SWAN is one of 9 organisations awarded funding from the Autistic Adult Support Fund to provide services and support for autistic people across Scotland until March 2028.
The Autistic Adult Support Fund (AASF) aims to help adults with an autism diagnosis, self-identified autistic adults, and their families and carers understand what neurodivergence means for them and improve their wellbeing.
The fund supports organisations across Scotland to deliver a range of projects to meet these aims. Facilitated by Inspiring Scotland and funded by the Scottish Government, the Autistic Adult Support Fund builds on the work of a pilot which ran between 2020 and 2021 to provide post diagnostic support to autistic people.
https://inspiringscotland.org....
The AASF funds a range of support at SWAN, including our pre- and post-diagnosis/self-identification groups, our wellbeing webinars and our online peer-support groups - as well as providing employment and volunteering opportunities for autistic women and non-binary people.
We'd like to thank everyone who has participated in the evaluations we've carried out over the past two years - your feedback has helped us demonstrate the need for this funding and the value of SWAN's work.
Securing funding for the next 2 and a half years will allow us to work with more people and develop new groups and services in response to what you've told us you want - watch this space!
- SWAN CEO Lyndsay Macadam said:
“We’re absolutely delighted to have been successful in our application to the Autistic Adult Support Fund.
The services we will be able to provide as a result of this long-term investment from Scottish Government will have a transformative impact on the lives of autistic women and non-binary people across Scotland – enabling them to explore and understand their identities, what their needs are, and how to live healthier, happier, authentically autistic lives.
As an autistic-led Charity, we value Scottish Government's commitment to listening to the experiences of autistic people, and putting this funding in place to ensure they can access the information and support they need following their diagnosis/self-identification.”
- Mental Wellbeing Minister Tom Arthur said:
“I am pleased to announce the recipients of this funding to provide support to autistic adults and their families and carers.
All successful projects will meaningfully involve autistic people in the development, design, and delivery of the support. Autistic adults will be helped to thrive – the projects will support them to access services and improve their general wellbeing so they can get involved in and truly feel part of their community.
Our commitment to multi-year funding will ensure that funded projects have the security and space to develop and grow high quality support, making the most of the skills and experiences of autistic people they support.”
- Celia Tennant, Chief Executive Officer at Inspiring Scotland said:
“Everyone in Scotland should have the same opportunity to lead happy and healthy lives and ensuring there is support to understand an autistic diagnosis or identity is important in making that possible.
The volume of applications received to this fund further demonstrates not just the need for investment in this area but also the vital role that the third sector is providing in supporting autistic adults to understand their autism to improve wellbeing.
In managing the application process for this new fund, we were pleased to be supported by a panel of autistic people and professionals from relevant areas, ensuring the fund decisions were informed by lived experience.”