How delivering the Autistic and OK programme has supported my mental health
At our school, Shoreham Academy, we have been running the Autistic and OK programme which I have been leading on as an autistic Peer Facilitator.
The Autistic and OK programme, developed in collaboration with Zurich and the Z Zurich Foundation, aims to empower autistic pupils to take control of their mental health and wellbeing, understand themselves and feel OK.
My group consists of four Year 7 students who have been carefully chosen to participate in the sessions. Each session focuses on a different topic that autistic pupils struggle with such as anxiety, depression, OCD and bullying.
We had a PowerPoint to use and tasks to run through, and each session lasted for one hour. With the support of my teacher Ms Dunk, I have led all the sessions to the group, and it has given me the confidence to be in the spotlight and be responsible for other experiences of the school.
The programme’s positive impact on younger students
I have found that the programme has had a positive impact on the students I have been working with. The students have grown in confidence during the project and have really come out of their shells. I think the group have formed some friendships and certainly gained a better understanding of each other.
One of the sessions which they really found helpful was the anxiety session. All the students could relate to the topic and were willing to share their experiences in a safe space. Alongside this, the strategies have been useful to all of them. They have mentioned many times how nice it has been to be with others who struggle with the same thing. It’s been helpful to know that people in the school understand autism and experience similar things.
How the programme has supported me
I have really enjoyed the experience of leading this group. As a student who has struggled with many of the topics myself; being a role model has increased my confidence. I hope to continue working with other young people to help them feel part of our school community.
The bond the group has made during this project has been lovely to witness. Having an impact on younger students and the responsibility of it has helped me go into school despite my own anxieties. It has made me reflect on my own experiences at school and strategies that I can use. I wish I had this project when I was in Year 7 and hope to continue to help lead this at my school.
About the Autistic and OK programme
The Autistic and OK programme is a preventative mental health and wellbeing programme for secondary schools. The programme equips autistic pupils with tools to proactively look after their mental health and wellbeing, better understand themselves and feel OK in the school environment.
Learn more about Autistic and OK and download the free toolkit.
About the author
Daisy is a year 10 pupil at Shoreham academy, based in West Sussex. She took on the role of Peer Facilitator of the Autistic and OK programme at her school. Taking on this role meant Daisy led the sessions on different mental health topics, helping to guide younger autistic pupils through the learning activities.
