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Status
Received: on time
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Income
£1.2M
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Spending
£1.2M
Public benefits
The advancement of education and the relief of children and adults with Autistic Spectrum Disorders in the province of Ulster (hereinafter referred to as the "area of benefit") and in particular for the following: (i) The promotion of greater knowledge of Autism amongst the public and those concerned in the educational facilities The direct
benefits which flow from this purpose include reasonable adjustments being made for people with Autism in public places. The three Criminal Justice Service Agencies e.g. PSNI are trained in how to communicate with someone with Autism. Policy makers, decision makers and service planners are more aware of the needs of individuals with Autism. These benefits are evidenced by the public bodies and private organisations who have requested Autism training; by the passing of the Autism Act in 2011 and by the launch of the NI Executive’s cross department Autism strategy. Professionals will learn how to develop appropriate skills and strategies to communicate and develop skills effectively with a child or young person with Autism. These benefits are evidenced through the evaluations completed by all participants on our training courses and through feedback from our Parent Support Groups. (ii) The promotion of the provision of appropriate recreational, residential and educational facilities The direct benefits that flow from this purpose are attributed to Autism NI’s lobbying and advocacy role both regionally and locally. Autism NI’s lobbying campaign has drawn attention to service need and acted as a catalyst for service development. The benefit of this lobbying campaign was evidenced through the passing of the Autism (NI) Act in 2011. In relation to Autism NI’s advocacy role, the Charity supports individual families through Autism NI’s Family Support Service, Training Department, Helpline Service and Branch Support Network. These services provide users with better knowledge of relevant agencies and support for their particular needs. The benefit of our Advocacy role within the Autism Community can be seen through the number of new members within our regional Branch network and the increase in support given through our Helpline and Training Services. (iii) The provision of help, guidance and information to families with Autistic members and the promotion of a network of support among such families The direct benefits which flow from this purpose are that families will go from crisis to coping and will know that they have a pathway to follow to successfully support their family member who has Autism and will have the opportunity to be part of a volunteer support group helping others. Parents and carers learn to develop strategies for their family member with Autism in relation to day-to-day practical issues such as anger and stress management, play, toileting, feeding and sleep routines. These benefits are evidenced through feedback from parents and support groups and through regular evaluation of our services. (iv) The establishment of an information resource and the promotion of research into Autism generally and the publication of the useful results thereof. The direct benefit which flows from this purpose is that research has always underpinned Autism NI’s practice and the planning of its services. Autism NI is committed to pioneering research to promote ‘evidence based practice’ and ‘practice based evidence’. Many of our research documents have been used by statutory bodies to help shape departmental priorities in relation to Autism service planning. These benefits are evidenced through a number of projects and services which have been designed to specifically address the need evidenced within our Autism research Our purposes do not lead to harm. The beneficiaries of our purposes are people living in Northern Ireland who have Autism. The beneficiaries of this purpose also include family members and carers of those with Autism. There is no private benefit.
... [more] [less]What your organisation does
Our Vision To be the recognised rights based organisation of excellence for the ASD community in Northern Ireland, providing support, education, training, advocacy and resources. Our Aims In 1989 when the charity was formally constituted the following aims were agreed by the founding parents and professionals. They remain true today:- Promote the
welfare of people with Autism Raise the awareness of Autism with politicians, policy makers, service providers and the general public Provide information to carers and professionals Provide training for professionals Promote quality assurance standards Be a pressure group Develop and maintain local support groups (branches) in Northern Ireland and the Border Counties Forge and maintain links with Worldwide Autism Be the association and voice for Autism in Northern Ireland Work in partnership with a range of voluntary, private and statutory agencies Fundraise Offer family support Encourage research into Autism Promote relevant services for children, young people and adults with Autism
... [more] [less]The charity’s classifications
- The advancement of education
- The relief of those in need by reason of youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage
Who the charity helps
- Adult training
- Carers
- Learning disabilities
- Mental health
- Parents
- Sensory disabilities
How the charity works
- Advice/advocacy/information
- Community development
- Disability
- Education/training
- Research/evaluation
