Autism Re-Imagined: Creative Resources for Schools and Communities

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This project will extend the impact of Imagining Autism (2011-2014), an AHRC funded collaboration between drama and psychology producing statistically significant evidence that the approach enhanced communication, social interaction and empathy. Positive results, widely reported (e.g.New Scientist, Autism, Research in Drama Education) led to requests for the methods to be translated into education and community contexts. Since 2014, we have delivered one off outreach workshops for professionals in education, health and social care as well as doing an arts centre residency with associated outreach activities (The Atkinson 2017). Radical reforms to education and the NHS and revised diagnostic criteria have created gaps in provision with calls for 'extra capacity' in the 'community and voluntary sector' to provide support for autistic people (Kent Autism Strategy, 2017). Imagining Autism is well placed to deliver sought after services and resources (as detailed below) through novel methods that have proven efficacy. Applied theatre with autistic participants reports a shift from skills based approaches (e.g. using drama to model socially appropriate behaviour), to recognition of the potential of improvisation in facilitating social creativity. According to Matthew Lerner (a psychologist who has collaborated with the iA team) this is "the emerging, novel approach to autism-which meets individuals with ASD where they are instead of trying to 'fix' them" and is "transforming how these individuals think of themselves in the world, and what they are capable of becoming." The iA project is associated with this shift from a deficit to a social model of disability and creative and capability paradigms. Follow on funding will enable us to systematically respond to invitations from multi-agency groups for training and resources so that the Imagining Autism approach can reach new audiences and user communities.Funding is sought for 1. A training model for schools to embed the creative practices within the curriculum, initially at the Beacon School Training Centre in Kent. Between March and June 2018 we will adapt the approach in Kent schools via continuing professional development workshops. Teachers will be trained as 'Imagining Autism Champions', to disseminate the creative practices across the curriculum. The iA Champions will be given practical resources (see 3) as well as training and mentoring from iA practitioners who include autistic artists.2. Autistic Community Cafés. Inspired by Dementia and Pop up Cafés, Community Cafés are events in arts centres and community venues that offer family friendly social spaces for support, information sharing, networking and activities. We will try out different iterations of the model to determine timings and content. We will also be establishing how to best involve the autistic community. This will also be the platform for refining then promoting the iA Creative Box (see below). Working with NAS community groups and in dialogue with "Autscape", the café events respond to needs identified by the autism community and their families for increased opportunities for social space and exchange.3. The iA Creative Box will contain creative sensory stimuli to engage autistic children. This portable resource will contain puppets, activity cards and a DVD for use in educational and community contexts. Its development is a key part of the schools mentoring programme through user group consultation (see 1). The boxes would manufactured initially on a 'cottage industry' model but later, when we have developed the prototype, through a manufacturer. To develop the prototype, a Creative Box would be available free for the Autism Community Cafes (see 2) and local autism support groups for feedback and evaluation.Autism Re-imagined will extend the impact of iA through innovative and creative pathways for knowledge exchange in the changing contexts of autism education and support.