The large geographical area of Perth & Kinross can cause significant challenges for some of our young people who live in more rural areas to access our centre in Perth City which can mean they are at a disadvantage to accessing autism specific support.
From 2018-2020, funding from the Perth & Kinross Rural LEADER Programme allowed us to develop our services in 3 further areas of Perthshire – Highland Perthshire, Crieff and Blairgowrie, and although this funding has now ended we have secured funding to March 2022 from the Scottish Govcrnment Rural Communities Ideas into Action Fund – and we are able to add a 4th area, Kinross!
We have always been aware of the barriers to accessing our young people had in these areas so we were delighted to get out on the road and create Perth Autism Support Hubs in each of these areas.
The aim of our outreach programme is to deliver a version of all the services delivered in Perth City and includes:
Parents/carers all need a good support network around them; family, friends, support agencies – they all play a role in helping parents/carers through. In more rural communities this can be harder to find, particularly if you are a parent of a child with additional support needs.
Through our outreach programme we offer parents/carers access to:
At PAS, we believe autism should not be a barrier to accessing a full and inclusive life in every community and that our children and young people should have access to a choice of services, including Universal Youth Services, no matter where they live.
Our outreach service supports all areas of our hub communities, whether it is employers, other youth services, education or community groups. We provide training to increase the understanding of autism to be able to support our young people positively and effectively, which decreases their reliance on autism specific services and allows choice and control in their lives.
If you are based in one of our hub areas and are keen to know more about how we could support, check out our training section on our website or contact us on training@perthautismsupport.org.uk
Blairgowrie – Live Active Blairgowrie
Crieff – Strathearn Community Campus
Highland Perthshire – The Atholl Centre, Pitlochry
Kinross – Kythe Hub