The Loop: Spring Edition 2023

Spring Edition 2023 www.ne-as.org.uk

COUNTDOWN TO AUTISM ACCEPTANCE 23 WAYS TO GET INVOLVED A DAY IN THE LIFE

Plus…

Notes from our CEO, Save the Dates and more.

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Notes from our CEO The most significant changes to the way that we at the North East Autism Society work in recent years have happened because of our conversations with autistic people.

John Phillipson Chief Executive Officer

They have advised us on what it feels like to try to access services and to navigate their way through daily life, things that should be accessible to everyone in the community.

It has opened my eyes. I come away from conversations from members of our autistic and neurodiversity think tank and say to myself, “I should have known that, but I just didn’t get it from that perspective.”

For this reason, we’re going to make our Autism Acceptance campaign this year an opportunity for people from the autistic and neurodivergent community to describe some of the challenges they face which wouldn’t exist if organisations responded differently and took account of their needs.

Unless we listen to their experiences, we are unlikely to spot through the non-autistic prism the kinds of issues they find most difficult.

You can read about the campaign – and how to join us as a contributor – on page 6. We’ve got the ball rolling by talking to one of our own employees, admin officer Graham Dunn, about the difficulties he faced in various workplaces before he “owned his autism”, as he puts it (pages 8-9). He has some very thoughtful advice for employers and job seekers.

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Of course, our work to celebrate, inspire and support autistic people goes on all year round, not just during Autism Acceptance Week, and for that we are grateful to our brilliant staff and supporters. We shine a spotlight on the work that our staff do throughout this edition of The Loop, and especially our Lifetime Achievement staff award winner Cath Todd who has been with us for an incredible 33 years (page 14).

Cath has seen huge changes at NEAS over the decades, not least to her own understanding of autism and neurodiversity. Me too – I am really grateful for what I have learned from autistic people and how it shapes our day-to-day operations, as it should.

It would be great if our campaign could get more people talking – and listening - so NEAS and other organisations can reflect on what they say and alter the way we deliver our services.

John P hillipson

Contents 5

Save the Date…

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Autism Acceptance – do you have a story to tell?

We’re on the countdown to Autism Acceptance Week and we’ve put together a list of events you don’t want to miss.

Autistic voices and experiences will be front and centre of our Autism Acceptance campaign this April.

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“I’m 100% happier since I decided to own my autism”

Graham Dunn jokes that he has clocked up more jobs at the age of 33 than most people have had by retirement age. Read his story.

10 23 Ways to Get Involved in 2023

Read more about our ‘23 in 23’ challenge, urging fundraisers to sign up for 23 rewarding experiences during 2023.

12 Day in The Life of a Care Support Assistant

Hear first-hand what it’s like to work in one of our children’s residential homes.

14 Spotlight on… Cath Todd

A lifetime of caring. As she looks back on a long career with NEAS, Cath Todd finds it hard to believe how quickly time has flown.

16 Highlights of The Quarter

From taking Star Awards on Tour to our new range of merchandise – it’s been another busy quarter.

North East Autism Society Unit 15 Lumley Court Drum Industrial Estate Chester-le-Street DH2 1AN 0191 410 9974 info@ne-as.org.uk www.ne-as.org.uk Registered Charity No. 1028260 Company Limited by Guarantee No. 2859620

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As Part of Autism Awareness Month £5 per adult and under-18s go free 1-mile route is wheelchair & pushchair friendly Certificates from Snowdrop the Spikeshuffler Music, face painting & games

0191 410 9974 4

fundraising@ne-as.org.uk Registered Charity No. 1028260

Register at: ne-as.org.uk/wfa2023

Save the Dates We’re on the countdown to Autism Acceptance Week and we’ve put together a list of events you don’t want to miss

Autism Acceptance Week 27th March – 2nd April Schools, businesses and homes across the North-east!

For Autism Acceptance Week, we’ll be giving a platform to autistic people to share their experiences and ideas about those aspects of everyday life that nobody can avoid – education, travel, employment, health and finance. Read more on page 6.

Help make our best Acceptance Week yet by pledging to join us. All schools and businesses that register to receive our fundraising pack will also receive our exclusive Acceptance Toolkit – packed with resources about autism and neurodiversity, lesson plans for teachers and tips for employers to make your workplace more inclusive.

