Our Campaigns
Autism Awareness Campaign – Supermarkets and Cafes
We are currently running autism awareness campaigns in Bristol, in partnership with various supermarkets and cafes.
The aim of these campaigns is to raise awareness of the challenges faced by people on the autism spectrum.
Autism Research Project
We are currently conducting an evidence-based research project to determine the needs of the autistic community in Bristol.
This project will also highlight the challenges faced by the autistic community and recommendations on what is required for change.
Here is a link to the survey for parent carers and autistic adults:
Autism Friendly Community
Autism Advocacy will be working with local businesses in Bristol to help them become more ‘autism-friendly’.
Businesses can easily accommodate individuals, families and employees with unique challenges. All they need is knowledge about what these challenges might be and how to minimise them.
One of the challenges could be the noise level in crowded areas or the volume of music inside a shop or restaurant. Noisy places can increase a person’s anxiety, which makes it difficult to enjoy shopping or eating out. Bright lighting can have a similar effect.
Yet, it’s not only individuals with autism who find these environments challenging! There are many situations in which people become especially sensitive to the sounds, lights and smells around them.
This is where Autism Advocacy would come in!
We can support businesses by offering workshops and helping staff find accommodations that suit their needs.
The solutions are usually very simple: shops and restaurants can lower the volume of music and reduce the lighting. Or they can even set up autism-friendly hours in which the music and lighting are less intense.
By making these simple changes, businesses can improve the overall experience of those who are more sensitive to their environment.
Autism Advocacy wants to ensure that businesses in Bristol have the right information and awareness about autism. We want them to be able to understand the needs of their customers or employees so that individuals with autism can enjoy their services, too. Ultimately, a more inclusive environment benefits everyone.
Future Campaign - Go-Card for Individuals With Autism
The Go-Card campaign would complement the campaign for businesses and relies on local shops and restaurants opting into our autism awareness workshops.
This campaign aims to offer autistic individuals a physical card called the ‘Go Card.’
The card will provide an inclusive approach at restaurants and shops that have opted into our ‘Autism-Friendly’ campaign.
It will also contain emergency contact information in the case the person becomes separated from their family or carer.
Once we have had enough businesses opted into the campaign, we will begin organising an online platform for the Go-Card.