RESPECTFUL RESOURCES ABOUT AUTISM FOR AUTISTIC YOUNG PEOPLE & THEIR PEERS
As Thomas, a longtime I CAN mentee-now-mentor explains,
“The more people who hear positive things about Autism when they are young, the better chance we have of building a world that is inclusive.”
It is never too soon to introduce children to respectful representations of Autism and to showcase Autistic voices.
Below are some of our favourite resources (list not exhaustive). Many of these resources have been highlighted on our Facebook page in previous posts.
TO WATCH
♦ From Dr Wenn Lawson, a wonderful “TedB” talk on What It Means To Be Autistic. Geared toward Autistic young people.
♦ From Reframing Autism, How To Talk To Children About Autism, a step-by-step guide on how to introduce and normalise differences from a very young age and help Autistic children embrace who they are. This webinar includes many references to additional resources. A shorter, accessible overview can be found here.
♦ From Communication First, Learn From Us (an excerpt from the short film LISTEN), made by and with nonspeaking Autistic people, including several Autistic young people.
♦ Pablo, the groundbreaking children’s series features an all-Autistic main cast & Autistic writers (airs on ABC Kids in Australia).
♦ On Disney+, Loop, a gorgeous short animation featuring Pixar’s first nonspeaking Autistic character.
Many Autistic young people find it helpful and reassuring to learn from the experiences of other Autistic young people. Here are some of their stories and insights:
♦ Thirteen-year-old Summer, “The Chicken Whisperer”, was one of dozens of young presenters who took part in our AWETISM 2020 Virtual Expo, an annual free event that celebrates the passions, talents and insights of Autistic young people. View her presentation here. To get alerts for our AWETISM 2021 Expo (November) and other amazing programs for Autistic young people, please subscribe to our newsletter.
♦ From the I CAN team, our Humans On The Autism Spectrum series offers insights and advice from Autistic members of our network. Our 2020 series featured soon-to-be and recent school leavers.
♦ From 16-year-old Rosie King, this classic 2014 TED talk, How Autism Freed Me To Be Myself.
♦ From ABC TV + iview, What It’s Like…Living On The Autism Spectrum. Currently only available in Australia.
♦ From Spectrum Gaming, Autistic Young People Describe Autism In 60 Seconds.
♦ From My Autistic Sparkle, 7-year-old Skylar shares Being Autistic & How It Feels.
TO READ
♦ A wonderful assortment of recommended books on Autism and neurodiversity (various ages) from That Au-some Book Club, an international online book group. Books by Autistic authors are clearly marked as such. View the list here. Categories include picture books, novels for young people, non fiction for young people….and more!
♦ From Yenn Purkis & Tanya Masterman, The Awesome Autistic Go-To Guide: A Practical Handbook for Autistic Teens & Tweens, one of the best resources for Autistic tweens and teens that we’ve come across!
♦ From The Autistic Self Advocacy Network, Welcome To The Autistic Community, a free, plain-English, comprehensive guide for Autistic young people & adults plus anyone who wants to learn more.
♦ From our I CAN team, Important Reminders & Resources For Our Younger Autistic Peers There is a companion piece aimed at parents, carers, teachers and other adults of influence: Nurturing Self-Esteem & Pride in Autistic Young People. For resources for Autistic-LGBTIQA+ young people and the adults who support them, please see our dedicated website page here.
