Neurodiverse Self Advocacy Mentoring Through Transition project

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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.