Click here to register.

World Autism Acceptance Day Sunday 2nd April Everywhere!

Get ready for the gold rush! Landmarks across the North-east are set to be bathed in gold once again to celebrate World Autism Acceptance Day. You can join in by heading out and snapping a picture of your nearest landmark and tag us @NEAutismSociety on socials.

Cleveland Three Peaks Saturday 20th May

Fancy stepping up to a bigger walking challenge? We’re taking to the Cleveland countryside to tackle the local peaks. Starting from Guisborough Rugby Club, we’ll head out of town and onto the moors, climbing Highcliffe, Hanging Stone and, of course, Roseberry Topping.

Adult Ticket (aged 18+) £15.00 Child Ticket (aged 12-17) £5.00 Click here for more information.

Great North Run

Sunday 10th September The World’s Greatest Half Marathon is back! Entries cost £50 per person, and you’ll be asked to raise £400 for NEAS. Sign up today to get your guaranteed place on the start line as part of our team, which will also include a free Team NEAS running vest, a training and fundraising pack plus support and advice throughout the build-up to the run to keep you going.

Click here to register.

If the thought of taking on a half marathon seems daunting, we have a brand-new event to help you work your way up to the big event.

Find out more about our Couch to South Shields event.

Friday 26th May As part of our annual Autism Acceptance Campaign, we are hosting an online conference, with autistic speakers.

Topics covered at the conference include gender and identity, autistic mental health, autistic mistreatment, and education.

Speakers TBC… Tickets cost just £15 Click here to book your ticket.

Find out more online at: ne-as.org.uk/events

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do you have a story to tell?

Autistic voices and experiences will be front and centre of our Autism Acceptance campaign this April.

- Education.

One person said: “I went to a mainstream school and experienced extreme bullying. The school’s answer was to exclude me from some lessons and put me elsewhere, rather than discipline We want to highlight the lived experiences of autistic the bullies.” Others talk about lack of support at people in five areas of everyday life that everyone has to school or a lack of consistency in that support. face: education, health, travel, employment and finance.

- Travel.

At aiports security can be an issue – “You can be separated from your family, have to queue with And we’re on the lookout for more to help us promote lots of people, have orders barked at you and be greater understanding of difference on the part of dealt with by people unaware of your problems organisations and the importance of services being with touch,” one person said. Others have been accessible to everyone. told that if they wanted to be considered disabled, they had to be in a wheelchair.

Our contributors so far range from young creatives and Already, dozens of people have responded to our call-out for contributors to our documentary-style project, keen to tell their stories.

campaigners with thousands of followers on social media to parents supporting their autistic children through school.

- Medical.

“Hospitals can be difficult with the noise, people The story behind the project... The people we have already walking about, a lack of privacy, different nurses talked to want to use their life experience to try to improve doing different things,” one person told us. the experiences of others. This is a snapshot of some of the Others said the most problematic issue was the barriers they have faced: insistence on phone appointments, because they have to see something or someone to understand what’s being said.

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- Finance.

Going into a bank on your own and explaining what you want is difficult. It’s difficult to get an in-person appointment, and chances are you’d have to organise transport to get to a bank.

Digital banking is not an option for everyone.

- Employment.

Traditional formal interview processes and social pressures in the workplace are just two of the barriers that often stop autistic jobseekers from finding their dream jobs.

Unfortunately, autistic people are often disadvantaged when it comes to getting and keeping a job because of other people’s lack of understanding and support.

You can read about NEAS admin officer Graham Dunn’s ups and downs in the world of work on pages 8-9.

We’re providing a platform for people to tell their stories in all sorts of ways – from interviews and blogs to videos, voice notes and illustrations – and we’ll be highlighting them during and after our Autism Acceptance week from March 27 to April 2.

Do you have a story to tell for our Autism Acceptance campaign? Have you had good or bad experiences in the areas of education, travel, health, finance or education? What would you like organisations to know, or to do about it?

The week will also see a whole range of events and resources to help change the narrative on how people view and understand autism. There’s our annual Walk for Acceptance at Herrington Country Park (see page 4), toolkits for teachers and businesses, and the lighting-up of regional landmarks in gold.

Whether you are speaking on behalf of yourself, or a relative you support, we’d love to hear from you. You can email us at marketing@ne-as.org.uk or on 07443 824903, or message us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Linkedin.

