Services & Events
Places and spaces for autistic women, girls and non-binary people
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 (both cis and trans) 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.
Aberdeen: Meet-Up
Ayr: Meet-Up
Borders: Meet-Up
Dumfries & Galloway: Meet-Up
Dundee: Meet-Up
East Lothian: Meet-Up
Edinburgh: Meet-Up
Falkirk: Meet-Up
Fife: Meet-Up
Fife: Walk
Glasgow: Bridgeton Meet-up
Glasgow: Book Club
Glasgow: Queen’s Park Meet-up
Glasgow: Queens Park Walk
Glasgow: West End Meet-up
Shetland: Meet-Up
Stirling: Meet-up
Stirling: Walk
Stonehaven: Meet-Up
West Lothian: Meet-Up
Oban: Walk
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.
September 2025
Edinburgh Meet-Up
SWAN Places14 Sep, 14:00 -
Falkirk Meet-Up
SWAN Places15 Sep, 16:30 - 18:00
Glasgow Bridgeton Meet-up
SWAN Places16 Sep, 13:30 - 15:00
Stirling Meet-Up
SWAN Places16 Sep, 17:00 - 18:30
Glasgow West End Meet-Up
SWAN Places18 Sep, 13:30 - 15:00
Sheltand Meet-Up
SWAN Places25 Sep, 18:00 - 20:00
Glasgow Queen's Park Walk
SWAN Places25 Sep, 18:00 - 19:00
Dundee Meet-Up
SWAN Places26 Sep, 15:00 - 17:00
Dumfries & Galloway Meet-Up
SWAN Places29 Sep, 10:30 - 12:00
East Lothian Meet-Up
SWAN Places29 Sep, 18:00
October 2025
Stonehaven Meet-Up
SWAN Places1 Oct, 19:45 - 20:45
Fife Meet-Up
SWAN Places2 Oct, 17:00 - 18:30
Aberdeen Meet-Up
SWAN Places4 Oct, 11:30 - 13:00
Borders Meet-Up
SWAN Places7 Oct, 14:00 - 15:00
Stirling Walk
SWAN Places7 Oct, 17:30
West Lothian Meet-Up
SWAN Places7 Oct, 17:30 - 19:00
Ayr Meet-Up
SWAN Places8 Oct, 18:00 - 19:00
Glasgow Queen's Park Meet-Up
SWAN Places8 Oct, 18:30 - 20:00
Edinburgh Meet-Up
SWAN Places12 Oct, 14:00 - 16:00
Glasgow West End Meet-Up
SWAN Places16 Oct, 13:30 - 15:00
Falkirk Meet-Up
SWAN Places20 Oct, 16:30 - 18:00
Glasgow Bridgeton Meet-up
SWAN Places21 Oct, 13:30 - 15:00
Stirling Meet-Up
SWAN Places21 Oct, 17:00 - 18:30
Glasgow Queen's Park Walk
SWAN Places23 Oct, 18:00 - 19:00
Dumfries & Galloway Meet-Up
SWAN Places27 Oct, 10:30 - 12:00
East Lothian Meet-Up
SWAN Places27 Oct, 18:00 - 19:30
Sheltand Meet-Up
SWAN Places30 Oct, 18:00 - 20:00
Dundee Meet-Up
SWAN Places31 Oct, 15:00 - 17:00
SWAN Spaces
SWAN Spaces are regular online groups and events. They are safe, friendly autistic-only spaces, led by autistic staff and volunteers.
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 (both cis and trans), 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.
Post-Diagnosis Groups
Pre-Diagnosis Drop-Ins
Autistic Parents & Carers Peer Support
Highlands and Islands Peer Support
Queer Peer Support
Students Peer Support
Sunday Peer Support
Tuesday Peer Support
Crafting Social
Wellbeing Webinars
Online Peer Support Forum
Sign up to the SWAN mailing list for news and updates on all our groups.
September 2025
Webinar - Energy Accounting With Maja Toudal
SWAN SpacesOnline - 18 Sep, 18:00 - 19:30
Join Maja Toudal for a webinar on Energy Accounting: Neurodiversity-Affirming Stress Management and Burnout Prevention.
