SCHOOLS AUTISM AWARENESS WEEK

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1 SCHOOLS AUTISM AWARENESS WEEK Monday 26 March to Monday 2 April 2018 Part of World Autism Awareness Week UNTIL EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS

2 Ashley s assembly A brave girl named Ashley decided to speak to her school about her experience of autism in #SAAW2017. It s exactly this kind of thing that is helping to change public perceptions of autism and raise the much needed funds that help us to continue building a society where every autistic person is understood. A massive well done to Ashley for helping her peers and teachers to understand a little more. Here s what Ashley had to share: Real supporter stories Hi, I was asked to talk to you today about my experience with autism, some of you might not know but I have a big brother with autism. Sam likes things that other boys like. He likes football, wrestling, playing on his computer and watching TV. Sam is very friendly, he loves to meet new people and is very chatty. Living with Sam is the most amazing thing in the world.sometimes. He s still my brother, he s super smart, he s funny, and he has taught me so much. I ve learned that talking to Sam I have to be calm and quiet, because it s better for him if things are calm, and it s easier for him to understand me. With that in mind a good thing to remember is no shouting, if I shout at Sam he can t process the information and he can get confused and upset. Talking not just with Sam but any person with autism, keep things nice and simple. It s so much easier for them to understand. You can read the rest of Ashley s talk at 2 You can text WAAW44 plus your amount ( 1/ 5/ 10) to For example, to donate 5 text WAAW44 5 to 70070

3 Table of contents World Autism Awareness Week 2017 saw thousands of you going into your communities, schools and workplaces to fundraise and increase awareness of autism Until everyone understands. The UK is getting ever closer to that goal. You can make a huge difference to the lives of over 700,000 autistic people by taking part in Schools Autism Awareness Week We are here to transform lives, challenge perceptions and build a society that works for autistic people and the money you raise will help to do just that. Your fundraising has helped us to gather knowledge from vital resources, spreading the word far and wide through ground-breaking campaigns like Too Much Information. It s time to put on your onesies and join us in building a world for autistic people where everyone understands. Hear from Ashley from #SAAW Why we have Schools Autism Awareness Week 3 Onesie Wednesday and baking 4 Onesie Walk 5 SAAW Student Ambassadors 6 Lesson plans & resources 7 Too Much Information campaign 8-9 Merchandise and social media 10 Competitions and paying in your money 11 We want to thank Playmobil for supporting World Autism Awareness Week #WAAW

4 Onesie Wednesday Onesie Wednesday is back, and it s time to get involved! Have students donate a pound to come to school dressed in their onesies and don t forget to get the staff involved too! If your class would rather an alternative to onesies, why not have a pink and purple day? The dressing up day doesn t have to be on Wednesday, if you d prefer a different day it could even be a fun activity for the last day before the Easter holidays! The fun doesn t stop there once you ve got your class in their onesies, why not organise: a sponsored onesie walk (see next page) have a onesie quiz bake some gingerbread men cook these with your class, decorate them with icing to make the onesies and sell them in a bake sale! You could even add some pink and purple cakes into the mix too. Find our free downloadable cake resources, guess the bear s name game, guess how many sweets in the jar poster, an autism specific quiz and many more free resources at 4 You can text WAAW44 plus your amount ( 1/ 5/ 10) to For example, to donate 5 text WAAW44 5 to 70070

5 Sponsored Onesie Walk This is an activity for all ages! Whether it be taking the early years for a walk around the park or asking your year 11s to organise one for their year, as long as there are onesies then the rest is up to you! Some suggestions: Early Years and Key Stage 1 Play Where s onesie? Hide images of onesies along the walk and see if the children can find them You could also hide facts about autism along the walk and have either the children or the teachers read them out once found. Key Stage 2 Pupils can plan the route! Can they think of how to raise money for the walk? Suggest a competition, debate or event, and present how they think they can raise the most money? Create promotional materials to advertise the walk, such as posters, flyers, or letters Key Stage 3, 4 and 5 Students organise the walk from beginning to end. Some of these elements may include the date, timings, route, promotional materials (such as posters, flyers, letters, or features in newspapers), fundraising and any health and safety measures Lesson idea imagine the head teacher says that they can t go on this walk. How would they persuade them to let it happen? This may involve them visiting to research why it is important to raise funds and awareness of autism. #WAAW

6 Schools Autism Awareness Week Student Ambassadors A message for prospective student ambassadors! Lead your school into learning more about autism, spreading the word and raising crucial funds for autistic people! You can show tremendous initiative by leading efforts during World Autism Awareness Week to better inform those around you. Imagine all events led by YOU. Primary school children, you could help organise information sessions, Onesie Wednesday, a school fair with food and game stalls, a talent show, board gameathon, disco, bake sales or a onesie walk! Recruit some of the older students or teachers to help with these tasks. Primary and secondary children, you could write to other schools and invite autistic children to spend time with you at your school OR if you are at an autism unit or special needs school, you can invite students from nearby schools to join you and learn more about autism. You could even end the day with throwing a party to raise some money! At the end of the week, you can reflect on the week s experiences, by writing up a report to be published in the school newsletter or website. College and university students, you can start your own clubs or societies that aim to raise awareness of autism. Distribute flyers and encourage a larger audience belonging to diverse cultures and communities to get involved with the week, by attending one of your club sessions or fundraising events. 6 You can text WAAW44 plus your amount ( 1/ 5/ 10) to For example, to donate 5 text WAAW44 5 to 70070

