What we do
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Our work
All our work supports children and young people with autism. We run specialist education services, an award-winning employment programme and children and young people are at the heart of our charity's decision-making, policy work and campaigning.
We also use our expertise to deliver training and consultancy to a wide range of organisations to improve awareness and understanding of autism.
Training and consultancy
We use our expertise to empower people with greater understanding and awareness of autism.
Youth participation
Young people are at the heart of everything we do to ensure they are given a platform to be heard.
Research
Undertaking research with autistic children, young people and families can help us understand needs.
Education
We know that early intervention, education and support are critical if children and young people with autism are to learn, thrive, achieve and live fulfilling lives as adults.
All of our education services address gaps where there is a need for autistic children and young people, and are developed as creative partnerships with funders and local communities. The Ambitious Approach is our model of education practice, developed over years of direct work with autistic children and young people and other research evidence.
Ambitious about Autism runs two autism-specific day schools serving London and the Home Counties for children and young people aged 3-19. TreeHouse School is a non-maintained special school, established in 1997, educating children with autism and learning disabilities. The Rise School is a free-school established by the Ambitious about Autism Schools Trust in 2014. Pupils at The Rise School access the national curriculum at approximately the same level as their peers.
Ambitious about Autism also runs Ambitious College - London's only registered college for young people aged 16-25 with autism and learning disabilities - which opened in 2014 in partnership with Pears Foundation. The college has two Pears campuses, based within the College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London (CONEL) and West Thames College.
Employment
Autistic people bring unique qualities and diverse perspectives to the workplace and we are working across the UK to ensure that these individuals can gain employment experience.
Through our employability programmes we:
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act as a bridge to employment for autistic people by removing barriers
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work with employers to enable them to access a pool of uniquely talented and innovative autistic employees
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support organisations to increase their confidence in autism and neurodiversity in the workplace
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promote paid experiences of work for autistic people through regional networks
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provide training, resources, and ongoing mentorship to a wide network of partners across the UK.
The challenge: Many autistic people are able and willing to work, yet the numbers that are able to do that are shockingly low. 21.7% of autistic people are in full or part-time employment, even though the vast majority want to work.
Policy and campaigns
We commission research and use our own evidence to help policy-makers shape legislation that will support young people in education, employment and beyond.
The autistic young people we work with play an active role in shaping our policy and campaigning priorities.
Based on research, direct evidence from autistic children and young people, and our expertise in delivering autism education, we respond to government proposals and raise issues in Parliament. Our briefings and consultation responses highlight areas of concern and propose solutions.
We work in partnership with those who share our ambitions for autistic children and young people including universities and other charities. We also work closely with Parliamentarians, sitting on the advisory group for the All Party Parliamentary Group on Autism and the Westminster Commission on Autism.
Awareness
We know that for society to accept autism as part of everyday life we need to increase awareness and understanding.
For more information about what we do, please head to: www.ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk/what-we-do
