Summary
Through the funding PAS offered weekly activity sessions for autistic children and young people in rural locations of Perth and Kinross making them more accessible by cutting down travel time and offering a safe and supported environment to participate in fun activities and socialise with peers. In addition we ran outreach sessions during our school holiday program which provided a much needed break for the carers of our young people.
What Rural Perthshire Autism Outreach Services. did
We offered weekly social activities to autistic children and young people during term time and additional sessions during the school holiday in outreach locations in Perth and Kinross. We identified through conversations with our families that making the journey to Perth for activities was challenging for their young person, particularly after a day at school and that this was becoming a barrier for some of the young people to attend.
There is no alternative support like this in the region and so this was very difficult for our families. We deliver weekly sessions at centrally located spaces in Pitlochry, Blairgowrie, Kinross and Crieff with 2 sessions for different ages. This allows our young people to build peer relationships and gives our families a break from their caring role. It also helps raise awareness of autism in these communities through our partnership work with Live Active and the local primary and secondary schools.
What Perth Autism Support SCIO has learned
We have learned that it's incredibly important to move out of our comfort zone of activities led in Perth and to work more in the community. There are issues with this though, around staffing and travelling to the different locations. We also work hard to offer the right level of support that is age appropriate and to get the tone right for everyone. We face challenges being in a different space and have had to put in processes to allow the staff team to take what is needed with them when going out to outreach locations.
Funding is always difficult but we do see the positives of working within the communities and having a presence there as it can encourage more community fundraising opportunities.
How Perth Autism Support SCIO has benefitted from the funding
Funding has helped to support and strengthen our reputation and we very much want to work more within the communities of Perth and Kinross. As part of our mission, we want to support as many autistic children and young people in the region and the Better Breaks funding has helped to allow us to continue to run this service. We are hoping to expand this service in the future and run more sessions during the school holidays.
Project Outcomes
Outcome
41 children (and potentially more) young people accessing our services will enjoy a four-hour session each week in their local community giving them opportunities to socialise with other autistic young people in their area. It will give our young people a sense of pride and connection to their local area.
Results
This was achieved through the delivery of our outreach activities as well as improving relationships with the community and families. We regularly are at full capacity at our outreach locations and have a waiting list at some of them.
Case study
NM – N has attended the Pitlochry sessions for the last year, N used to come into the sessions very nervous but after seeing the same staff and young people consistently, it has helped her build her confidence to come in to the sessions more comfortably. N wouldn’t normally join in for any activities and she would just watch the other young people but with having the support from staff, she has been joining in more and has been more open with her peers.
Outcome
55 carers of the 41 children and young people accessing our services will be able to balance their life while their young person can engage in activities closer to where they live and work. We also provide access to peer support, advice and information through training sessions to help our parents feel supported in their caring role amongst other carers who are experiencing the same struggles.
Results
We have developed a great relationship with our families in our outreach locations. These families really struggle to find support on their doorstep and so beyond school, have very few options for their autistic young person to access. Our families in outreach locations have developed friendships through the use of the PAS Parents Facebook page as well as accessing our training programme which gives support and advice.
Case study
The outreach clubs are a life line for myself and R. He loves coming to the clubs and it gives him independence to mix and mingle with his peers and other children without the pressures of normal day to day life. It also gives mum a much needed break and respite every few weeks but also helps me to know that he is enjoying himself away from home. Without these clubs, R wouldn't be able to socialise with other children like him.
Outcome
41 autistic young people and 55 parents and carers will have time to develop peer support networks within their community and have time independently away from the family unit and carer responsibilities.
Results
We monitor and evaluate our services regularly and as part of this, do regular check ins with our young people and their families around their mental health and wellbeing. We have seen an increased in improved mental health in all of our young people as well as their carers. Through delivering our outreach activities, we have a far better relationship with our families outside of Perth and they have told us that by delivering the services in their community has removed some of the stigma around autism which has helped to remove anxiety for them and their young person.
Case study
We have had the privilege of running Blairgowrie this past term, after having some time off due to the lack of numbers. We have managed to boost this again after consultations with families and making necessary changes to timing etc.
The group that is currently running have many new young people to the service, they all started a little nervous when attending due to the surroundings and people being very new. One important aspect of the group is that many of the young people know the area and access the Live Active building in Blairgowrie for their own leisure and school purposes, so this is a lower demand for many of the young people. The group come along for swimming and have built up their confidence in the water, one of the young people was not comfortable moving from the shallow end of the pool to the slightly deeper end, after a course of time, he has built trust in the staff and become comfortable in the pool that he loves to go to the middle of the pool and challenge people to find the toys etc in the water.
Many of the young people go to the same school but shared with us that they have never spoken to one another at school, after spending time with PAS and being in the groups, we often hear them talking about them seeing each other in school and that they have chatted there or spent time together at school, this is fantastic to hear as they are taking their bonds from PAS into their everyday life. The young people have all enjoyed the sessions in term one of this year that many of them have now returned for term two and we are able to run the service in Blairgowrie for the second time this year.