Introducing services provided by Ambitious about Autism we are inviting teachers, SENCOs, school leaders and education professionals to attend a fully funded face to face training session for implementing the Autistic and OK toolkit within your school.
The session will take place on Monday 28th September 2:00-4:00pm, at The Grove Academy, Watford.
- The session will include:
- A short introduction to the Autistic and OK programme and toolkit
- Time for questions, discussion and suggestions
- Learn how it could work in your setting, and share what support would be most useful for you.
Who is this course for?
All teachers, SENCOs, school leaders and education professionals
Meet the facilitators
www.ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk
A summary of the programme from the facilitators
Launched in early 2024, the Autistic and OK toolkit was co-produced by autistic young people to equip schools with practical resources and peer-led workshops to help improve autistic young people’s wellbeing. Since then, over 1200 secondary schools have downloaded the toolkit and we’ve seen an incredible response from pupils and educators. During the first phase of the programme, we expanded our offer by adapting the toolkit for specialist settings and youth groups, so that even more autistic young people can benefit. We’ve also created a Multi Academy Trust and Local Authority framework, providing guidance on how to implement across groups of schools. In phase two, we are looking to grow our outreach and impact geographically and across sectors in the North of England, the Midlands, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. We also aim to work with professionals and settings in Further Education and in the healthcare sector.
At the heart of the programme are our Programme Ambassadors, the autistic young people whose voices continue to shape and guide our work. Their work co-designing the toolkit and supporting the dissemination of the programme demonstrates the powerful change that happens when autistic experiences are heard, respected, and centred.
Download the Autistic and OK toolkit here: Autistic and OK | Download the Autistic and OK toolkit
Why we created Autistic and OK
- According to our research, 4 out of 5 of autistic young people report experiencing mental health issues, yet only 10% of autistic pupils feel comfortable reporting this to professionals.
- We know how challenging the school environment can be for autistic pupils, who often face stigma, sensory challenges and a lack of suitable support for their needs.
- Over 50,000 autistic pupils were persistently absent in the school year 2021/22. We believe that poor mental health and wellbeing play a key role in autistic pupils’ ability to attend, engage with and feel safe at school.
How Autistic and OK works in schools
- We want to support schools to deliver the interventions needed to improve the mental health experiences of their autistic pupils.
- The Autistic and OK toolkit is a free downloadable toolkit of resources which equips secondary and specialist schools to support the wellbeing of their autistic pupils.
- The programme centres on a series of peer-led sessions, delivered by older autistic pupils to their younger peers with support from school staff.
- The sessions cover key mental health topics including anxiety, depression and OCD.
- The toolkit also contains resources such as a teacher training module and assembly session which promote autism understanding and acceptance across the whole school community
Specialist Setting Resources
- Adapted resources tailored specifically for specialist settings were developed based on feedback from an additional pilot programme that took place over the summer term of 2024. Once you download the toolkit, you will find a folder titled specialist school resources. The resources include a programme handbook, a facilitator guide and FAQs, and a Participation Information Sheet, all of which were created specifically for specialist settings.
Useful links:
Alison Elliot, is experienced in delivering this training, and is originally from an education background via the Teach First programme before she moved into the charity sector.
