ASPIE launch - embracing diversity Pt 1.

Well the launch day was great! About 30 - 40 people turned up to Rutland House on the Tything in Worcester yesterday. The rooms were open between 1 and 9pm with ASPIE organisers - especially well organised by Julia and Sarah - working their socks off to make sure people were shown around, completed questionnaires, ate plenty of the mound of Marks and Spencer sandwiches and cakes and generally made to feel very welcome. John sat on the door to make sure anyone hanging around looking vague outside knew where to come into and did a fabulous job of making everyone welcome.

Julia and Sarah must have spoken at length to every single person who came in - there was absolutely no way that anyone was going to feel out of place or uncomfortable here! Bill - well Bill was just Bill - probably the most calm, likeable and approachable man anywhere (is it because he is a psychologist or is it because he's Aussie? - or both!) Michael, Mike, Linda, Jon, David, Glen and Liane (Sam chickened out - sorry - had an assignment to complete (actually he really did have an assignment to complete pretty quickly and thoroughly)) also popped in, out and hung around to talk to as many people as possible and try to find out just what they would like from a social support group for adults with Asperger's Syndrome and Higher Functioning Autism.

People with Asperger Syndrome turned up either alone or with parents/facilitators in tow to have their say on this new project to make sure as many people as possible get what they need, professionals and councillors came to find out what it was all about, support workers looked in and Jenny from Make Time Friendship Group arrived to talk to us about her valuable experiences in setting up a support and social group for people who are lonely and alone.

The questionnaires elicited some useful information about what Aspies wanted - whether it was confidence building, learning social skills, assertiveness training or just having a safe place to 'hang out' and not have to 'pretend to be normal'.

What was particularly noticeable with the number of people who came for a chat was the general diversity between people known, and not yet known (!), to have AS, and the calm acceptance and appreciation of everyone, of each other, who walked through the door.

And a joke I must share from Phil - who doesn't have OCD but CDO - because it has to be in alphabetical order :-) .... Perhaps you have to be an Aspie!

So ... ASPIE is open every Wednesday for adults with AS. Look forward to meeting you there!