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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 (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

Edinburgh: Wellbeing Walk

Falkirk: Meet-Up

Fife: Meet-Up

Fife: Wellbeing Walk

Glasgow: Bridgeton Meet-up

Glasgow: Queen’s Park Meet-up

Glasgow: Queens Park Wellbeing Walk

Glasgow: West End Meet-up

Oban: Wellbeing Walk

Shetland: Meet-Up

Stirling: Meet-Up

Stirling: Wellbeing Walk

Stonehaven: Meet-Up

West Lothian: Meet-Up

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.

December 2025
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4th

Borders Meet-Up

SWAN Places
4 Dec, 14:00
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4th

Fife Meet-Up

SWAN Places
4 Dec, 17:00 - 18:30
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6th

Glasgow Queen's Park Wellbeing Walk

SWAN Places
6 Dec, 10:30 - 11:30
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6th

Aberdeen Meet-Up

SWAN Places
6 Dec, 11:30 - 13:00
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10th

Glasgow Queen's Park Meet-Up

SWAN Places
10 Dec, 18:30 - 20:00
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11th

Ayr Meet-Up

SWAN Places
11 Dec, 18:00 - 19:00
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13th

Oban Wellbeing Walk

SWAN Places
13 Dec, 11:00 - 12:00
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14th

Edinburgh Meet-Up

SWAN Places
14 Dec, 14:00 - 16:00
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15th

Falkirk Meet-Up

SWAN Places
15 Dec, 16:30 - 18:00
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16th

Glasgow Bridgeton Meet-Up

SWAN Places
16 Dec, 13:30 - 15:00
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16th

Stirling Meet-Up

SWAN Places
16 Dec, 17:00 - 18:30
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18th

Glasgow West End Meet-Up

SWAN Places
18 Dec, 13:30 - 15:00
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18th

Shetland Meet-Up

SWAN Places
18 Dec, 18:00 - 20:00
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29th

Dumfries & Galloway Meet-Up

SWAN Places
29 Dec, 10:30 - 12:00
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January 2026
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6th

Borders Meet-Up

SWAN Places
6 Jan, 14:00 - 15:00
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6th

Stirling Wellbeing Walk

SWAN Places
6 Jan, 17:00 - 18:00
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10th

Oban Wellbeing Walk

SWAN Places
10 Jan, 11:00 - 12:00
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11th

Edinburgh Meet-Up

SWAN Places
11 Jan, 14:00 - 16:00
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14th

Ayr Meet-Up

SWAN Places
14 Jan, 18:00 - 19:00
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14th

Glasgow Queen's Park Meet-Up

SWAN Places
14 Jan, 18:30 - 20:00
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15th

Glasgow West End Meet-Up

SWAN Places
15 Jan, 13:30 - 15:00
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19th

Falkirk Meet-Up

SWAN Places
19 Jan, 16:30 - 18:00
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20th

Glasgow Bridgeton Meet-Up

SWAN Places
20 Jan, 13:30 - 15:00
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20th

Stirling Meet-Up

SWAN Places
20 Jan, 17:00 - 18:30
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24th

Glasgow Queen's Park Wellbeing Walk

SWAN Places
24 Jan, 10:30 - 11:30
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26th

Dumfries & Galloway Meet-Up

SWAN Places
26 Jan, 10:30 - 12:00
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26th

East Lothian Meet-Up

SWAN Places
26 Jan, 18:00 - 19:30
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29th

Shetland Meet-Up

SWAN Places
29 Jan, 18:00 - 20:00
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30th

Dundee Meet-Up

SWAN Places
30 Jan, 15:00 - 17:00
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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 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.


