SUCCESSFUL AUTISM AWARENESS DAY EVENT: EMBRACING NEURODIVERSITY

University Centre Farnborough’s peer mentors have hosted a highly successful Autism Awareness Day event, showcasing a range of interactive, engaging and educational initiatives aimed at promoting understanding and acceptance of autism within their student community.

The event, held at the University Centre’s campus in Farnborough, brought together learners from diverse backgrounds to participate in an array of activities designed to strengthen empathy and awareness. Attendees engaged with interactive stands with stress balls and painted rocks to aid in emotional understanding and participated in an exciting interactive Kahoot quiz, which covered a range of topics related to autism, including common myths and misconceptions. The event also showcased a carefully curated selection of library books from personal narratives to informative guides, all hand-picked to offer valuable insights and perspectives on life with autism.

“At University Centre Farnborough, we are committed to creating inclusive spaces where everyone feels supported and understood,” said Virginia Barrett, Principal CEO. “Our Autism Awareness Day event was a testament to this commitment, providing opportunities for meaningful interaction and learning for all. It is even more heartwarming that it was organised for the students, by the students, as the peer mentors were responsible for the set-up and organisation of this event.”

Having proven to be a hit with students for two years, the Autism Awareness Day event has become a fixture in the University Centre’s annual events calendar and is highly anticipated to return next year.

Mary Campell, Foundation and Entry Level Studies Programme Manager spoke about the occasion, saying: “As educators, we realise the importance of acknowledging and understanding the particular differences that learners on the autism spectrum typically share. Staff at FCOT work to support the individual nature of each students learning experiences, and endeavour to understand each specific learner and how best to support them to achieve. All our learners including those with Autism come with a range of strengths and needs and the college works hard to continuously develop our knowledge and skills in order to support them in an inclusive and empathic setting.”