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I’m 100% happier since I decided to own my autism Graham Dunn jokes that he has clocked up more jobs at the age of 33 than most people have had by retirement age. As well as how far we still have left to go…

Graham left school at 16 after passing his GCSEs and immediately felt under pressure to start earning. But because he didn’t understand his autism or know about his needs, he took the first job that came along – and found himself totally unprepared for the workplace.

But until now, none of them had really worked out. He either struggled to travel to work, or the office was too noisy, or he was too blunt on the phone, or he couldn’t join in the workplace banter.

“It was in a warehouse and there was a lot of banter.

I often felt that communication lines were blurred.

If someone told me to do something I would do it.

I didn’t always understand the difference between a genuine instruction and somebody having a bit of banter. Understanding the difference is something I have had to learn through experience. I wish there had been more preparation for this in school.”

It wasn’t until Graham accepted he was autistic and disclosed it to employers that he became confident in his skills and what he could offer. He describes the change as “mind-blowing.”

“I feel like a different man - I feel so much more confident. I’m learning how to do a job my way and Since then, he has worked in bars, stores, call centres, office jobs and the NHS, as well as achieving a first-class degree in music making autism work to my advantage,” industry management at Salford University. But he found the says Graham, from Gateshead. same problems and barriers kept cropping up.

He is now on a mission to help other autistic people into the workplace, as well as promote greater understanding and acceptance amongst employers. That’s why he has joined the North East Autism Society’s Employment Futures service and why he is telling his own personal story now.

Graham’s story Graham was a young child when he was diagnosed as autistic but neither he nor his parents really understood what that meant. “I never fully accepted it or learned anything about it until recently,” he says. “It was just something my parents told people when I was being weird.

One is transport. “I can’t drive, and I really struggle on public transport. On a bus there are a lot of smells, lights, and sensations like rocking. When buses are too crowded, I can’t see a way for me to get off,” Graham says.

“At times I’ve missed interviews or been late for jobs because a bus hasn’t shown up when I expected it to, or I’ve had sensory overload and a meltdown and haven’t been able to move, so I’ve missed my stop.

“I’d do dummy runs three or four times before an interview.

But on the day, the bus might be late, there might be someone wearing too much aftershave, there could be a crying baby.

There are so many variables than an autistic person can’t control.”

“I struggled. I went to mainstream school and masked a lot. I was often told that I tried too hard, and I think The second barrier is job interviews, specifically the emphasis on eye contact, body language and facial expressions. people could sense it was taking me a lot of effort to appear normal.

“These are all things that autistic people may struggle “When I got home, I’d be so tired after a day of with – I know I certainly do,” Graham says. playing a character at school that I struggled to do homework.”

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“I can’t concentrate on what’s being said when I’m making eye contact. I look away and they think I’m not interested. So I’d put on a mask, make eye contact, look prim and proper, and I’d not understand the question.

“Or worse, sometimes I’d get the job, and then they’d say, ‘you’re nothing like you were in the interview’. I don’t want to wear a mask for the rest of my life and that’s one of the reasons I started to disclose I had autism.”

The third barrier is the workplace environment. Bars, call centres and big offices are often busy, bright and noisy, which can be overwhelming for autistic people. Graham, who was diagnosed with ADHD when he was 29, also found it difficult to grasp verbal instructions without them being repeated several times.

He says:

“If I have got noise-cancelling headphones on and the lights dimmed, I’m not skiving – it’s the opposite!

I prefer instructions written down and emailed to me, so I can process them.

“Because the disability isn’t visible, I don’t believe managers treat it the same as a disability they can see. This could be for many reasons; it’s easier to justify what could be deemed as ‘special treatment’ to a workforce for someone with a visible disability, or it could be seen as too much effort to change how they have worked for decades.

“The point of adjustments is that they are reasonable.

All an autistic person is asking is that an employer meets them in the middle to get the best results.”

A turning point for Graham was being diagnosed with ADHD at 29 and taking medication for it. He started learning more about his autism and disclosing it to employers, though they weren’t always willing to make adjustments.

“That’s when I decided to own my autism,” he says.

“It’s a massive part of who I am. I needed to accept there are things I can’t do, but many more things I can do. I wanted to help people and joined the North East Autism Society as an administration officer.