7 Autism awareness lesson plans and resources A huge part of Schools Autism Awareness Week is helping educate your colleagues and pupils about autism and how to help autistic students feel supported, appreciated and understood. Don t forget to download a free teacher resource pack to help you with your lessons. Each pack is level-specific, and contains teacher guidance, lesson and assembly plans, presentations and activities to help you improve understanding of autism. At least 1 in 100 people in the UK are on the autism spectrum... so there are likely to be autistic people at your school, who you see every day. We know that indifference and hostility towards autistic people and their families can lead to social isolation, mental illness and unhappy lives. But we also know that helping young people and teachers to understand autism as they grow up will equip them to understand autistic people. Visit to download your free teacher resource pack today. #WAAW

8 changing attitudes to autism. Our Too Much Information campaign has been improving understanding of autism for two years. Why is this important? Over 99% of people have heard of autism, but only 16% of autistic people feel the public understand them. We re here to challenge the myths, misconceptions and stereotypes that mean that 79% of autistic people feel socially isolated. It s time we help the public to understand autism, the person, and the change they can make. Since launching the campaign, our two films starring autistic people, which have helped to show the public what it s like to experience an overload of too much information, have gone viral. Over 67 million people have watched these films. Nearly 5,000 shops and services all over the UK signed up to The National Autistic Society s Autism Hour last October. They took simple steps for 60 minutes, from dimming bright lights to turning down music, to change things for the 64% of autistic people who avoid the shops. We could not have launched this campaign without the incredible dedication of people like you, going out there and raising money to ensure more autistic people are supported, understood and appreciated. 8 You can text WAAW44 plus your amount ( 1/ 5/ 10) to For example, to donate 5 text WAAW44 5 to 70070

9 You can make a change right now by making your own autism-friendly pledge at At the shops On public transport Out with friends With my children at home With other autistic people Too Much Information is crucial to helping the public better understand autism. Since launching the campaign, understanding that autistic people can face difficulties in public places has increased by 17%. That means an estimated 10 million people now better understand autism thanks to Too Much Information. And we couldn t do it without your support. WITH YOUR SUPPORT, YEAR THREE OF TOO MUCH INFORMATION WILL BE EVEN BETTER. Your support will help us reach even more people, and turn that understanding into improved attitudes and behaviours towards autistic people and their families. Only then will we be able to create a world where autistic people and their families get the understanding, support and appreciation they deserve. Too Much Information virtual reality headset Our first Too Much Information film has helped 56 million people gain a deeper understanding of autism. Experience the Too Much Information virtual reality experience at home! This innovative and portable headset allows you to experience what someone with autism may experience every day. To find these headsets and our range of merchandise please visit our online shop at #WAAW

10 Merchandise World Autism Awareness Week is all about helping to fundraise and raise awareness, until everyone understands. Spread the message by wearing these t-shirts. Take a look at some of our other great merchandise! Badge Fidget cube Fidget spinner Stressball Wristband We also have fundraising materials such as collection buckets, t-shirts for fundraisers, balloons, flags and information leaflets to help you with your fundraising activities. To order these, please visit 10 You can text WAAW44 plus your amount ( 1/ 5/ 10) to For example, to donate 5 text WAAW44 5 to 70070

11 How to send in the money you ve raised Once you have collected all the money, there are several ways you can send in your donations: if you set up a JustGiving or other donation page before your event, we will receive the money directly donate online at: call our Supporter Care team on to request a paying in slip, which you can use to pay in your funds at any Barclays bank donate over the phone by calling TOP TIP: ask your employer if they have a matched giving scheme, as they may be able to match your donation! Competition! This year we re holding competitions for schools, communities and workplaces, and the idea is simple those who raise the most money will WIN! Our top school fundraiser will receive an assortment of Playmobil goodies! #WAAW

12 Until everyone understands. We are the UK s leading autism charity. Since we began over 50 years ago, we have been pioneering new ways to support people and understand autism. We continue to learn every day from the children and adults we support in our schools and care services. Based on our experience, and with support from our members, donors and volunteers, we provide life-changing information and advice to millions of autistic people, their families and friends. And we support professionals, politicians and the public to understand autism better so that more autistic people of all ages can be understood, supported and appreciated for who they are. #WAAW The National Autistic Society is a charity registered in England and Wales (269425) and in Scotland (SC039427) and a company limited by guarantee registered in England (No ), registered office: 393 City Road, London EC1V 1NG The National Autistic Society