Autism Hampshire

10/10/2026

💜 Being heard. Being understood. Being supported.

This World Mental Health Day, we're recognising the importance of listening to lived experiences and ensuring everyone has access to the understanding and support they need.

Sometimes, autistic people can face additional challenges that affect their mental health and wellbeing.

At Autism Hampshire, we're committed to helping autistic people feel understood, connected and empowered through a range of services:

💜 Community Hubs – Welcoming spaces where people can access information, guidance and support.

💜 Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) – Helping people navigate challenges, explore their options and find the information and support that's right for them.

💜 Serendipity Groups – Creating opportunities to build friendships, share experiences and feel part of a community.

💜 Online Resources – Providing accessible information and guidance to help autistic people, families and professionals better understand autism and find support.

Everyone's experiences are different, and finding the right support can make a real difference.

This World Mental Health Day, let's continue listening, learning and creating a world where autistic voices are heard and valued. 💜

👉Discover how Autism Hampshire can support you: www.autismhampshire.org.uk

07/10/2026

Autism Hampshire is looking for a friendly and reliable Volunteer Charity Shop Driver to help move donated stock between our Fareham charity shop and storage space in Gosport.

By helping us get the right stock to the shop at the right time, you’ll be supporting our retail team to make the most of generous donations and raise vital funds for Autism Hampshire.
✨ One or two journeys per week
🕘 Weekdays between 9am–5pm
📍 Fareham & Gosport
🚗 Own car and full, clean driving licence required
💜 No charity or retail experience needed

Days and times can be agreed with the shop team, making this a flexible way to give something back to your local community.

You’ll also lend a hand with loading and unloading stock, so we’re looking for someone practical, dependable and happy to get stuck in.

👉 Could you help keep our charity shop moving? Apply to volunteer today.
https://careers.avenuesgroup.org.uk/jobs/vacancy/volunteer-charity-shop-driver--fareham-6545/6563/description/

06/10/2026

The new All-Age Autism and ADHD Single Point of Access (SPoA) and Triage Hub which has gone live.

All NEW referrals for Autism and ADHD will use this new process from the dates below. You do not need to submit a new referral if you have done one previously.

The service will start in stages:
From 1st October 2026 - New adult (over 18years old) ADHD diagnostic assessment referrals
From 1st November 2026 - New adult autism, children's autism and children's ADHD diagnostic assessment referrals and ADHD medication referrals for adults who already have an ADHD diagnosis.

The NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board website has been updated and contains some frequently asked questions which might be useful to review.

Please use the following link to access the website - https://www.hantsiow.icb.nhs.uk/your-health/mental-health-services/autism-and-adhd-assessment-services

05/10/2026

🏆 Avenues Group have been shortlisted for THREE Unseen Business Awards!

We’re incredibly proud that Avenues’ work to tackle modern slavery and protect workers has been recognised in three categories at the Unseen Business Awards 2026:
⭐ Business Impact Award – Avenues
🤝 Partnership Award – Avenues & Neuven Solutions
👏 Individual Impact Award – Caroline Neal, Chief Corporate Services Officer

Each nomination recognises a different part of the journey we’ve been on – from strengthening our own approach, to working in partnership and the people who have helped drive meaningful change.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing more about the work behind each nomination ahead of the awards ceremony on 22 October.

Wish us luck! 🤞

02/10/2026

30/09/2026

🎃 Get ready for a frightfully fun Halloween – all while supporting Autism Hampshire!

The The View Bar Southampton is hosting a Halloween Funday Charity Event on Saturday the 31st October, raising funds and awareness for Autism Hampshire. 💜

There’s plenty planned throughout the day and evening, including:

🎵 Live music
💃 Dance acts
🎧 Evening DJ
🍔 Special food
🍹 Drink deals
🏆 Best dressed competition with a fantastic prize
👨‍👩‍👧 Family fun during the day

Best of all – entry is FREE!

📅 Saturday 31st October 2026
⏰ 2pm–11.30pm
📍 The View Bar, Southampton, SO16 7AY

So dust off your Halloween costume, bring your friends and family and join The View Bar for a spooktacular day while helping to raise vital funds for Autism Hampshire. 🕷️

A huge thank you to everyone at The View Bar for choosing to support us – we hope you have an amazing event! 💜

Please share and help spread the word.

24/09/2026

💜 Love retail? Make your next role mean even more.

We’re looking for a part-time Assistant Charity Shop Manager to join the Autism Hampshire Charity Shop in Fareham.

Working alongside our Retail Manager and fantastic team of volunteers, you’ll help keep the shop running smoothly, create a welcoming experience for customers and donors, and support sales that help raise vital funds for our work.

From creating eye-catching displays and building relationships with donors to supporting volunteers and spotting those special items for eBay, there’ll be plenty of variety!

📍 Fareham, Hampshire
🕒 24 hours per week / 3 days, including some weekends
💷 £24,851 per annum pro rata
📅 Interviews: Sunday 4 October 2026

If you have retail experience, a good understanding of autism and enjoy working with people, we’d love to hear from you.

👉 Apply today and turn your retail experience into something that makes a difference.
https://careers.avenuesgroup.org.uk/intranet/vacancy/assistant-charity-shop-manager-fareham-6476/6494/description/

18/09/2026

💜 What do you love about being a support worker?

As Professional Care Workers' Week comes to a close, we wanted to hear from the people at the heart of our support.

We asked them one simple question:

“What do you love about being a support worker?”

Great support starts with understanding that every person is different. It means listening, building trust, and supporting autistic people to make choices and pursue the things that matter to them.

Our support workers bring their knowledge and understanding to that work every day.

So, as comes to an end, we'd like to say a huge thank you to all our support workers across Autism Hampshire. 💜

We're proud to have you as part of our team.

👇 Is there a support worker you'd like to thank? Give them a shout-out in the comments.

17/09/2026

💜 Shared on behalf of Hampshire CAMHS

Are you a parent or carer supporting a child with their mental health?

Supporting someone you care about can be incredibly rewarding, but it can also feel challenging, tiring and overwhelming. It’s important to remember that your wellbeing matters too.

Hampshire CAMHS is holding a one-day event for parents and carers, providing an opportunity to think about your own needs, explore ways to look after your wellbeing and learn strategies that may help you recognise and manage burnout.

You’ll also have the chance to meet other parents and carers who may be experiencing similar challenges, share experiences and know that you’re not alone.

📅 Wednesday, 30th of September
🕛 9.30am - 3.15pm
📍 The Irish Centre, Council Road, Basingstoke, RG21 3DH

👉 To find out more and book your place, visit the events page on the Hampshire CAMHS website - www.hampshirecamhs.nhs.uk

16/09/2026

🌟 Building trust can open up new possibilities.

For Peter, who is autistic, routine is important. He's also passionate about history.

When the idea of visiting Stonehenge was first discussed, Peter had lots of questions and felt anxious about visiting somewhere unfamiliar.

His support team didn't rush him - instead, they took time to listen, answer his questions, provide reassurance and talk about the visit in a way that connected with something Peter loves.

With the support of a team who know him well, Peter chose to take the plunge and visit Stonehenge.

He returned full of happiness and knowledge, excited to share what he'd discovered.

As we mark Professional Care Workers' Week and National Inclusion Week, Peter's story reminds us why individualised support matters.

Inclusion isn't about expecting everyone to experience the world in the same way. It's about listening, understanding what works for each person and creating the trust that enables people to make their own choices.

A huge thank you to Peter's support team and to support workers everywhere making a difference each day 💜