Why I am not renewing my NAS subscription

Really?

I do wonder what is going on in the UK. I recently read the book Unbroken by Alexis Quinn.  Grim reading indeed 

Many of the folk at my local AS support group are disillusioned former members and users of the NAS.

They say it's a parent's and carer's club that offers very little for kids with ASD if they don't go to NAS schools and practically doesn't want to know adults with ASD unless they require care services.

Live and learn, aye. I'm sitting and waiting and then if I see, ' hey this is a really good mag', I may subscribe, otherwise I'm sitting tight.

I have emailed the Spectrum (not the mid 80's computer lol) a link to this thread, Thanks DC

Dear NAS50301,

Thank you for sharing your feedback and experience regarding an NAS training course you recently attended.

I alerted our Training team to your feedback, and they are very much interested in getting in contact with you regarding your feedback. They have asked that you email them on training.enquiries@nas.org.uk and they will have to look out for your message as a priority.

Kind regards,

Ayshe Mod

The NAS already gets millions of pounds of money from the government although almost all of it is ringfenced for specific individuals.

I would rather give my money to an independent ASD support group than the NAS because I believe that they will use it more productively and effectively than the NAS will.

There are times when I think that the charity part of the NAS exists only so they can legally call themselves a charity. An annoying feature (to their officials) analogous to the way that ITV has annoying PSB commitments (to their officials) that make no money simply in order to get the prestige of TV channel 3.

Yes very much agree, we do have a unique understanding of a life living as an autistic.

we are often the first to give real advice to many parents coming here to find answers. 

Thank you.

Yay thank you DC for reminding me of the Logo fiasco thread.

yes we did decide it was very much looking like the a in Alcatel, there were pictures to demonstrate as much.

 So glad to see you can still post now and then.

I enjoy reading your replies and we often did do “CHAT”  and. For one really enjoyed it. Wether it be logo or ASCII text based or missing posts and non functioning areas of the forum.

” Off topic”?

ner not really and besides we the members/ community are entitled to reply in a respectful and polite manner as we wish, even if it isn’t very obviously related to the OP.

its just us being us, that’s awesome I say.

 So thank you for all the effort you put into writing articles for the magazine and your constant input and understanding on here “ our” forum.

take care and hope to see your replies for a very long time yet.

x()x

Warning: This Post is off topic.
( Greetings (again!) to Mr.Brains-From-Thunderbirds from myself. :-) Perhaps You missed that other Thread, but... when the change occurred, I began a Thread about that, and many others have begun Threads about it since. I also thought it was a Q but then some of us discussed that and made sport of it, and I also later figured that it was an lowercase A. (...'A' for ALCATEL, we decided (!).) To find the Thread, just put "Alcatel" into the search box. But as I say... this IS off-topic for this Thread, else I would just post a link. Good Fortune to You, Sir. )

I don't subscribe to the NAS in any way at all, but I do use the forum and have to say , I am greatful for this, maybe if the magazine was better advertised and had better content I would subscribe. All I can say is it sounds like things need to change and if they did we would all be better off and the NAS would get more financial support.

I see some things in my work life similar that Seems to be similar to ND Conversationalist.

We capture "Lessons Learnt" in a database TICK

Oh we don't look to those lessons learnt once captured = Same design flaw in every newly designed vehicle since at least the 90's.

(Note the logo change last year, removing the old logo of a carer and a dependent and replacing it with a colourful letter a.)

I have been wondering what the significance of a letter 'Q'was for the symbol.  At last I know it is meant to represent an 'a'.

I concur with Flont and Disambiguating Cynosure on this.  If I can help improve things for others that I get my own brownie points for it.

To Flont... I very much support what you have written in your second/middle paragraph, there. Thank You for supporting "Your Autism/The Spectrum", and I agree about the "segregation". (Sorry I dare not say much else just now...)

To "Ayshe Mod"... if You really truly mean what you say there, then, YES PLEASE DO THAT, and Thank You from Myself also.

I came here to post something very similar. 

It is not just the abuse that happened at Mendip House, though it was horrific and dehumanising, it was mainly the fact the NAS covered it up. Yes, had the information about the abuse have come out at the time, some people may have thought twice about donating for a short time. Once they saw the NAS was genuinely remorseful, I am sure things would have returned to normal. Instead, the NAS knowingly covered up such acts as it wasn't in their best interests for that information to be in the public domain. This sickens me. It makes them complicit in the whole thing, trying to pretend it didn't happen rather than being horrified & ensuring something like that never happens again. This is not the actions of a charity that wants to improve the lives of autistic people. This is a charity that wants to keep a close eye on its bank balance.

NAS is very much aimed at the neurotypical rather than the autistic community. It was set-up by concerned parents, and continues to act in a parental way towards the autistic community rather than allowing them a voice. It is hardly surprising it is now a British version of Autism Speaks. Look at the fact they approve schools which use ABA, a therapy that can cause substantial mental health problems such as PTSD. While more & more research is coming out linking late diagnosis with mental health problems, with the reason suspected to be prolonged masking, it is astoundingly clear this is not a therapy but a form of cruelty.

I feel sickened being connected in any way to people who not only turn a blind eye to the abuse of autistic people, but is often complicit. I therefore will not be renewing my subscription with NAS.

I recently attended a course run by NAS that was aimed at supporting autistic adults. It was held in their head office, which is an incredibly autistic unfriendly building, which was shocking when the charity is aware of our needs. It was in a busy central London location and on a main road, which was a popular route for ambulances to take. This meant there was a constant noise of traffic and sirens. The lights couldn't be adjusted to suite the needs of the group, it was either on or off, and no lamps were provided. Plus, the room was split into two using a thin divider, which added to the noise issues when others were using the space. This meant I was unable to stay for the whole course due to negative impact the location had on me. 

I wasn't sent a feedback form after the event to raise the issues I faced. Therefore, I'm now taking the chance to let you know that at  £380+VAT for two days it did come across that NAS were more interested in income generating that providing a quality service and I really wish some of the fee had been spent on a hiring a more suitable location so that I could have fully engaged with the event. 

I would I'd like to see NAS to consistently seek feedback on the services they offer and to think about us more at the planning stages.

I can only agree with you, sadly.

Here's my recent email to the membership department:

Following my diagnosis last year at 58 I was keen to join the NAS and volunteered to set up a local adult support group.

Marvellous! Thanks so much.

Dear Community users,

Just wanted to send a quick message to thank you all for sharing your feedback. We have shared your thoughts and suggestions with the appropriate teams within the organisation, and we will keep you updated with their responses.

Thank you all again,

Ayshe Mod