Be You Project - Supporting children with autism

Hello!

Be You Project is an exciting new Community Interest Company that aims to provide children and young people with autism the opportunity to grow, develop life skills and form friendships in a safe, understanding environment.

According to the National Autistic Society, there are over 160,000 pupils with autism in schools across England and over 70% are in mainstream settings. Whilst it is positive that these children are able to experience education and school life with their neurotypical peers, it does mean that they sometimes miss out on learning essential skills that can be taken for granted. The art of making friends, how to manage the anxiety of a change in the days timetable as well as everyday life skills such as navigating a supermarket with a list or catching a bus.

We strongly believe that every child deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential and by giving them a little bit of extra coaching, time and a safe environment to ask questions, Be You Project hopes to support them to do so.

We do this in a number of ways

• Youth clubs for socialising

• Targeted groups to meet a specific a need eg journalling for SEMH, Independence and life skills courses

• Trips and outings

• 121 Youth Mentoring – a targeted programme to a specific individuals needs

• 121 Respite

• Small group courses run in schools focusing on wellbeing

All of our services are delivered by professionals with extensive experience working with children and young people with autism.

As you can imagine, it is costly to be able to run these services and although many families receive direct payments or funding, not everyone does, so we need to keep our charges as affordable as possible.

On average it costs us

• £7000 per year to run a youth club for 10 children/young people

• £720 for each 6 week targeted group for 6/8 children/young people

• £2250 to have a presence in one school for each week of the scholastic year

• £35 for a 2 hour 121 Respite or Youth Mentoring session

All of this adds up to over £10,000 a year to run just one of each group. For this reason, any fundraising or funding that we are able to get will enable us to expand our offering and continue to support as many young people as possible.

You can see a little bit more about us on our website www.beyouproject.co.uk and we have social media sites coming soon!

The feedback we have had to date has been extremely positive and confirms that our mission is an essential one.

‘ He was so happy when he walked through the door. I can’t thank you enough for this, it is going to help Joe massively’

Mum of Joe, 16 – 121 Youth Mentoring

‘Our Youth Mentor has been facility containment for S since she started college and stepped up to my cry for support! Amazing!

Mum of Sienna, 16 – 121 Youth Mentoring

‘Thank you so much for being you and bringing so much value and meaning not only to Olivia but to our whole family.’

Mum of Olivia, 14 – 121 Youth Mentoring

‘As parents, we can try to teach them these things but it has been great to have help. Your patience and ways of communicating has really bought out the best in Ethan.’

Mum of Ethan, 20 – Independence Group