Wednesday 21st October 2020, 3-4pm.
This meeting will take place through Zoom.

In this first meeting, you will get to meet the teams behind Autism Information & Advice and Living Well with Autism, hear from guest speaker Ben Holmes (who will be talking about ASC and ADHD) and share your experiences of living with ASC, especially during the COVID-19 lockdown. To join the meeting, simply call or email us to book your space – we look forward to meeting you!

Wednesday 20th October 2021, 3-4pm.
This meeting will take place through Zoom.

In this fifth meeting, we will be joined by representatives from the Alzheimer’s Society to look at Dementia, ageing and ASC. There will also be lots of time for open discussion and a Q&A about all issues relating to ageing. 

Wednesday 20th January 2021, 3-4pm.
This meeting will take place through Zoom.

At the second meeting, our guest speaker will be Felicity, formerly from Living Well with Autism, who will be talking about Women and ASC and how ASC presents and is experienced differently by women compared to men. We will also be joined by Lynn Webster, Citizens Advice Mid Mercia’s Digital Training Coordinator who will share the details of her free HMRC benefits checks service. There will also be plenty of time devoted to peer support and open discussion. 

Wednesday 26th January 2021.

TBC… 

Wednesday 21st April 2021, 3-4pm.
This meeting will take place through Zoom.

At our third meeting, our guest speaker will be Dr Simon Bignell –  Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Derby, who specialises in research into Autism, ADHD, and Technology-Enhanced Learning. Simon will talk to the group about the research the university have been doing into ASC and what developments are in progress to further support individuals living with ASC. As always, there will also be time devoted to peer support and open discussion.

Monday 21st December 2020, 4-5pm.
This event will take place through Zoom.

We are hosting a virtual Christmas party where magician and entertainer Paul Brown from Magical Mayhem will deliver a live, interactive magic show straight to your living room! Bring along friends and family to enjoy this fun, free event. The show is for all ages and abilities and Paul will use Makaton alongside performing his magic to ensure that guests of all abilities feel and experience the magic.

Wednesday 26th May 2021, 3-4pm.
This event will take place through Zoom.

In the summer of 2020, along with our partners we launched the Derbyshire Autism Passport to help anyone living with Autism have their needs understood and met when accessing healthcare services. One year on, we want to hear your feedback on the passport and work with YOU as experts by experience to make the document as effective and user friendly as possible. There’s lots of ways to be involved in this consultation, so take a look at the leaflet for this event on our ‘Useful Documents’ page to find out more. 

Wednesday 22nd September 2021, 3-4pm.
This event will take place through Zoom.

Relate – a leading mental health service in Derby and Derbyshire – will lead this Q&A session on mental health and Autism. The session will cover areas such as anxiety and depression, as well as managing such conditions alongside ASC. There will also be plenty of time for experience sharing and open discussion.

Wednesday 24th February 2021, 3-4pm.
This event will take place through Zoom.

Join us for what promises to be a really informative Q&A session for families living with Autism. Felicity is an experienced family and relationship therapist and Karen is an expert by experience and local family hub coordinator for Autism East Midlands and has a wealth of knowledge about supporting families living with ASC. Both will discuss common challenges families face and attendees will be able to come along and ask any questions they have. Karen will also update attendees on what support Autism East Midlands can offer.

Wednesday 9th June 2021, 2-3pm.
This event will take place through Zoom.

Do you care for someone living with Autism? If so, come along to meet Derbyshire Carers Association who will be talking about their services & what support they provide to informal or unpaid carers, carers rights, what a Carers Assessment is and how to access one, the importance of having plans in place for any emergencies & carrying a carers’ card, what training and skills building carers can access, and how they ensure carers have the correct information & advice to support them to continue their caring role in.

Wednesday 17th November 2021, 2-3pm.
This event will take place through Zoom.

Does your ASC mean that you find hearing fire alarms challenging? Would yours or your child’s ASC cause you to panic in an emergency? This session will hopefully help you prepare for emergencies and keep your home as safe as possible whilst also meetings your ASC needs. Derbyshire’s Fire Service, along with our experienced advisors, will focus on how you can stay as fire safe in an ASC inclusive and supportive way.

Wednesday 24th March 2021, 3-4pm.
This event will take place through Zoom.

Join us for another fantastic special event – this time an employability special led by our partners Autism Plus. The session will focus on supporting employees living with Autism in the workplace, as well as information and advice on working from home – something that’s definitely needed after the recent pandemic. The session is for both employees and employers, as well as those seeking work or looking to gradually start work. There will also be plenty of time for questions and to find out how Autism Plus can help you with the challenges of employment. 

Wednesday 30th June 2021, 3-4pm.
This event will take place through Zoom.

Led by Julie Fearn from Autism Derby, this session will look at how you can prepare for transitioning from one important life stage to the next. This session is perfect for children, young people and adults looking at transitioning from one school to the next or into college and further/higher education, as well as for parents and carers supporting someone transitioning. The session will also be useful for professionals working in related sectors. The session will allow plenty of time for open discussion, experience sharing and Q&A.

TBC…