Autistic people have been at the heart of developing a new guide to help others on the spectrum navigate adulthood. The aptly named Autistics’ Guide to Adulthood is a free, online, life-skills resource, designed for autistic adults by autistic adults and professionals.
Autistic people have been at the heart of developing a new guide to help others on the spectrum navigate adulthood. The aptly named Autistics’ Guide to Adulthood is a free, online, life-skills resource, designed for autistic adults by autistic adults and professionals.
Grace Colsey is featured in the guide sharing their personal experiences of being autistic and says it’s a great resource for bringing to light unwritten rules.
“One thing I find difficult to navigate is the nuances of administrative and professional conversations,” says Grace. The guide has a module dedicated to employment, aimed at helping autistic people to get a job and keep it.
The resource has been co-developed by autistic adults, professionals and a national advisory group of autistic people who have supported the development of all the content, ensuring it is relevant and meets the needs of the Autistic community.
Grace is happy that autistic people have led the guide’s content, stating that when it comes to autistic people there should be “nothing about us without us”.
“I think it’s great that there are interviews with autistic people in the guide. It’s important for autistic people to hear autistic voices.”
The topics covered in the resource were selected through a national survey of over 400 autistic adults.
The number one topic of interest to them was mental health, with over 80% of people stating this was an area they wanted more support with.
The Autistics’ Guide to Adulthood covers self-advocacy, friendship, physical health, mental health, communication, independent living, employment, education, entertainment, and romantic relationships.
Zoran Bekric from Autism SA worked on the project and is a member of the national advisory group. He says it was exciting to work with so many other autistic adults, and appreciates that the guide is an online resource, allowing anyone from anywhere to access it.
“I hope the guide is a significant step towards empowering all autistic adults to live the life they choose,” he says.
The free, online resource has been developed by Autism SA and funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services.
The Autistics’ Guide to Adulthood can be accessed at www.autisticsguide.org.au
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