ACTION for Asperger’s, a Corby-based charity helping hundreds of clients from across the world, is seeking funding assistance to avert a potential funding crisis in the future.
The charity, which was founded by Elaine Nicholson MBE in 2008 from her home in Oundle, is now based at Darwin House on the Corbygate Business Park. It aims to provide autism specialist counselling for lives that have become adversely affected by Asperger’s syndrome (autism).
Thanks to Skype and Facetime, the charity now works with more than 2,300 clients across the globe, the majority of whom have a formal or suspected diagnosis of autism. The charity also offers special needs counselling to colleges and schools, and also advises businesses and other organisations on how best to proceed with autistic individuals in the workforce. A quarter of the charity’s clientele come from Northamptonshire.
In 2016, Elaine received an MBE for her work and was made a Point of Light by the then Prime Minister David Cameron. However, despite the charity being praised at a national level for helping to improve the lives of people affected by autism, the team’s extensive efforts have failed to secure Government or Lottery funding to date.
It means that Elaine, who has a Master’s degree in autism, has had to work philanthropically and the charity’s workers work at reduced rates and donate some of their pay.
Elaine said: “I would be reluctant to turn the organisation into a private company, but this is what we will likely have to do if funding is not forthcoming in the next five years. The charity was meant ‘for all lives affected by autism’ not just for those who are in the fortunate position of being able to pay. The charity would welcome any fundraising support from the Northamptonshire business community.”
In recent years there have been major changes in how society understands Asperger’s. Since 2013, the terms autism and Asperger’s syndrome are used interchangeably and come under the umbrella term of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
ASD is a condition whereby those who have it likely display impairment in qualitative social communication and impairment in social interaction, alongside revealing a preference for routine, ritualistic, repetitive, and rigid behaviours. ASD is not a mental health condition.
The benefits of employing someone with ASD are:
* ASD individuals make very loyal employees. They struggle to lie and can be strongly focused.
* ASD individuals notice patterns in things others do not.
Multitasking may be an issue for the ASD individual but the use of reminder apps can help. ASD individuals also have a tendency not to be able to recognise faces very well and so when thinking of placements, a customer service environment should be avoided.
Contact or www.actionforaspergers.org for more information.