About this Webinar:
It is, by now, widely acknowledged that stress and burnout are highly relevant topics to consider when examining quality of life and wellbeing. However, for autistic people, we often forget that the biggest sources of stress come from simply living in a world not designed for us.
When autistic psychologist Maja Toudal began her high school education, she knew that she would need to find a way to ‘survive’ the increased stress levels that a school environment would result in. This method would need to be adjustable to fluctuating needs and be capable of monitoring stress levels in a way that would allow her to see the warning signs and act before she reached burnout.
After 10 years of clinical implementation in several countries, showing powerful results, Energy Accounting has become a holistic, visual and structured method that is adaptable to any neurotype, as well as a range of disabilities which may affect stress levels. Furthermore, the method can be used by the individual themselves, or in collaboration with a clinician. Based on practical use rather than theoretical models, it moves away from set programs and towards tailoring the intervention to the individual.
Energy Accounting addresses stress and burnout directly, but also flips stress management on its head, asking the all-important question: Why not be proactive?
About our Speaker:
Maja Toudal is an autistic and ADHD psychologist, speaker, and author from Denmark. Her first book, What Your Autistic Child Wants You To Know, combines her personal and professional perspectives to advise parents on the inner lives of autistic children. Her second book, Energy Accounting, provides a practical guide to self-exploring and making adjustments to improve quality of life. Maja takes a neuro-affirmative approach in her work as a clinician and educator, acknowledging each person’s strengths and resources, as well as the real-life challenges that may require adaptive strategies for the individual. Currently, she focuses on clinical work and future book projects, as well as the podcast Autistic Tidbits and Tangents, which she hosts alongside Dr. Kara Dymond and Bruce Petherick.
Maja Toudal - Autistic psychologist, speaker, educator & author
Energy Accounting | Book by Energy Accounting
Autistic Parents & Carers Peer Support
SWAN SpacesOnline - 18 Sep, 19:00 - 20:30
Sunday Peer Support
SWAN SpacesOnline - 21 Sep, 15:00
Students Peer Support
SWAN SpacesOnline - 24 Sep, 18:00
Highlands and Islands Peer Support
SWAN SpacesOnline - 29 Sep, 18:00 - 19:00
October 2025
Post Diagnosis Group Wednesdays 11:00-12:30pm Week 1
SWAN SpacesOnline - 1 Oct, 11:00 - 12:30
Week 1 of our 6 Week Post Diagnosis Course
This group runs for six weeks on Wednesdays 11:00-12:30 via ZOOM
Booking will open on 10th September 4:30pm through our Eventbrite
Dates for this course are:
Wednesday October 1st 11:00-12:30pm
Wednesday October 8th 11:00-12:30pm
Wednesday October 15th 11:00-12:30pm
Wednesday October 22nd 11:00-12:30pm
Wednesday October 29th 11:00-12:30pm
Wednesday November 5th 11:00-12:30pm
For more information on our post diagnosis course please watch our information video or contact info@swanscotland.org
Post Diagnosis Group Thursdays 6:30-8:00pm Week 1
SWAN SpacesOnline - 2 Oct, 18:30 - 20:00
Week 1 of our 6 Week Post Diagnosis Course
This group runs for six weeks on Thursdays 18:30-20:00 via ZOOM
Booking will open on 10th September 4:30pm through our Eventbrite
Dates for this course are:
Thursday October 2nd 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday October 9th 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday October 16th 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday October 23rd 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday October 30th 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday November 6th 6:30-8:00pm
For more information on our post diagnosis course please watch our information video or contact info@swanscotland.org
Crafting Social
SWAN SpacesOnline - 6 Oct, 19:00 - 20:00
Post Diagnosis Group Wednesdays 11:00-12:30pm Week 2
SWAN SpacesOnline - 8 Oct, 11:00 - 12:30
