

Lauran Doak (Nottingham Trent University) Understanding how young, minimally-verbal - autistic learners communicate in the classroom and at home

Beth Sutton (University of Sussex) - “I like you being here”: To understand and be understood through illustration

Sarah Parsons (University of Southampton and ACoRNs Soton) - Supporting transitions through co-creating Digital Stories with autistic children and their families

Part 2:

Sadie Gillett (Brighton and Hove Inclusion Support Service) - Autistic Learner Voice in Secondary School: Magic Ingredients

Marysia Szlenker (University of Sussex) - The unseen struggles of autism & pathological demand avoidance at university'

Simon Smith - Being listened to: A perspective from an autistic teaching assistant

PLUS we will have a showcase of methods to elicit autistic voice during the break and after the session

Following each section there will be time for you to contribute your ideas, experiences and opinions and ask the panel questions. We want a diverse range of views about how to empower autistic voice, to improve services for everyone.

Link in Bio to sign up

#autism #SussexUni #autistic #voices #education

Recap of our most recent reading group! Autism and

Recap of our most recent reading group! Autism and belonging. Here are a few key discussions points
- Peer-to-peer support groups can be a really beneficial way to foster a sense of belonging and community amongst autistic students. They can also be a good way to raise awareness of autism

- We discussed how all friendships look different, and how having a shared interest/activity can help students to build relationships with others

- We discussed the power of a physical indicator of a disability and how a wheelchair, for example, can change strangers' behaviour dramatically

- We reflected on how an increased sense of belonging can reduce suicide levels amongst autistic people. We looked at recent research by Sarah Cassidy looking at the link between masking, thwarted belonging and then suicide.

#autism #autismawareness #belonging #readinggroup #acorns

Our March Autism Reading Group had a great disscus

Our March Autism Reading Group had a great disscusion about the double empathy problem. Here were the key points we disscussed:

- Approaching research from a positive viewpoint means looking at strengths and differences, and being open-minded about what we want to achieve in an interaction. Double empathy helps us think about how to ask the right questions. That’s helped by participatory research and inclusion of autistic researchers.

- A Speech and Language therapist shared how previously they taught children to imitate neurotypical communication, but in light of the double empathy problem, they have been taking steps to change this. Sometimes staff working with autistic people may have just half a day of training.

- Autism is so diverse, and no autistic person is the same. We felt there was a conundrum: how do you train people about autism, but also convey just how different each autistic person is?

- We also spoke about how autism is taught in the Psychology A-level curriculum, often from a Theory of Mind perspective, not addressing double empathy. That deficit approach and lack of awareness can be very undermining for any autistic student of psychology.

- We agreed that when designing spaces and managing services we agreed autistic voices are very important and should always be included.

To learn more check out our blog (link in bio) and to join our next meeting Email: acorns@sussex.ac.uk

#autism #ReadingGroup #DoubleEmpathy

Our next reading group meeting is on Tuesday 26th

Our next reading group meeting is on Tuesday 26th April, from 4 pm to 5 pm on Zoom 📚💻We will be discussing the power of belonging ⭐ Everyone welcome ⭐
Email: acorns@sussex.ac.uk for details!

We will be discussing an interesting article on peer support and a ted talk that are really relevant to this topic.

We have a few questions to focus discussion around:

• How can autistic peer-peer support help to foster a sense of belonging, for example within a school setting?

• How can we help create a sense of belonging for autistic people, and how can this help to improve mental health and wellbeing?

• Discussion around the autistic community – the feeling of belonging and connecting to other autistic people

#Autism #SussexUni #ReadingGroup #Research #Education

Here’s a summary of the projects the Autism Frie

Here’s a summary of the projects the Autism Friendly University connector students are starting to work on.
They are aiming to help develop sussex into a more autistic friendly space!!!

#SussexUni @connectorprogramme @access_sussex @sussex_psych @uspsychstudents

Our next Autism Reading Group is taking place on T

Our next Autism Reading Group is taking place on Tuesday 29th March, 4 pm till 5 pm. This month's topic is the 'Double Empathy Problem'. Everyone welcome. Email acorns@sussex.ac.uk for more details and the zoom link.
#Austism #ReadingGroup #DoubleEmpahty #Empathy

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Language Use

Within the autism community there are different views about what language should be used to describe autism. On this website we will use both person-first and identity-first language. We welcome your feedback. Click here for further information.

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