“It was the best thing I ever did. I’m working for an employer that gets it, and trusts me. If I asked for help, I wouldn’t be made to feel weird or stupid.

“If I could get a message to every employer, it would be to understand. Nobody is asking them to know every little thing about autism; understanding and being approachable is more important.”

Graham’s tips for young autistic people “This is what I would advise my younger self if I could flip a switch and do it all over again: Accept your autism and find and realise the strengths autism brings you.

Transferable skills are everywhere.

Normalise talking about autism with family, friends and colleagues. People create positive culture.

Research job roles fully before going in for interviews. There may be secondary tasks that you may struggle with. When I went for a job as a pricing analyst, I was great at numbers and analysis side of the job but really struggled with the negotiating side of the job.

Don’t be scared to disclose your disabilities to your manager. If they can make adjustments, they should. You spend most of your day in your workplace so try and make it a comfortable environment for you to work in.

Handle big overwhelming tasks by breaking them down into smaller individual tasks, work out what your strengths are and what aspects you may need help with (and ask if you do!) and consider the consequences if you make a mistake. Might not work for everyone but it stops me getting overwhelmed.

Make plans for travel. Have an option B and even C if required. Travel can be overwhelming and very unreliable, so keep a ‘taxi fund’ pot in your savings and speak to Access to Work about support available.”

Find out more about our Employment Futures department: www.ne-as.org.uk/employmentfutures

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Charity launches ‘23 in 23’ challenge to inspire supporters to get adventurous

North East Autism Society is on the lookout for intrepid supporters willing to release their adventurous spirit in We have launched a ‘23 in 23’ challenge, urging fundraisers to sign up for 23 rewarding experiences during 2023.

NEAS has teamed up with expert partners to produce an enticing list of opportunities, with everything from bakeoffs in your own home, to jumping out of an aircraft, or embarking on an epic trek to base camp at Everest.

Supporters will have a host of events to choose from, giving them the chance to walk, run, cycle, swim, and jump for a great charity helping some of the North-East’s most vulnerable people and their families.

Jon Appleton, Fundraising Officer for NEAS, said:

“We want to make 2023 the year when people really shake off the memory of the lockdowns during the pandemic, and let their hair down with some once-ina-lifetime adventures.

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“It’s a chance to put together a year-long schedule that mixes wildly exciting excursions to some of the world’s most beautiful locations with simple fundraising activities in the comfort of your own home.”

Another of the highlights on offer is the Machu Picchu Trek, visiting the historic and stunning sanctuary, set amid the Andes, in Peru.

The list of choices includes: Couch to 5k, the Great North Run, Walk for Acceptance, Cleveland Three Peaks, Quaternity Cycling Challenge, Clarty Bairns, Jolly Jumper Day, Christmas Bake-off, Skydiving, Hadrian’s Wall Trek, Jurassic Coast Trek, Sunderland 10k, Edinburgh Marathon Weekend, Machu Picchu Trek, Bungee Jump, Cyclone Cycling Challenge, Kielder Weekend, Great North Swim, Snowdon By Night, Yorkshire Three Peaks Weekend, Land’s End to John O’Groats Cycle Ride, Everest Base Camp Trek, Ben Nevis Trek, and Three Peaks Challenge.

NEAS has already announced a healthy start to 2023 by teaming up with the NHS to help supporters go from ‘Couch to 5k’ before progressing to a half-marathon training plan that builds up to the Great North Run on September 10.

Anyone wishing to take part in the ‘23 in 23’ challenge can find out more details and sign up at: www.ne-as.org.uk/Event/23-in-23

Day in the life: Lisa Bloxham,

Care Support Assistant - Children’s Residential

Lisa Bloxham worked with autistic children during her 20-year career as a nursery nurse before she decided she wanted to get more involved through the North East Autism Society.

Staff also make sure the children have plenty of fun, with outings and events. Every other Friday at Tunstall is a themed night, when carers decorate the house, dress up, or prepare things like a dinosaur dinner.

Lisa joined the Society as a care support assistant a year ago, and now works at its Tunstall home in Sunderland. “I love it,” she says.

Lisa says:

“You feel like you’ve achieved something when the child is as happy as they can be.”

On a typical day in her new job, she’ll support children when they come home from school – such as helping making tea, carrying out activities, and getting ready for bed.

