My Experience of being part of the National Autistic Society

September 2023

I have been a member of the National Autistic Society for a number of years. I have been very heavily involved with numerous campaigns including the very famous one called Too Much Information about where autistic people are feeling overloaded in public places and how we need the general public to listen more so that autistic people feel better.

I have also had a big input with designing public transport preparation and planning before autistic people use it so that then they can feel much happier when they travel. In my own area I have been making sure that our theatres and cinemas offer a more autism friendly experience.

I joined the National Autistic Society because I feel that it offers a chance to connect with others who are going through similar experiences to my own. I like the values that the Organisation stands for which are all about offering autistic adults chances to go and live their dreams and achieve as much as possible, independently, without support.

In May this year I took part in World Autism Awareness week which is a whole week dedicated towards helping the general public increase their awareness and hopefully change their attitudes towards autistic people for the better.

I regularly fundraise. This time because I managed to raise a good amount of money, I was awarded a gold medal and a certificate for all of my efforts. It was also a medal to thank me for all my efforts and hard work on my campaigning that I do locally and nationally on a regular basis.

My latest project is I have sent a letter to the Director of the Scottish Rugby Union to persuade them to undertake training towards the Autism

Friendly award to make their match days more autism friendly. I am also holding regular meetings with Audrey Nicoll, my local MSP, to get more autism friendly theatre showings or more autism friendly shopping hours etc.

My advice is if you have something you are passionate about don’t let any barriers stop you from achieving your dreams and goals. If we all play our part in society, we can all make the smallest bit of difference to autistic people as I have.

By Fiona Jones