Autistic and OK
Everyone should be able to feel OK at school. But we know this isn’t the case for many autistic pupils. That’s why we created the Autistic and OK programme, in collaboration with Zurich and the Z Zurich Foundation, to empower autistic pupils to take control of their mental health and wellbeing, understand themselves and feel OK.
We developed our Autistic and OK toolkit to run this award-winning peer-led programme. This free, downloadable resource is available for every single secondary school in the UK. Some resources within the toolkit have been adapted to meet the specific needs of specialist schools and youth groups, ensuring it is inclusive and effective across different educational settings.
Our programme aims to build a whole-school community where autistic pupils feel understood and accepted. Download the toolkit today and start your school’s journey on the Autistic and OK programme.
Watch our video that explains how Autistic and OK can be integrated into your school.
What's included in the Autistic and OK toolkit?
Each of the four peer-led sessions on the topics of anxiety, depression, OCD, and bullying contains:
- session plans
- PowerPoint presentation slides
- worksheets: for individual and group work
- peer facilitators guide.
Our teacher’s guide contains step-by step instructions for delivering the Autistic and OK programme, including:
- a checklist of responsibilities to run the peer-led sessions
- editable posters to advertise peer-led sessions
- guidance and advice on supporting autistic Peer Facilitators
- FAQs (Frequently asked questions) sheet.
This pack contains information for parents and carers of autistic pupils, including:
- an outline of each peer-led session
- information about attending peer-led sessions
- information about the Peer Facilitator role
- information sheet signposting mental health and wellbeing support services and organisations.
An assembly session for all pupils, designed to increase understanding of autism and promote acceptance of autistic young people. This session pack includes:
- an assembly plan
- PowerPoint presentation slides
- an educational video about autism.
A 40-minute training video about autism and how to support autistic pupils with their mental health and wellbeing.
School staff members who complete this training will:
- increase understanding of autism
- appreciate how autistic pupils may experience mental health challenges in schools
- learn simple strategies to support autistic pupils.
Based on feedback from our pilot programme, some of the toolkit resources have been adapted for specialist schools, ensuring it effectively meets the specific needs of these settings. These adapted resources provide tailored advice on:
- delivering the peer-led sessions with minimal disruption to the routine of the school day for pupils
- offering further support to Peer Facilitators, including shadowing teachers and co-facilitating with their peers
- integrating existing school practices around mental health into the sessions.
Based on feedback from our pilot programme, some of the toolkit resources have been adapted for youth groups, ensuring it effectively meets the specific needs of these settings. These adapted resources provide tailored advice on:
- adapting the peer-led sessions to fit the youth group’s existing schedule and regular activities
- engaging and supporting autistic group members in the Peer Facilitator role
- recommendations around embedding the programme in the group’s ongoing practice.
Programme impact
Find out more about how the programme is making a positive impact for autistic pupils in schools across the country.
Local authorities and academy trusts
Explore our frameworks which provide strategies to support schools implementing the programme.
Blogs
Read articles from autistic young people, experts and teachers who helped delveop and deliver the programme.
Why we created Autistic and OK
Autistic young people told us that increased knowledge and understanding of mental health issues help them to better manage their own wellbeing.
That's why we've designed Autistic and OK as a free programme for autistic pupils of all ages in secondary schools.
This is often due to stigma, bullying and a lack of support from a young age.
Autistic and OK aims to prevent autistic pupils from reaching crisis point with their mental health and wellbeing.
Yet only half of teachers (53%) feel they have been adequately trained to support autistic children.
Autistic and OK will help teachers spot early warning signs of poor mental health and wellbeing in autistic pupils and provide targeted support.
Autistic and OK helps to address the limited support due to stretched budgets and teacher capacity.
Young people don’t need a formal autism diagnosis to take part, so the barrier of waiting for a diagnosis is removed.
Ambitious about Autism, in collaboration with Zurich and its global charitable arm, Z Zurich Foundation, produced the ‘Autistic and OK’ programme to tackle challenges around mental health and absenteeism among autistic 11-17-year-olds.