“Recently we had a Clown-Around Friday with one boy. I painted my face, he got dressed up as Mr Tumble, and we did little bits of mischief around the house. We had fun and he really enjoyed it.”

Another important part of the role is setting milestones for the children to help them achieve their potential and live as independently as possible. In staff meetings, they will discuss goals and strategies for achieving them.

“We make them as comfortable as we can,” she says.

“For one boy, we’re trying to develop his independence,” Lisa says.

“As carers, we come in and out of the house, but we’re aware that it is their home where they can relax, with support from us. It’s like an extended family.”

“He’s doing more and more walking independently.

We praise him, he’s happy that he’s doing that, and asks to do more each time we go out.”

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Recruitment Open Day We are hosting our very own Recruitment Open Day on Wednesday 22nd February, 10am - 2pm at our Adult Day Services site, No.24.

Speak face-to-face with managers and care staff, find out more about our incredible training packages and employee benefits and all the information you need to join Team NEAS. We’ll be offering on the spot interviews for job seekers.

If you wish to be interviewed for a role at the event you MUST book your place using the ticket system on our website – click here to book.

What we offer: Part time and full time positions Over 7 weeks’ holiday a year for care roles Pension scheme with employer contributions Instant access to up to 40% of your salary as you earn it Specialist training to develop your career Lisa became interested in autism when she took on the role of Special Needs coordinator at a nursery school. She did courses, read up on it, and spoke to her mum who worked at a NEAS school.

But she would advise people from all walks of life to consider a career at NEAS. “Some of my skills as a nursery nurse are useful, but you find that everyone has a skillset that’s relevant - for example, if you’ve been a receptionist, talking to people

“You get a week’s induction when you join NEAS, then you do further training. Anything you want to develop yourself on, you can ask your manager. And then there are chances to progress.

“It’s so rewarding, supporting vulnerable children and giving them the best start to life.”

Employee discounts on over 130,000 shops and entertainment venues Access to Blue Light Card, the discount service for emergency and social care staff Employee Assistance Programme to support health and wellbeing

If you are looking for a rewarding role and think you could make a positive difference to the lives of autistic children, young people and adults we want to hear from you!

Please contact the recruitment team if you require more information.

Call 0191 3121119 or email recruitment@ne-as.org.uk.

Spotlight on...

Cath Todd A lifetime of caring

As she looks back on a long career with the North East Autism Society, Cath Todd, manager of Brentwood, finds it hard to believe how quickly time has flown.

It’s gone in a flash really, but it’s been massively rewarding to be able to make a difference to people’s lives,” she says.

Cath’s “immense” contribution to NEAS was recognised at the end of last year when she was presented with a Lifetime of Achievement award as part of our annual Star Awards event.

“I was totally overwhelmed,” she admits. “I’m not the kind of person who thinks they deserve anything because I always feel there are people more deserving than me. The award wasn’t on my radar but it’s nice to feel appreciated.”

Our CEO, John Phillipson has no such doubts about Cath’s huge value to the Society: “Over 33 years, Cath has shown outstanding devotion to those in her care, and set a great example to her colleagues,” says John. “She’s an inspiration, a deserving winner of the award, and I can’t thank her enough for more than three decades of dedication.”

She joined NEAS in 1989 when she successfully applied through the Community Programme Government training scheme. She’s now clocked up 33 years’ service with the Society but often thinks back to her first shift, when her understanding of autism and neurodiversity began to take shape.

“I try to remember how I felt, seeing different types of behaviour for the first time. I didn’t fully understand it then, but I do now, and we all need to appreciate that there may be a very good reason why someone is behaving in a particular way,” she says.

“If you want to look back on your life and know that you’ve done something special, then I’d certainly think about applying to NEAS,” she says.

“It’s an organisation that cares in every sense, with genuine family values right from the top, and I’ve always felt well looked after as an employee.

“In return, the people who work for NEAS are so passionate about what they do. They’re not just here to pick up their pay-packets, they’re in it because they want to make a difference.”

And, with 33 years of service behind her, Cath has no plans to retire just yet.

“I suppose I’m still enjoying it too much,” she smiles.

