A funding boost for Swansea Autism Community Group

Autism Skills Development and Employment Support (ASDES) works alongside those who identify on the autistic spectrum, supporting them to explore and maintain meaningful job opportunities.

Job coaches enhance opportunities for those in isolation to engage in their community by designing unique activities that enhance positive wellbeing. Through these activities and projects, job coaches are able to work with participants to develop their knowledge and skills in finding employment through supported interviews and work trials.

Monmouthshire Building Society provided ASDES with £517 last year, allowing the group to purchase tablets and a digital projector to use with their participants.

The technology allowed job coaches at the organisation to support participants with everyday tasks which they can find difficult, such as completing online job applications, taking part in virtual training courses and enhancing their CVs, amongst other things.

ASDES sets up local projects to provide individuals with opportunities to develop themselves and gain confidence ready for employment. Jude Thatcher, Operations Manager at ASDES said the tablets allowed them to do their jobs more easily, especially through the lockdowns earlier this year:

“Thanks to the donation from the Monmouthshire, one of the first ways I used the tablet was to support a participant to complete their Census online. The participant faces hurdles with form filling and often asks for input in many different cases. In this case I was able to take one of the tablets we purchases, sit outside his house during lockdown and complete the form online. As I did so, he also busied himself with his garden so that was a bonus as he was spending time outside, which helped with positive mental wellbeing too. On behalf of my colleagues and our participants, once again MBS' input is much appreciated.”

The group have gone on to use their tablets as part of their ‘back to volunteering’ project, working with Llys Nini Animal Shelter in Swansea to help photograph their dog show. ASDES participants took responsibility for photographing entrants in the dog show photo booth using the ipads.

ASDES is a small organisation and does not have any offices. All practitioners meet with participants in the local community using offices of community partners, community buildings and cafes. The ASDES job coaches work over a wide area of Wales providing specialist support to individuals in their workplaces.

The Monmouthshire Building Society Charitable Foundation aims to provide modest donations that have a positive impact on the lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable people in communities across south Wales and the south west of England.

Since it was formed in 2000, the Monmouthshire Building Society Charitable Foundation has contributed over £300,000 to local community groups, organisations and good causes across Newport and beyond.