The Devon County Show is delighted to offer 20-year-old Ned Riley a platform to showcase his passion and knowledge for bugs and reptiles, which he has fostered since he was a toddler. He will exhibit four animals provided by Exeter Exotics, in a 3x3m jungle garden installation in the Crafts & Horticulture marquee.
Ned, who is autistic and is from South Somerset, is finding it tough transitioning from education to a career. He would love to work in an environment where he can use his passion to earn a living, but, as with many other neurodivergent young adults, he simply doesn...
Only one in five adults with autism are in paid work in the UK. This week (29 March - 4 April) is World Autism Awareness Week which shines a light on the challenges and barriers to employment that autistic people face. Chris Christie, 22, from Exeter, has autism but has managed to secure employment with the Environment Agency.
Employment specialist Seetec Pluss supported Chris and helps other individuals with autism and learning disabilities to fulfil their potential, as well as working with employers to encourage them to think differntly.
An Exmouth man who overcame autism and dyslexia to pass three maths exams which helped turn his life around, has been recognised by Learn Devon, Devon County Council’s Adult Education Service.
Matthew Harrington, 35, was presented with an embossed glass bowl and a certificate of achievement in a presentation at Learn Devon’s Kennaway Centre in Exmouth last week. A few years ago Matthew suffered from a chronic lack of confidence. He lived at home, couldn’t work, couldn’t read and struggled with things many of us take for granted, including visiting the local shop. He decided to turn...
250 cinemas are hosting dedicated autism friendly cinema screenings this month right across the UK in partnership with Dimensions, a national not-for-profit support provider for people with learning disabilities and autism. The complete listing of locations is in ‘notes to the editor’ below for ease of reference.
Cineworld cinemas show their autism friendly screening on the first Sunday of every month. Their next showing is Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 on Sunday 7th May at 11am.
Showcase cinemas show their autism friendly screening on the second Sunday of every month....
Exeter has made some great strides in meeting the needs of people with physical disabilities, but may be lagging behind in making adjustments for autistic people.
We all realise that a wheelchair user needs a ramp, rather than steps, to get into a building. It can be harder to know what changes to make to welcome someone with Autistic Spectrum Disorder.
Understanding can be limited by stereotype and myth. Back in the 1950’s, child psychologist Bruno Bettelheim thought that Autism was caused by Refrigerator Mothers, and this was widely believed. Research using brain scans...
For Julia Ogden, raising her beloved autistic son can be like bridging the gap to an alien world, one that can be difficult to navigate and interpret.
She has had to work hard over a number of years to identify and access networks for information and support for parents and carers. Now, Julia has worked with academics at the University of Exeter Medical School, to contribute to the MindEd consortium creating an “invaluable” online portal to help families with children affected by mental health issues.
Launched on Thursday 21 April, MindEd for Families , funded by the...
A new card designed to help people with autism is launched by Devon partners this week.
Devon & Cornwall police are hoping the autism alert card will help officers and other emergency services identify people on the autistic spectrum, and will support improved engagement.
Police officers will also be provided with awareness information as to how they can adapt and improve their communication style according to an autistic individual’s needs, and better respond to situations involving autistic people.
Carried by people with the condition, the card can potentially...
Cerebra is thrilled to announce the launch of their Children's Awards for 2014, celebrating some of the amazing achievements of children with neurological conditions.
Cerebra is a national charity supporting children and families who live with neurological conditions such as autism, ADHD, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, among many others, as well as children who have an acquired brain injury. Each year the charity holds a Children’s Awards ceremony to recognise these children who overcome everyday challenges to accomplish amazing things.
An Exeter-based company has been shortlisted in a national awards ceremony in recognition of the difference their pioneering assistive smartphone technology is making to the lives of people with autism across the UK.
Brain in Hand, at the University of Exeter Innovation Centre, has been nominated in the Best New Technological Innovation sponsored category in The National Autistic Society's (NAS) Autism Professionals Awards 2014. The annual ceremony, which first took place in 2013, recognises and rewards services and professionals that lead the way in innovative autism practice and...
If you have a family member or care for someone who makes involuntary noise, is likely to talk a lot, needs to move around, or gets disturbed by sudden loud noises you may think that going to the theatre isn’t for you. After all, theatres are usually seen as places where you need to keep quiet and sit still during a performance. A Relaxed Performance may be the answer, making it possible for you to have an enjoyable trip to the theatre without fear that other audience members will complain and make the experience potentially awkward and stressful.