Autistic Identity (Previously Post Diagnosis Group)

Autistic Discovery (Previously Pre-Diagnosis Group)

Autistic Parents & Carers Peer Support

Highlands and Islands Peer Support

Queer Peer Support

Students Peer Support

Sunday Peer Support

Tuesday Peer Support

Body Doubling

Body Doubling - Winter Special

Crafting Social

Wellbeing Webinars

Online Peer Support Forum

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

December 2025
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9th

Tuesday Peer Support

SWAN Spaces
Online - 9 Dec, 18:00 - 19:00
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11th

Queer Peer Support

SWAN Spaces
Online - 11 Dec, 18:00 - 19:00
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11th

Webinar - Call to Play With Max Alexander

SWAN Spaces
Online - 11 Dec, 18:30 - 20:00
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Join Max Alexander to tap into your play instincts and needs and explore how you might make more space for these in your day to day life.

Book through Eventbrite.

Booking opens Monday 3rd November

About this Webinar

This session will be an opportunity to tap into your play instincts and needs and explore how you might make more space for these in your day to day life. The session will centre and celebrate authentic autistic play in all its forms.

To participate in activities you will need: A teaspoon and a blanket/similar.

You are also invited to bring any thing they like to stim and/or play with. This might include paper and a pen, toys, cool rocks, squishy things, bouncy things, stretchy things etc.

More About Our Speaker: Max Alexander

Max Alexander is an artist, play worker and writer. Max’s work centres play and connection with a particular focus on autistic, neurodivergent and disabled experiences. Max enjoys climbing things, communing with sticks and making drawings.

www.playradical.com

Book

15th

Body Doubling

SWAN Spaces
Online - 15 Dec, 18:00 - 19:00
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18th

Autistic Parents & Carers Peer Support

SWAN Spaces
Online - 18 Dec, 19:00 - 20:30
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21st

Body Doubling - Winter Special

SWAN Spaces
21 Dec, 14:00 - 15:00
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December can feel especially busy and demanding, whether you celebrate Christmas or not.

To help ease the load, we’ve added an extra body-doubling session so you can focus on whatever tasks you need to get done.

21st December

2-3pm

Some ideas people might work on:
• Wrapping gifts (Christmas or otherwise)
• Online shopping
• Crafting or making things
• Writing cards or messages (seasonal or general)
• Tidying up digital or home tasks
• Any other jobs you’ve been meaning to tackle
Join us for this additional session and use the time to get organised, feel more prepared, and enjoy a little calm during a busy season — whatever that season looks like for you.


21st

Sunday Peer Support

SWAN Spaces
Online - 21 Dec, 15:00 - 16:00
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January 2026
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5th

Crafting Social

SWAN Spaces
Online - 5 Jan, 19:00 - 20:00
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8th

Queer Peer Support

SWAN Spaces
Online - 8 Jan, 18:00 - 19:00
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13th

Tuesday Peer Support

SWAN Spaces
Online - 13 Jan, 18:00 - 19:00
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15th

Autistic Parents & Carers Peer Support

SWAN Spaces
Online - 15 Jan, 19:00 - 20:30
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18th

Sunday Peer Support

SWAN Spaces
Online - 18 Jan, 15:00 - 16:00
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19th

Body Doubling

SWAN Spaces
Online - 19 Jan, 18:00 - 19:00
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22nd

Webinar - A World of Stories With Lindsey Gibb

SWAN Spaces
Online - 22 Jan, 18:00 - 19:30
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Join performance storyteller Lindsey Gibb as she discusses why she loves stories so much and what it’s like to be a neurodiverse performer.

Book through Eventbrite.

Booking opens Monday 8th December, 16:00.

About this Webinar

What is traditional storytelling? How does it fit in a digital dominated world? Join Performance storyteller Lindsey Gibb as she discusses why she loves stories so much and what it’s like to be a neurodiverse performer.

This webinar is rescheduled from August 2025.

More About Our Speaker: Lindsey Gibb

Lindsey is a neurodivergent performance storyteller based in Perthshire and co author of Perthshire Folk Tales. She tells stories of the land, it’s history and it’s environment.

Book

26th

Highlands and Islands Peer Support

SWAN Spaces
Online - 26 Jan, 18:00 - 19:00
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26th

Students Peer Support

SWAN Spaces
Online - 26 Jan, 18:00 - 19:00
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