Week 2 of our 6 Week Post Diagnosis Course
This group runs for six weeks on Wednesdays 11:00-12:30 via ZOOM
Booking will open on 10th September 4:30pm through our Eventbrite
Dates for this course are:
Wednesday October 1st 11:00-12:30pm
Wednesday October 8th 11:00-12:30pm
Wednesday October 15th 11:00-12:30pm
Wednesday October 22nd 11:00-12:30pm
Wednesday October 29th 11:00-12:30pm
Wednesday November 5th 11:00-12:30pm
For more information on our post diagnosis course please watch our information video or contact info@swanscotland.org
Queer Peer Support
SWAN SpacesOnline - 9 Oct, 18:00 - 19:00
Post Diagnosis Group Thursdays 6:30-8:00pm Week 2
SWAN SpacesOnline - 9 Oct, 18:30 - 20:00
Week 2 of our 6 Week Post Diagnosis Course
This group runs for six weeks on Thursdays 18:30-20:00 via ZOOM
Booking will open on 10th September 4:30pm through our Eventbrite
Dates for this course are:
Thursday October 2nd 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday October 9th 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday October 16th 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday October 23rd 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday October 30th 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday November 6th 6:30-8:00pm
For more information on our post diagnosis course please watch our information video or contact info@swanscotland.org
Tuesday Peer Support
SWAN SpacesOnline - 14 Oct, 18:00
Post Diagnosis Group Wednesdays 11:00-12:30pm Week 3
SWAN SpacesOnline - 15 Oct, 11:00 - 12:30
Week 3 of our 6 Week Post Diagnosis Course
This group runs for six weeks on Wednesdays 11:00-12:30 via ZOOM
Booking will open on 10th September 4:30pm through our Eventbrite
Dates for this course are:
Wednesday October 1st 11:00-12:30pm
Wednesday October 8th 11:00-12:30pm
Wednesday October 15th 11:00-12:30pm
Wednesday October 22nd 11:00-12:30pm
Wednesday October 29th 11:00-12:30pm
Wednesday November 5th 11:00-12:30pm
For more information on our post diagnosis course please watch our information video or contact info@swanscotland.org
Post Diagnosis Group Thursdays 6:30-8:00pm Week 3
SWAN SpacesOnline - 16 Oct, 18:30 - 20:00
Week 3 of our 6 Week Post Diagnosis Course
This group runs for six weeks on Thursdays 18:30-20:00 via ZOOM
Booking will open on 10th September 4:30pm through our Eventbrite
Dates for this course are:
Thursday October 2nd 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday October 9th 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday October 16th 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday October 23rd 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday October 30th 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday November 6th 6:30-8:00pm
For more information on our post diagnosis course please watch our information video or contact info@swanscotland.org
Autistic Parents & Carers Peer Support
SWAN SpacesOnline - 16 Oct, 19:00 - 20:30
Sunday Peer Support Oct
SWAN SpacesOnline - 19 Oct, 15:00 - 16:00
Post Diagnosis Group Wednesdays 11:00-12:30pm Week 4
SWAN SpacesOnline - 22 Oct, 11:00 - 12:30
Week 4 of our 6 Week Post Diagnosis Course
This group runs for six weeks on Wednesdays 11:00-12:30 via ZOOM
Booking will open on 10th September 4:30pm through our Eventbrite
Dates for this course are:
Wednesday October 1st 11:00-12:30pm
Wednesday October 8th 11:00-12:30pm
Wednesday October 15th 11:00-12:30pm
Wednesday October 22nd 11:00-12:30pm
Wednesday October 29th 11:00-12:30pm
Wednesday November 5th 11:00-12:30pm
For more information on our post diagnosis course please watch our information video or contact info@swanscotland.org
Webinar - An Autistic Perspective on Anxiety, OCD and Wellbeing With Dean Beadle
SWAN SpacesOnline - 22 Oct, 18:30 - 20:00
Join Dean Beadle for a personal insight into anxiety and OCD, and an exploration of the cornerstones of autistic wellbeing.
About this Webinar
In this webinar, Dean will give a very personal insight into anxiety and OCD and reflect on what has worked for him in terms of living an authentic life around it. He will then go on to look at what he considers to be the cornerstones of autistic wellbeing.
