Ahead of a national campaign to help get more people with autism physically active and into sport, Amy Webster of the National Autistic Society, talks about their pilot programme and objectives.
Research shows that people with autism are less likely to participate in sport or physical activity than others due to factors related to the condition, including heightened fear and anxiety in social situations, difficulty understanding body language and metaphor, and sensory challenges.
As a result, The National Autistic Society (NAS) is launching an innovative programme to help more people with autism take part in sport and physical exercise.
Active for autism will offer online and face-to-face training and consultancy to professional coaches, PE teachers and volunteers who may work with people affected by autism.
By giving coaches the confidence, knowledge and skills they need, more people with autism can enjoy the benefits of sport and physical activity.
The pilot phase of the project came to a close in November with sessions having been delivered to coaches at the National Badminton Centre, Old Trafford Cricket Ground, St George’s Park and Olympic Park’s Copper Box Arena.
The pilot phase of the project was a huge success, offering coaches not only the chance to learn from the training, but also providing an opportunity for them to share their current knowledge and expertise with each other.
By taking the time to deliver these pilot sessions we will now be better placed to deliver training that is of a high quality and that will consequently have a positive impact on the provision of opportunities for people with autism to participate in sport and physical activity sessions.
We are especially grateful to the organisations who agreed to provide coaches to undertake the training as part of the pilot phase of the project. The process of recruiting coaches and teachers was made all the more possible with the help of key figures within the chosen sports and national governing bodies.
We are now using the feedback from the pilot sessions to develop the training further in preparation for the launch of the training in January. We are also working closely with a PhD student from Loughborough University to evaluate the training, drawing on feedback from the coaches who attended the pilot sessions.
The programme will help sports practitioners of all backgrounds and levels to understand autism and give them the skills and strategies they need to provide an inclusive environment, giving thousands more people with autism the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of sport and physical activity.
Sport and physical activity practitioners can sign up to a range of different packages depending on their needs, including online modules, one-day and two-day courses.
To find out more about the Active for autism project visit www.autism.org.uk/active
Follow them on Twitter @autism
