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Services & Events

Places and spaces for autistic women, girls and non-binary people

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SWAN Places

SWAN Places are in-person social meet-up groups in locations across Scotland. They are autistic spaces, run by autistic volunteers.

These local groups are relaxed and laid-back gatherings for all women and non-binary people who identify as autistic. 

They are safe and confidential spaces, facilitated by autistic volunteers.

SWAN Places are not structured support groups, but rather an opportunity to benefit from community and connection in an all-autistic space.

You can share, listen, or simply relax among like-minded peers who understand and support one another. 

Have a look at your local group below to find out more, and see the calendar for meeting dates.

You can contact our SWAN Places Meet-Up Volunteers if you have any questions - you'll find their emails under "How do I join?" 

You can also sign up to the SWAN mailing list for news and updates on all our groups.

Please read our Guidelines & Rules before you come along to any of our SWAN Places groups, to help ensure they are safe, supportive and friendly spaces. 

*Please always check the calendar before you go to a group as very occasionally we may have to change or cancel with short notice (only if unavoidable) and we will post any changes here.


Social Meet-up: Aberdeen

Social Meet-up: Dumfries & Galloway

Social Meet-up: Dundee

Social Meet-up: East Lothian

Social Meet-up: Edinburgh

Social Meet-up:  Falkirk

Social Meet-up:  Fife

Social Meet-up:  Glasgow Bridgeton

Social Meet-up: Glasgow Queen’s Park

Social Meet-up: Glasgow West End

Social Meet-up: Inverness

Social Meet-up: Stirling

Social Meet-up: West Lothian

Social Health Walk: Dundee

Social Health Walk: Glasgow Bridgeton

Social Health Walk: Glasgow Queens Park

Social Health Walk: Stirling

Social Health Walk: Oban

We’re working on setting up groups in other areas - if you’re interested in volunteering at an existing group, or helping set one up in your area, visit our Volunteer page.

January 2025
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21st

Glasgow Bridgeton Social Meet Up

SWAN Places
21 Jan, 13:30
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21st

Stirling Social Meet Up

SWAN Places
21 Jan, 17:00
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27th

Dumfries & Galloway Social Meet Up

SWAN Places
27 Jan, 10:30
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28th

East Lothian Social Meet Up

SWAN Places
28 Jan, 18:00
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31st

Dundee Social Meet Up

SWAN Places
31 Jan, 15:00
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February 2025
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1st

Aberdeen Social Meet Up

SWAN Places
1 Feb, 11:30
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4th

West Lothian Social Meet Up

SWAN Places
4 Feb, 17:30
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9th

Edinburgh Social Meet Up

SWAN Places
9 Feb, 14:00
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12th

Glasgow Queen's Park Social Meet Up

SWAN Places
12 Feb, 18:30
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13th

Fife Social Meet Up

SWAN Places
13 Feb, 17:00
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17th

Falkirk Social Meet Up

SWAN Places
17 Feb, 16:30
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18th

Glasgow Bridgeton Social Meet Up

SWAN Places
18 Feb, 13:30
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18th

Stirling Social Meet Up

SWAN Places
18 Feb, 17:00
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20th

Glasgow West End Social Meet Up

SWAN Places
20 Feb, 13:30
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24th

Dumfries & Galloway Social Meet up

SWAN Places
24 Feb, 10:30
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25th

East Lothian Social Meet Up

SWAN Places
25 Feb, 18:00
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28th

Dundee Social Meet-Up

SWAN Places
28 Feb, 15:00
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SWAN Spaces

SWAN Spaces are regular online groups and events. They are safe, friendly autistic-only spaces, led by autistic staff.

In SWAN Spaces, you are free to participate as little or as much as you feel comfortable - talk, join in the text chat, read the closed captions, stim, bring your pets along, wrap yourself in a cosy blanket, or just watch and listen with your camera on or off.

Friends and allies, families and carers, and professionals and practitioners who do not identify as autistic but want to learn more about autistic women, girls and non-binary people are warmly welcomed to specific events only, where stated in the event description.

All of our online events are held on Zoom and you can book a place via Eventbrite.

Have a look at our SWAN Spaces groups below to find out more and see the calendar for meeting dates.


