As some of you may know, this week is Autism Awareness Week, and today is Autism Awareness Day. The week's aim is to raise awareness and understanding of autism by talking openly, sharing issues, asking questions and discussing the experiences of those who either are autistic, or know someone who is.
700,000 people are on the autism spectrum in the UK – that's more than 1 in 100, and chances are you know someone with autism already. Every autistic person is different; their traits and characteristics may vary hugely - but autism is defined in its essence as a social-communication disorder, which may manifest via repetitive behaviour and routines, and a difficulty to understand changes in routine. An autistic person may be seen as having a 'black and white' view of the world; and they may struggle to conceptualise other moral perspectives.
Despite these traits being seen by some as a hindrance to succeed, many people with autism flourish exactly because of them: an autistic person might study harder and for longer due to a repetitive cycle of behaviour, and therefore become exceedingly educated or successful within their chosen career path. They might also have an above-average attention to detail, and be able to recount things at great length from memory.
Jack from the MENCAP website, shared his experiences of having autism: "Autism is more than just a diagnosis. It means something unique and different to each autistic person. Autistic people have skills and talents like anybody else, such as having a special interest or being very focused."
If you want to get involved in Autism awareness, week, either through fundraising or sharing your experiences in a public forum either have a look at the fundraising info here, or email us privately at marketing@advanceuk.org. We would really love to hear from you.