Should Autism Awareness week be more than baking cakes ...?

The week commencing 27 March is the designated 'Autism Awareness Week'.

Looking at the NAS articles, it seems to be all about fundraising, about baking cakes, going for a walk or holding a sponsored event.  All very worthy, I am sure.

But aren't we missing something really important.  The slogan is 'until everyone understands'.  And what will everyone understand about autism if we just bake cakes or go for a walk?  That there is a condition called 'autism'.  That those who are autistic can bake cakes?

'Autism awareness week' should surely be an opportunity we should all use to state our case.  Anyone who has been touched by autism, from parents and carers, relations, and those who are autistic themselves - should get involved in awareness where it really counts.

And that is by contacting the newspapers, writing letters to the media, writing to our MPs, lobbying parliament, writing to local councillors, and organising campaigns where the real issues relating to autism are stated.  Issues such as lack of available diagnoses for adults, the waiting time for a diagnosis, the real lack of anything having been done under the 'Autism Strategy', the fact that NHS trusts do not offer any help at all to adults who may be on the spectrum.  Many MPs are on Twitter and Facebook, we could message and tweet them.  Get the broadcasters, local radio especially, interested in our cause.  Write an article or letter for the local newspaper on the difficulties we face in everyday life, barriers put up not by us but by the attitude of others.  This is surely as important as any amount of fundraising in raising awareness.

Daily I see discussions on this forum about problems autistic people and their carers are having with authority, funds being cut, barrers put in our way.  And if we also let a wide audience know of these difficulties some of this may just begin to make others understand.  Some seed may fall on stony ground, but if we all did communicate our issues to the media, our lawmakers, our local councillors then maybe, just maybe, we would begin to open a few doors in the barriers that are put in our way.

But how many of us will do this?

Parents
  • I don’t get involved with autism awareness week, it’s not really my thing, but I have a different view of it from you.

    I see it as raising awareness of autism within the general population. Not everybody knows somebody who is autistic and may have little to no awareness of it and because these cake type events and such are popular, amongst the general population, it’s a pleasant way of getting autism on their radar.

    I don’t see it as an educational program. I do that on a daily basis. I tell everybody I meet that I’m autistic and if they are interested in any way, they will ask me about it. At least two people that I can think of off hand, diagnosed them selves immediately, upon hearing about my daily experiences of being an autistic person in a nt society. And many more have been hugely surprised that autism doesn’t necessarily include a learning difficulty.

    In terms of influencing policy etc, I think, as you suggested, there are many things we can do. For me, I’m going to study autism at masters degree level and do a PhD. This will give me opportunities to influence policies etc. I think if people are moved to influence their government in any way, they can do this every day of the year but autism awareness week might be the prompt they were waiting for.

    When I talk to people, shopkeepers etc, anybody and everybody who will listen infact, I feel like I’m doing a good job of spreading awareness and of course I always learn more about myself and other people into the bargain. And actually, I’m already unsure about the degree courses alreasy. As I am moving into solving my long standing problems with eating, I realised that that may be an avenue I go down. Food (real food) is one of my special interests so if after 2 years (the time I’m giving myself to try out this way of eating) this way is successful, I may do further study in that area and help people through their diets.

    But on a daily basis, I teach people about autism, so I feel like I’m doing my bit. I don’t really deal with governments etc and charities and fund raising but because of my gratitude to the National Autistic Society, I will have a look at their campaign sometime and do what I can. Right now, that’s beyond my current capacity.

Reply
  • I don’t get involved with autism awareness week, it’s not really my thing, but I have a different view of it from you.

    I see it as raising awareness of autism within the general population. Not everybody knows somebody who is autistic and may have little to no awareness of it and because these cake type events and such are popular, amongst the general population, it’s a pleasant way of getting autism on their radar.

    I don’t see it as an educational program. I do that on a daily basis. I tell everybody I meet that I’m autistic and if they are interested in any way, they will ask me about it. At least two people that I can think of off hand, diagnosed them selves immediately, upon hearing about my daily experiences of being an autistic person in a nt society. And many more have been hugely surprised that autism doesn’t necessarily include a learning difficulty.

    In terms of influencing policy etc, I think, as you suggested, there are many things we can do. For me, I’m going to study autism at masters degree level and do a PhD. This will give me opportunities to influence policies etc. I think if people are moved to influence their government in any way, they can do this every day of the year but autism awareness week might be the prompt they were waiting for.

    When I talk to people, shopkeepers etc, anybody and everybody who will listen infact, I feel like I’m doing a good job of spreading awareness and of course I always learn more about myself and other people into the bargain. And actually, I’m already unsure about the degree courses alreasy. As I am moving into solving my long standing problems with eating, I realised that that may be an avenue I go down. Food (real food) is one of my special interests so if after 2 years (the time I’m giving myself to try out this way of eating) this way is successful, I may do further study in that area and help people through their diets.

    But on a daily basis, I teach people about autism, so I feel like I’m doing my bit. I don’t really deal with governments etc and charities and fund raising but because of my gratitude to the National Autistic Society, I will have a look at their campaign sometime and do what I can. Right now, that’s beyond my current capacity.

Children
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