Art & Craft Group

Autistic Parents’ Space

Edinburgh Online Social Meet-Up

Moray Online Social Meet-Up

Neuroqueer Social (LGBTQIA+ Group)

Online Peer Support Forum

Stirlingshire Online Social Meet-Up

Post-Diagnosis Groups

Pre-Diagnosis Drop-Ins

Shetland Islands Online Social Meet-Up

Wellbeing Webinars

Scotland Online Social Meet-Up

Western Isles Online Social Meet-Up

Sign up to the SWAN mailing list for news and updates on all our groups.

January 2025
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21st

Webinar - Meet the SWAN Team - and their pets!

SWAN Spaces
Online - 21 Jan, 17:30 - 19:00
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Booking Now Open

Join us for our first webinar of the New Year, where we’ll introduce the SWAN team, for those of you who might not know all of us, and talk animals and pets! Bring your cats, dogs, chickens, giant snails and share their antics and what they mean to you!


Book

27th

Western Isles Social Meet Up Group Online

SWAN Spaces
27 Jan, 18:00
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28th

Moray Social Meet Up Group Online

SWAN Spaces
28 Jan, 18:00
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February 2025
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11th

Pre Diagnosis Drop In Group

SWAN Spaces
Online - 11 Feb, 11:00 - 12:30
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Considering if you are Autistic and going through the diagnosis process (SELF or CLINICAL) can be a long difficult and confusing time and it can be hard to find relevant resources and information.

This monthly drop in group is a safe space to explore, ask questions and meet other women and non-binary people at a similar point in their journey.

For more information, see the full details about this group under 'SWAN Spaces'.

Booking now open 

Book

11th

Stirlingshire Social Meet Up Group Online

SWAN Spaces
11 Feb, 18:00
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12th

Webinar - Surviving and Thriving at University

SWAN Spaces
online - 12 Feb, 18:30 - 20:00
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We are delighted to welcome Harriet Axbey author of University: The Autistic Guide: Everything You Need to Survive and Thrive and autistic researcher working on the ‘Autism from Menstruation to Menopause’ study at Swansea University for our monthly wellbeing webinar

Booking Now Open


About this Webinar:
 

Harriet will be discussing the autistic university experience, and how to get the most out of your time at university. Starting with ‘surviving’, she will cover the essentials to consider before applying, and starting university, and how to get through those first few weeks. She will then move onto ‘thriving’: how to enjoy your degree, succeed in your academic goals, and find your people. We will then take some of your questions, and hear about your own experiences of university.

About our Speaker:

Harriet is an autistic researcher working on the ‘Autism from Menstruation to Menopause’ study at Swansea University. Her PhD focused on neurodiverse interactions between autistic and non-autistic people. She has published two books, ‘My Brother Tom Has Superpowers’ for children, based on her own experiences on growing up autistic, and ‘University: The Autistic Guide’ for autistic people going to university, and anyone who might support them. In her spare time Harriet plays D&D, kayaks, and enjoys bird watching in her garden.

Book

16th

Edinburgh Social Meet Up Group online

SWAN Spaces
16 Feb, 15:00
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20th

Autistic Parents' Space

SWAN Spaces
20 Feb, 19:00
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March 2025
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7th

Post Diagnosis Group Week 1

SWAN Spaces
Online - 7 Mar, 13:30 - 15:00
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Booking will open on 17th February 5pm 

Week 1 of our 6 Week Post Diagnosis Course

This group runs for six weeks on Fridays from 1:30-3pm

Friday 7th March 1:30-3pm

Friday 14th March 1:30-3pm

Friday 21st March 1:30-3pm

Friday 28th March 1:30-3pm

Friday 04th April 1:30-3pm

Friday 11th April 1:30-3pm


For more information on our post diagnosis course please watch our information video

11th

Pre-Diagnosis Drop In Group

SWAN Spaces
online - 11 Mar, 19:00 - 20:30
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Considering if you are Autistic and going through the diagnosis process (SELF or CLINICAL) can be a long difficult and confusing time and it can be hard to find relevant resources and information.

This monthly drop in group is a safe space to explore, ask questions and meet other women and non-binary people at a similar point in their journey.

For more information, see the full details about this group under 'SWAN Spaces'.

Booking will open Monday 24th February

12th

Webinar - What do we know about Autistic menopause and why are we doing the Autism from Menstruation to Menopause study?

