Women & Girls with Autism Info Day

**EVENT IS ALMOST SOLD OUT - contact Sara Truman at conference@mugsy.org to check availability **

We are hosting a one-day event for parents/carers, people with autistic spectrum conditions, professionals and others interested in autism and Asperger Syndrome.  It will explore the differences between males and females of all ages with autism, and look at which strategies best help women and girls on the spectrum.

DATE: Saturday 1st OCTOBER 2016 
TIME: 10.00 a.m. – 4.30 p.m.
VENUE: Leatherhead Leisure Centre, Guildford Road, Leatherhead KT22 9BL 

Speakers include: 
Sarah Hendrixx - Autism Consultant
Developing social and personal relationships, from childhood friendships to complex adult interactions 

Dr Louise Connor - Clinical Psychologist 
Diagnostic assessment with women & girls 

PLUS

• Bettina Stott - Manager of NAS ASSIST service) on strategies and support for adult
• Sarah Wild - Headteacher, Limpsfield Grange School on educating girls with autism.
• Marianne Scallon on her experience of having autism.
• Liz Cooper - Assistant Head of Freemantles on educating girls with autism

To book, please complete the form on Eventbrite  https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/women-and-girls-with-autism-tickets-22504324039  You can pay by debit or credit card or by cheque. 

Booking closes 3rd September. If you would prefer to post a booking form, please download a form from here. You can then complete it and post it with a cheque.

For further information contact Sara Truman: conference@mugsy.org

Tel: 07989 – 315609.

Employment Works for Autism

We understand that applications are still being accepted for places on the ‘Employment Works for Autism’ project. The project supports people on the autistic spectrum in Surrey who want to work but are not eligible for help from other supported employment schemes.

It is run by Surrey Choices EmployAbility, with support from other organisations, including the NAS Surrey Branch, and funded by JobCentrePlus. During their time on the project, participants get individual coaching to help them build the skills they need to get into work, and supported work experience placements are then found to suit their interests and abilities. Generally people have the opportunity to do 2 different part-time work experience placements, to expand their skills further, and towards the end of their time on the project they have access to a specialist job club to help them apply for permanent jobs. Applicants should:

• live in the Surrey County Council area 
• be claiming either Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) 
• not be in employment or education 
• not be involved in any other work related funded projects e.g. J2E, Work Programme 

For an application form, or more information, contact Surrey Choices EmployAbility Tel: 01483 806806 or employability@surreychoices.com

New Contact Details for ASSIST Godalming and Reigate

The Surrey ASSIST signposting service run by NAS SE Resource Centre have new contact details - Tel: 0743 626 11 94 or email: Assist.surrey@nas.org.uk

The project runs every Thursday and one Saturday a month in Godalming and on Mondays or Tuesdays fortnightly in Reigate.

If you need to contact them, please leave a message and your details and the ASSIST team will get back to you.

Surrey CC SEND Development Plan Published

Surrey County Council has published its Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Development Plan for improving services under the SEND 2020 programme.

The plan identifies the growing level of need for support among children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities in the county. It also highlights important issues and the steps required to develop new SEND services to improve educational and employment opportunities.

If you have any feedback or questions you can email: send2020@surreycc.gov.uk

You can view the plan via the Family Voice Surrey web site here http://www.familyvoicesurrey.org/#!latest-send-reforms/c1qqr 

Slides from Surrey SEND Teaching School Conference 18th March

For those who couldn’t make it to the SEND teaching school (Linden Bridge) conference on Friday, you can view the presentations here http://www.sendteachingschool.co.uk/springautismconference/

The morning presentation was on the Surrey Joint Autism Strategy, including the upcoming changes to CAMHS, SLT and OT.

One afternoon sessions was on the importance of visuall supports, by Rose Fletcher, Speech & Language Therapise and Madri Morley, OT. The other was on sexual development and young people with learning disabilities and attachment by psychotherapist James Hawkins

Well done Charlotte and Darren!

Charlotte Mason and Darren Boxhall ran 13 miles to raise almost £300 for the NAS at Silverstone on 13th March 2016. They are pictured here with Connor Mason, son of Charlotte's sister Sarah who leads our fundraising in Surrey.

Summer Fundraiser Raises £2,520 for NAS Surrey Branch

Supporter Jo Pearce (yes, same family as Tom!) raised a spectacular £2,520 for the NAS Surrey Branch by organising a dinner and dance at Sunbury Cricket Club in July.

Huge thanks go to Jo and all the team who helped make the evening such a success, and to everyone who attended and supported the event.

Tom Takes It Off for NAS Surrey Branch!

Tom Pearce bravely agreed to have all his hair shaved off in aid of the NAS Surrey Branch raising an amazing £936 + £234 in Gift Aid from supporters in and around Chertsey. Here is Tom before, during and after his hair-raising escapade.

  

JOSEPH CROSS WINS 'UNDISCOVERED WORKFORCE' AWARD April 2015

The NAS Surrey Branch presented this year’s NAS ‘Undiscovered Workforce’ Special Recognition Award to Joseph Cross at the Making a Difference awards in Dorking, run by Surrey Choices EmployAbility. The branch presents the award to an individual on the autism spectrum who has shown outstanding initiative, determination or achievement in their efforts to get a job or in their work activities.

Joseph is a great example of someone who has used his strengths to make a success of what was originally an unpaid work placement in the restaurant at Kingston University. The management were so impressed with his conscientiousness and initiative, that they offered him a paid role before he had even completed his unpaid placement. Joseph’s mother, Rebecca Canter, said, ”Joseph’s dad and I are so proud. I would love all the parents of children on the spectrum to hear about Joseph, and feel more positive about the future."