This month saw another good-turn out for Ceartas’ newest group, A-Spire: Speaking from the Spectrum. The group were paid a visit by Alison Briers from the Autism Resource Centre who informed everyone about the different support, information and training available through ARC Glasgow.

The group had a lot of questions for Alison and she provided some great information on the various initiatives and support services available to people living with autism in the greater Glasgow area.

The group were also paid a visit by Figure 8 consultancy services to find out their views and experiences of using autism services in East Dunbartonshire. This led to an in-depth discussion about many of the issues facing people with ASD, including supported employment opportunities and the quality of services available through crucial transitional periods.

The information gathered through this survey will be used by East Dunbartonshire council to assess service gaps and the needs of people with autism. A-Spire members contributed a lot of insightful suggestions and experiences and by doing so will be playing an active role in shaping services for those with autism in the local community.