SWAN Spaces
online - 12 Mar, 18:00 - 19:30
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We are very delighted to welcome Dr Aimee Grant as our guest speaker for our monthly wellbeing webinar in March on What do we know about Autistic menopause, and why are we doing the Autism from Menstruation to Menopause study?

Booking will open on 17th February 5pm

More About this Webinar

The webinar will look at Dr Aimee Grant's work on the Autism from Menstruation to Menopause study, and the existing resources we have around maternity.

Moving on to think about menopause, to see what we know, and what might help us (Autistic people) navigate the menopause.

More about our speaker 

Dr Aimee Grant is Autistic, Disabled and a wheelchair user. She is a Senior Lecturer and Wellcome Trust Career Development Fellow at Swansea University School of Health and Social Care. In this role she works collaboratively with Autistic people to understand reproductive health “from menstruation to menopause”, with the aim to improve the accessibility of healthcare.

Aimee has also researched marginalised pregnancy and early motherhood for the past decade, including those living in poverty, stigmatised locations and Disabled women. She is the author of two books on how to do research (Routledge, 2019; Policy Press, 2022), and The Autism Friendly Guide to Pregnancy, birth and the fourth trimester will be published in summer 2025 by Jessica Kingsley Publishers. She is a non-executive director of Disability Wales, was added to the Disability Power 100 list in 2023, and won the Sense Awards “Campaigner of the Year” in 2024 for her work to improve maternity care for Autistic people.




14th

Post Diagnosis Group Week 2

SWAN Spaces
online - 14 Mar, 13:30 - 15:00
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Booking will open on 17th February 5pm

Week 2 of our 6 Week Post Diagnosis Course

This group runs for six weeks on Fridays from 1:30-3pm

Friday 7th March 1:30-3pm

Friday 14th March 1:30-3pm

Friday 21st March 1:30-3pm

Friday 28th March 1:30-3pm

Friday 04th April 1:30-3pm

Friday 11th April 1:30-3pm



For more information on our post diagnosis course please watch our information video

21st

Post Diagnosis Group Week 3

SWAN Spaces
Online - 21 Mar, 13:30 - 15:00
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Booking will open on 17th February 5pm

Week 3 of our 6 Week Post Diagnosis Course

This group runs for six weeks on Fridays from 1:30-3pm

Friday 7th March 1:30-3pm

Friday 14th March 1:30-3pm

Friday 21st March 1:30-3pm

Friday 28th March 1:30-3pm

Friday 04th April 1:30-3pm

Friday 11th April 1:30-3pm

For more information on our post diagnosis course please watch our information video

28th

Post Diagnosis Group Week 4

SWAN Spaces
online - 28 Mar, 13:30 - 15:00
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Booking will open on 17th February 5pm

Week 4 of our 6 Week Post Diagnosis Course

This group runs for six weeks on Fridays from 1:30-3pm

Friday 7th March 1:30-3pm

Friday 14th March 1:30-3pm

Friday 21st March 1:30-3pm

Friday 28th March 1:30-3pm

Friday 04th April 1:30-3pm

Friday 11th April 1:30-3pm

For more information on our post diagnosis course please watch our information video




April 2025
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4th

Post Diagnosis Group Week 5

SWAN Spaces
Online - 4 Apr, 13:30 - 15:00
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Booking will open on 17th February 5pm

Week 5 of our 6 Week Post Diagnosis Course

This group runs for six weeks on Fridays from 1:30-3pm

Friday 7th March 1:30-3pm

Friday 14th March 1:30-3pm

Friday 21st March 1:30-3pm

Friday 28th March 1:30-3pm

Friday 04th April 1:30-3pm

Friday 11th April 1:30-3pm

For more information on our post diagnosis course please watch our information video

11th

Post Diagnosis Group Week 6

SWAN Spaces
Online - 11 Apr, 13:30 - 15:00
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Booking will open on 17th February 5pm

Week 6 of our 6 Week Post Diagnosis Course

This group runs for six weeks on Fridays from 1:30-3pm

Friday 7th March 1:30-3pm

Friday 14th March 1:30-3pm

Friday 21st March 1:30-3pm

Friday 28th March 1:30-3pm

Friday 04th April 1:30-3pm

Friday 11th April 1:30-3pm

For more information on our post diagnosis course please watch our information video