Neurodiverse Self Advocacy Mentoring Through Transition project

我是一名神经分化型社会企业家，也是神经分化型自我倡导组织的创始人。我们是一个以自闭症为主导的全国草根在线自我倡导和同伴支持组织，挑战对自闭症的传统态度，倡导和鼓励对自闭症的理解，重新获得有生活经验的人的领导。我们的使命是：“支持和帮助神经分化患者过上健康和充实的生活，实现他们的人生目标，实现他们的潜力，以实现平等并充分为社会做出贡献。”我们经营一个自我宣传的信息网站和论坛，并为自闭症成年人提供就业指导计划。该项目开发了一个以人为本的过渡指导，包括一个论坛支持小组和由自闭症患者提供的在线课程，通过这种方式建立一个自闭症自我宣传和同伴对同伴支持网络，帮助自闭症成年人克服健康方面的劣势。我们将训练自闭症成年人指导其他自闭症成年人应对变化和不确定性。自闭症患者在当前的危机中尤其脆弱，因为他们的日常生活被打乱，他们在不确定性和强加的孤立中感到高度焦虑和抑郁，这切断了他们所依赖的少数社会联系，关闭了支持服务，并将他们与家庭成员隔离。他们努力寻求帮助，并可能在没有支持的情况下达到危机点。我们的重点是那些有所谓“较低需求”的人，他们没有资格获得现有的支持，无法获得帮助，患有严重的精神健康问题（70%）、自杀（66%）、经济困难（45%）、预期寿命缩短16年、自杀是早期死亡的主要原因——通过利用自闭症患者的技能和精力，他们随时准备指导他人，特别是作为当前危机中的保障和支持。国家审计署（National Audit Office）发现，在支持需求较低的人群方面存在差距。我们正在填补这一空白。研究表明，幸福围绕着积极的自闭症认同、减少问题解决的焦虑和对社会支持的感知。我们的规划旨在确保在2019冠状病毒病之后不让自闭症患者掉队。该项目改变了导师和学员的生活，它建立了自闭症社区的能力，减轻了残疾的劣势，并解决了社会排斥问题。我们有一个强大的团队。我们正在与领先的自闭症研究人员和专业人士合作，为自闭症成年人提供所需的支持。

I am a neurodivergent social entrepreneur and founder of Neurodiverse Self Advocacy.We are a grassroots autistic-led national online self-advocacy and peer-support organisation, challenging traditional attitudes to autism, championing and encouraging autistic led understanding, reclaiming leadership by those with lived experience.Our mission is:"The support and enablement of Neurodivergent People to lead healthy and fulfilling lives, achieve their life goals and realise their potential in order to achieve equality and fully contribute to society."We run a self-advocacy information site and forum and a mentoring into employment programme for autistic adults.This project develops a person-centred Transitions Mentoring and includes a forum support group and online course delivered by autistic people, this way building an autistic self-advocacy and peer-to-peer support network helping autistic adults overcome the disadvantages in wellbeing.We will train autistic adults to mentor other autistic adults to cope with change and uncertainty.Autistic people are particularly vulnerable in the current crisis as their routine is disrupted, they suffer from heightened anxiety and depression amid uncertainty and imposed isolation, which cut the few social connections they rely on, closed support services and isolated them from family members. They struggle to seek and find help, and may reach crisis points without support.Our focus is on people with so called 'lower level needs' ineligible for existing support, unable to access help and suffering from crippling mental health problems (70%), suicidality (66%), financial hardship (45%), 16 years shorter life expectancy, suicide being the lead cause of early death - by harnessing skills and energies of autistic people who are ready to mentor others, in particular as a safeguard and support amid the current crisis.The National Audit Office identified a gap in support for people with lower support needs. We are filling this gap.Research shows that wellbeing centres around positive autism identity, anxiety reducing problem solving and perception of social support. Our programme aims to ensure that autistic people are not left behind after COVID19\.The project is life changing for both mentors and mentees, it builds capacity of the autistic community, relieves the disadvantage of disability and tackles social exclusion.We have a strong team. We are working with leading autism researchers and professionals to deliver the support autistic adults need.