We held our first SWAN Health Walk with Paths for All as part of #AutismAcceptanceWeek
SWAN Volunteer Coordinator, Mandy Williams, and some of our local SWANs joined Valerie - #WalkingForHealth Development Officer from Paths for All - for a demonstration health walk in the grounds of Stirling University.
We're loving working with the fantastic team at Paths for All and we were delighted to join Valerie to try out a walk for ourselves and see how it's done.
SWAN has been helping Paths for All build autism inclusion into their approach to health walks, and in return they are training SWAN staff and volunteers to lead our own Health Walks.
Health Walks are accessible, social, group walks which promote good health and wellbeing through being physically active, meeting new people and connecting with nature.
While lots of autistic people love nature, many us don't really enjoy socialising in some of the ways neurotypical people do, so we're bringing together Paths for All's expertise in leading walks, with SWAN's autistic-led approach, to run SWAN health walks that work for us.
No forced socialising, no judgement if you don't want to talk or make eye contact, and plenty of enthusiasm for details about cloud formations, spring flowers or squirrels!
What better way to bring some springtime autistic joy into our lives than to get out for a walk in the easy company of other autistic people.