South Tyneside College, South Shields – An autism awareness event was organised by students at the college’s specialist Interface department, which teaches life and work skills to young people with autism and Asperger syndrome.
Curriculum leader Nicola Beldham said:
“The event highlighted the strengths that people with autism have and how they can be exceptional. Many people with autism are positive role models”
Interface provides tuition and support for 44 full-time students, aged between 16 and 25,and is the only specialist mainstream college of its kind in the region for those with autism.
Learners made information boards, featuring images and biographies of famous celebrities and historical figures thoiught to have been on the autistic spectrum such as Albert Einstein and George Orwell.
Students at Interface typically spend a year learning various social and emotional skills, while also learning independent living skills, such as personal safety and money management.
The original article in The Shields Gazette can be read here