To find out about career opportunities with NEAS, visit www.ne-as.org.uk/careers

Well done Sharon Ross

Employee of the Quarter Every quarter, NEAS staff are asked to nominate a colleague who has gone above and beyond in the delivery of their duties to benefit the Society and the individuals that we support.

We received lots of inspiring entries this quarter, but none more so than that for Sharon Ross, a care support worker at Brentwood adults’ residential home in Sunderland where her assistant manager described her as a “Christmas miracle”!

Sharon went above and beyond during the Christmas holidays to make sure that people in her care got home to visit their families and that those who stayed at Brentwood enjoyed the festivities.

She also worked extra shifts during a wave of staff sickness to help cover colleagues’ absences in the week leading up to Christmas, giving up time with her friends and family.

“The visit wouldn’t have gone ahead if it wasn’t for Sharon volunteering her services and putting our house and those living in it first.”

Sharon’s funny stories also kept up team spirits in Brentwood over the holidays, says Liam. “She has such an infectious personality, and her great sense of humour, dedication and love for those she supports kept everyone in high festive spirits and laughter.

“She truly deserves recognition for keeping service users safe, happy and having an amazing Christmas as well as keeping team morale up each day. She was a Christmas miracle!”

Congratulations to Sharon, who wins £50 in vouchers and automatic entry into the CEO Commendation prize in this year’s staff Star Awards. Our next Employee of the Quarter will be announced in the Summer edition of The Loop.

“She supported an individual to visit their family in Leeds before Christmas as this was super important to him and his family,” says Liam Brown, Brentwood assistant manager.

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Highlights of the Quarter From launching our new merchandise to taking our annual awards evening on tour - here’s our highlights of the quarter…

What Christmas Means to Me campaign success

New support for families in 2023

Our What Christmas Mean to Me campaign was a huge success with staff, supporters and those accessing our services all came together to shape our Christmas campaign. The campaign focusses on what Christmas truly means to autistic people and their families, and how to make the big day more inclusive.

Our Family Development Team have released new dates for their free support services this year.

Each day throughout December we put a spotlight on a key theme contributor wished to highlight. From planning the perfect Christmas party to our top tips to make Christmas more autism-friendly, our campaign shone a light on the most important topics.

• Supporting The Emotional Wellbeing Of Autistic Children: 13th April, 1pm - 3pm.

The festive period also saw the return of our Christmas Market at New Warlands Farm, Jolly Jumper Day and Great Christmas Bake Off. Our Christmas activities raised a total of £5,386.26 Thank you to everyone who took part.

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Zoom Webinars: • Introduction To Supporting Autistic Children: 9th March, 1pm - 3pm

Autism Workshop, North Tyneside and Newcastle: In these sessions, we will cover worries and action planning, common misconceptions, differences in autistic children and practical strategies to use in everyday life.

Various dates throughout 2023.

Click here to find out more.

Our annual Star Awards event went on Tour!

We celebrated the achievements of our staff in style, hand-delivering annual Star Awards to homes, schools and services across the region.

Patrons Pam Royle and Peter Barron – dressed as Frenchy and Danny from the movie Grease – surprised the winners by turning up at their work with awards, prizes and special video messages from celebrities including Alan Shearer and Vera actress Brenda Blethyn.

The whole day turned into a great big party as our staff and the people we support dressed in 1980s’ costumes and held buffets and discos to mark the occasion.

Click here to read more about our winners.

We launched a new range of merchandise

Parents hail Kiora Hall as a ‘game changer’

Middlesbrough-born artist – and NEAS patron, Mackenzie Thorpe, used his talents to produce a beautiful collection of gifts ahead of Christmas.

Parents of autistic children in Teeside have hailed Kiora Hall as a ‘game changer’ for their families, just weeks after it opened its door in Stockton.

The merchandise was unveiled during our Christmas Marker at New Warlands Farm. Launching the merchandise, Mackenzie said:

The school has taken on 20 pupils so far, some of whom have been out of education for years.

“It’s so exciting for me to help this wonderful charity that is changing lives every day.”

We have limited stock available of the merch.

Click here to shop.

Kelly Tearney, of Billingham, whose 11-year-old son Mason started in September, says: “Mason has got on brilliantly and has settled in really well. He was laughing and giggling in the car after his first day.

“It makes him calmer at home too. It’s a huge weight off our minds to know he’s in a place where he’s understood.”

Click here to read the full story.

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