Our branch, formed in 2021 & run wholly by volunteers, is an online-only community, focused on creating a welcoming & supportive space for autistic people and their families in the Highlands of Scotland. To ensure this is a safe and affirming space, we will adhere to our core branch principles, which are founded in best practice as defined by the gold-standard specialists working in neurodivergenc
e today:
Autism is a difference, not a disorder, not a deficiency, and not a disease. Autism does not need a cure because it isn’t bad to be autistic. Functioning labels are harmful to all autistic people. The medical model of disability is harmful to and dismissive of the lived experience of autistic people. Identity-first language is the preference of the majority of the autistic community. Anything that doesn’t include autistic people isn’t for autistic people ("Nothing for us without us")
Autistic voices should be platformed and prioritised. As a committee, we promise that:
All branch services (under the pillars of Understanding, Support, & Celebration) are dedicated to improving the lives of autistic people. We will not ever engage in, suggest, or recommend actions or programs that are aimed at “fixing” autistic people. In practice, this means that in our spaces we will challenge the use of functioning labels, deficit-based framing of autism, and mentions of conspiracy theories (i.e., vaccines being linked to autism). We will also challenge homophobia, transphobia, or any other bullying or hate speech. We will *not* delete any comments, though, because we respect the emotional and mental labour that goes into responding to such comments and we know that the knowledge shared in such threads can be useful in making progress in achieving the broader aims of our branch - to create a world that respects and works for autistic people. If you'd like to make a donation to help us in our mission to facilitate others to Understand, Support, and Celebrate Autistic people, you can do that here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/highlandbranchnass?utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=page%2Fhighlandbranchnass&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=pfp-share