More About Our Speaker: Dean Beadle
Dean Beadle has spent the last twenty years working as a speaker and trainer, sharing his experiences of being autistic. Known for his humorous and thought-provoking speaking style, he is passionate about creating a world that is more accessible and inclusive for autistic people. Dean has delivered inset training at schools across the UK, presented keynotes at conferences in Ireland, Germany, Belgium and Denmark and completed four seminar tours of Australia and New Zealand. He is a patron of three autism related charities
Instagram: @deanbeadlespeaker
Facebook: Dean Beadle Speaker
TikTok: dean.beadle
Post Diagnosis Group Thursdays 6:30-8:00pm Week 4
SWAN SpacesOnline - 23 Oct, 18:30 - 20:00
Week 4 of our 6 Week Post Diagnosis Course
This group runs for six weeks on Thursdays 18:30-20:00 via ZOOM
Booking will open on 10th September 4:30pm through our Eventbrite
Dates for this course are:
Thursday October 2nd 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday October 9th 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday October 16th 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday October 23rd 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday October 30th 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday November 6th 6:30-8:00pm
For more information on our post diagnosis course please watch our information video or contact info@swanscotland.org
Highlands and Islands Peer Support
SWAN SpacesOnline - 27 Oct, 18:00 - 19:00
Post Diagnosis Group Wednesdays 11:00-12:30pm Week 5
SWAN SpacesOnline - 29 Oct, 11:00 - 12:30
Week 5 of our 6 Week Post Diagnosis Course
This group runs for six weeks on Wednesdays 11:00-12:30 via ZOOM
Booking will open on 10th September 4:30pm through our Eventbrite
Dates for this course are:
Wednesday October 1st 11:00-12:30pm
Wednesday October 8th 11:00-12:30pm
Wednesday October 15th 11:00-12:30pm
Wednesday October 22nd 11:00-12:30pm
Wednesday October 29th 11:00-12:30pm
Wednesday November 5th 11:00-12:30pm
For more information on our post diagnosis course please watch our information video or contact info@swanscotland.org
Students Peer Support
SWAN SpacesOnline - 29 Oct, 18:00 - 19:00
Post Diagnosis Group Thursdays 6:30-8:00pm Week 5
SWAN SpacesOnline - 30 Oct, 18:30 - 20:00
Week 5 of our 6 Week Post Diagnosis Course
This group runs for six weeks on Thursdays 18:30-20:00 via ZOOM
Booking will open on 10th September 4:30pm through our Eventbrite
Dates for this course are:
Thursday October 2nd 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday October 9th 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday October 16th 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday October 23rd 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday October 30th 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday November 6th 6:30-8:00pm
For more information on our post diagnosis course please watch our information video or contact info@swanscotland.org
November 2025
Post Diagnosis Group Wednesdays 11:00-12:30pm Week 6
SWAN SpacesOnline - 5 Nov, 11:00 - 12:30
Week 6 of our 6 Week Post Diagnosis Course
This group runs for six weeks on Wednesdays 11:00-12:30 via ZOOM
Booking will open on 10th September 4:30pm through our Eventbrite
Dates for this course are:
Wednesday October 1st 11:00-12:30pm
Wednesday October 8th 11:00-12:30pm
Wednesday October 15th 11:00-12:30pm
Wednesday October 22nd 11:00-12:30pm
Wednesday October 29th 11:00-12:30pm
Wednesday November 5th 11:00-12:30pm
For more information on our post diagnosis course please watch our information video or contact info@swanscotland.org
Post Diagnosis Group Thursdays 6:30-8:00pm Week 6
SWAN SpacesOnline - 6 Nov, 18:30 - 20:00
Week 6 of our 6 Week Post Diagnosis Course
This group runs for six weeks on Thursdays 18:30-20:00 via ZOOM
Booking will open on 10th September 4:30pm through our Eventbrite
Dates for this course are:
Thursday October 2nd 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday October 9th 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday October 16th 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday October 23rd 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday October 30th 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday November 6th 6:30-8:00pm
For more information on our post diagnosis course please watch our information video or contact info@swanscotland.org