The Autism Network

23/12/2025

27/11/2025

Congratulations to the IWORK4ME team.😁

GREAT NEWS! The National Lottery Community Fund has awarded IWORK4ME £14k in support of our work with autistic entrepreneurs.

Richard Ibbotson, Chair of the Board of Trustees at IWORK4ME, said “Support from The National Lottery Community Fund enables us to reach autistic adults who are often excluded from traditional employment. With this grant, we can continue delivering tailored, practical mentoring that helps people build confidence, grow their skills and create a working life that truly works for them. It is an investment in talent, potential and brighter futures across Scotland.”

The National Lottery Community Fund Scotland

12/11/2025

Situational Mutism - a quick introduction to what it is, preferred terminology, when someone might experience it and what could potentially help

22/10/2025

The latest edition of the Fife Neurodevelopmental Pathway Team's Newsletter is now on our resources page:https://www.theautismnetwork.co.uk/resources
It includes some information on PDA and suggested TikTok feeds.

13/10/2025

I am a huge believer in Autistic people using the language that they feel describes them best. No tone policing Autistics here. Today I want to explore how we use language here at Aurora and why.

I always recommend to organisations to use “Autistic” as a default as it’s preferred by most in the community, but that it’s also vitally important to ask individuals their preference and use that. Every time.

At Aurora the only time we use the words “disorder” and “condition” are when we are explaining why we don’t use that kind of medicalising, pathologising language. The damage it can do in adding to the continued stigma as a community, when really the thing that’s disordered is a society that doesn’t always support us as it should. Not us.

We never talk about the “risk” of Autism because that strongly implies it’s a bad thing. It’s not cancer. It’s not heart disease. It’s not diabetes. We talk about the heritability of being Autistic instead. And often the joys that can be associated in belonging to a neurodivergent family. The healing that can happen when you’re an Autistic parent providing the kind of environment for your child that you needed for yourself (and yeah, I am referring to my own experiences here too).

Language matters so much. It informs how we feel about ourselves. Even so called “neutral” terms can be loaded with nuance. Neuroaffirming language can be transformative in helping us feel comfortable in our own skin.

At Aurora I made the decision to capitalise the A in Autism and Autistic. That’s because we recognise the Autistic community as an important group with our own culture and customs. In much the same way the Deaf community capitalises the D.

And I don’t use the word Autism very often as “Autism” doesn’t exist by itself, Autistic people exist. If we talk about Autism as a separate entity then we aren’t reinforcing that it’s an integral part of who we are. If I wasn’t Autistic then I would be a completely different person.

21/09/2025

Save Number 6 One Stop Shop- Tell City of Edinburgh Council No funding cuts

17/09/2025

Mindroom are facilitating an exciting project that aims to give a voice to neurodivergent young people living in Scotland, to bring awareness about their strengths and barriers, and to empower them to make meaningful changes.

Any questions contact Sima Carrasco (she/her) Rights & Participation Worker. [email protected]

15/09/2025

This great opportunity is still available. Contact Pasda for more details. 🙂

Job opportunity with Pasda- (supporting families of autistic adults across Edinburgh and the Lothians).

Project Development and Administrator role
(supporting parent-carers of autistic adults).

Part time: 80 hours a month, fixed term 12 months.
Flexible hours, office based but working from home negotiable.
Flexible contract, split post negotiable.
Salary: £24,000 pro rata. Annual leave 20 days, 11 public holidays. Pension scheme
Diversity and Inclusion. We welcome all.

Main tasks:
• Facilitation of social groups, including evenings and week-ends, at various locations in the Lothians.
• Prepare and organise set up for meetings e.g. agenda, map of venue location, organise milk/coffee/biscuits, IT equipment.
• Gather and compile data for reporting purposes to support the Trustee Board and staff as required eg number of carers attending a meeting or workshop.
• Work as part of a team developing good links with external agencies e.g. other carer and neuro-divergent organisations
• Provide administrative support including: mail processes, electronic diary, telephone enquiries, room bookings, travel arrangements, order stationery and office supplies, printing documents as required.
• Maintain integrated office management systems e.g. records management, feedback survey data, contact database.

Advantage to have a driving license and access to a car.

Contact [email protected] for more information 👍

31/07/2025

Useful information on accessibility at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Find out about the various measures we've introduced to make the Edinburgh Fringe more accessible.

25/07/2025

We still have spaces on this programme starting on 12th August. Just send an email to [email protected] and we will send you more details.

21/07/2025

Job opportunity with Pasda- (supporting families of autistic adults across Edinburgh and the Lothians).

Project Development and Administrator role
(supporting parent-carers of autistic adults).

Part time: 80 hours a month, fixed term 12 months.
Flexible hours, office based but working from home negotiable.
Flexible contract, split post negotiable.
Salary: £24,000 pro rata. Annual leave 20 days, 11 public holidays. Pension scheme
Diversity and Inclusion. We welcome all.

Main tasks:
• Facilitation of social groups, including evenings and week-ends, at various locations in the Lothians.
• Prepare and organise set up for meetings e.g. agenda, map of venue location, organise milk/coffee/biscuits, IT equipment.
• Gather and compile data for reporting purposes to support the Trustee Board and staff as required eg number of carers attending a meeting or workshop.
• Work as part of a team developing good links with external agencies e.g. other carer and neuro-divergent organisations
• Provide administrative support including: mail processes, electronic diary, telephone enquiries, room bookings, travel arrangements, order stationery and office supplies, printing documents as required.
• Maintain integrated office management systems e.g. records management, feedback survey data, contact database.

Advantage to have a driving license and access to a car.

Contact [email protected] for more information 👍