Nurturing Your Autistic Identity

Mentoring workshops for students

5 hours in total

With a small group of autistic students & SENCO/teacher/TA – flexible on how the hours are delivered.

An autism diagnosis is much more than just a ‘label’. If you’re autistic, you’ve been autistic your whole life and you will gradually become aware that you experience the world in a different way to many of your peers. Unfortunately, an autism diagnosis carries with it a stigma, and becoming aware of this stigma can be damaging to a young person’s wellbeing as they get older – and the later they are recognised as autistic, the more problematic this becomes. We teach a positive view of their autistic identity, how to recognise and understand strengths and challenges, self-regulate and become advocates for themselves and others.

The structure of these can be bespoke to your school needs but there should be no more than 5 in a group of students – please create another group in this case. Groups can be multiplied and run in separate sessions.

Reducing stigma around autism depends not on the autistic young person to change, but everyone around them, which is why we advocate for whole school training on neurodiversity – the more you understand about difference, not deficit, the less likely you are to stigmatise. We strongly recommend your school undertakes this training in addition.

These mentoring workshops will help to:

  • Build a connection with key members of staff so that the young person feels safe and understood in school

  • Identify what being autistic means to the young person

  • Build knowledge of aspects of an autistic profile that are common such as interoceptive issues and alexithymia to help better understand themselves

  • Identify what triggers dysregulation and what helps to self-regulate

  • Develop self-advocacy skills

  • Understand communication issues and the Double Empathy problem

  • Understand sensory issues for autistic pupils

  • Understand the benefits of energy accounting and setting boundaries

  • Understand why it’s so important (for life, not just for school) that autistic pupils are listened to and their needs/requested validated rather than dismissed

  • Build knowledge of neurodiversity in a neuro-affirmative way

Students and teachers will be told exactly what to expect before taking part, so that we eliminate as much uncertainty as possible (uncertainty = anxiety).

We include:

  • Pupil worksheets

  • Friendly and neuro-affirmative sessions in either Zoom or Teams at a time of your choice

PRICE: £600 (no VAT)

Please contact us for more details.

The mentoring was of massive benefit to the students. They know more, can see more, and a few of them have stayed friends despite having never heard of each other prior to the sessions! It has been really positive talking to these students recently and seeing the way they are now equipped with more knowledge and language to advocate for their needs.

Becca Boyes, Student Support Mentor, Durham Sixth Form