Let's talk autism!
Norley Hall hosted Wigan Council’s Autism Friends as part of their Norley Natter campaign to educate people and organisations in the community about autism and the best practise associated.
Autism Friends is a campaign to raise awareness and promote acceptance of autism. Wigan Council’s vision is to become an autism-friendly borough.
The event came to Norley following the home’s attendance at the Council’s WhatsUp Champion Meeting, they’ve been running since April and have been attended by Norley’s WhatsUp Champion, resident Pat.
A WhatsUp Champion is an advocate. Their role is to ensure that residents’ messages can get through to the Manager anonymously.
The talk includes members from local communities, with discussions from emergency services who address safeguarding.
The team, who works for Wigan Council as part of the Autism Friends, gave firsthand examples of what it’s like to have autism and how people experience the world differently.
Norley’s WhatsUp Champion, Pat, was fascinated by the discussions held in the meetings. She felt it gave her a better understanding of people she’d met in the community and in her friendship groups, empowering her to be more supportive in her role as a Champion.
Pat recommended the talk to Julia, Activity Coordinator at the home, who then contacted Autism Friends to see if they’d be part of their Norley Natter campaign.
“I didn’t know an awful lot about autism, but the way they delivered it helped me learn so much about it. I find this so useful to support my friends given the information I’ve learnt.
“I thought it would be beneficial to my friends here at Norley, and I’m glad Autism Friends has become part of Norley Natter!”
“I feel going forward that Norley Hall can benefit from having this type of activity which gives us information and expands our minds on how we can best support each other in our local communities.
“The message from this talk is that we all deserve to be recognised as individuals and this is something as an Activity Coordinator, I’m passionate about sharing in Norley Hall Care Home.”
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