Here at AsIAm we’ve been inspired this week by William Florish, who just graduated from Transition Year and made an amazing valedictory speech to his classmates and the school community. William is autistic, and had words of encouragement and thanks to his special needs assistant Orla and for his fellow “invisible kid” classmates. Members of …
Hello, and welcome to Our Week Online. This week Ireland became the second country in the world to declare a climate and biodiversity emergency. It’s safe to say that the deputies involved would not have been so moved without the tireless advocacy and activism of a young autistic woman, and her millions of followers around …
Hello, and welcome to Our Week Online. The autism community has made it through another World Autism Month. This Autism Month felt different (or was that just us?). If we put in the work between now and next April, let’s see how far we can go. Latest figures show that over 100,000 people in Ireland …
You may have met Autistic Paddies at our last National Autism Conference last October, the Facebook group for autistic adults aged 18+ from or based in Ireland that’s on the rise. In this blog, group facilitator and moderator Joan McDonald talks us through her own autism diagnosis, her search for community in Ireland, and how …
This week AsIAm launched a new Resource Pack for Primary and Secondary Schools to facilitate understanding and acceptance of autism in the school community during World Autism Month in April. Rebecca Parke, a young person on the autism spectrum, wrote about her autism diagnosis as a girl on the spectrum, her experiences of bullying and …
Last month we held a competition on our social media for a family pass to Dublin Comic Con. To enter the competition, people had to comment in 25 words or LESS… “What your special interest (or your child’s special interest) means to you(/them)?” We know it’s hard to be brief when it comes to special interests, but …
Transition Year can be an interesting time for people on the autism spectrum. The free curriculum can offer opportunities for growth and self-discovery, whilst the lack of structure can prove difficult for many. Charlie Silke is a Transition Year student on the spectrum, and he’s written about his experiences in Transition Year so far. In …
ADD/ADHD are common co-occuring conditions within the autism community. Sometimes the traits of these conditions can differ starkly, and sometimes they can overlap. Eoin Hickey, a young man on the autism spectrum who has ADHD, writes on his favourite things about having both autism and ADHD. You can read his previous blog on coping mechanisms …
Last week AsIAm launched two surveys on the experiences of autistic students in accessing education. Eoin Hickey, a young person on the autism spectrum, explains how autism affects him in his daily life, how teachers can understand students with diagnoses of autism and ADHD, and offers advice for social situations. My name is Eoin Hickey …
The annual Christmas pantomime is a festive tradition for many families in Ireland (oh yes it is!… Sorry.). In recent years some pantomimes and shows have started putting on relaxed or autism-friendly performances for families with special needs, so they can join in on the fun alongside their peers! A relaxed performance is a theatre …
High Contrast