It’s World Autism Acceptance Week!

Our Newsletter Group has been researching the subject and has created this report, including two poems to better understand how people with autism feel.

World Autism Acceptance Week aims to raise awareness of how autism affects people’s lives and what we can do to help. It also aims to help raise funds for charities supporting people with autism.

Autism spectrum disorder, or autism, is a condition caused by differences in the brain. People with autism may have different ways of thinking and behaving. They often have unique interests and pay attention to things in different ways. They may also learn, communicate, interact with others, and move differently.

Autism is not an illness. Autism is a broad term. It’s important to know that not all people with autism look and behave the same. Each person with autism is a unique individual with unique characteristics. Many are very talented and have excellent knowledge and skills. In the UK, over 700,000 people are living with autism. Many residents in our community live with some forms of autism in varying degrees.

To help you better understand how people with autism feel, our Deputy Manager, Destiny, adapted a poem.

(For a bit of background behind the poem, one of our residents, Euan, recently went to Fuerteventura. He told a waiter struggling to understand, “mi hijo tiene autismo,” which means ‘my son has autism’ which he heard his dad saying. The fact he used Spanish to express his needs was terrific!!)

Mi hijo tiene autism (my son has autism)

‘In our minds, the world is vast,
A different lens through which we cast.
Our senses heightened, emotions strong,
Sometimes it feels like we don’t belong.

Autism is a part of who we are,
A unique perspective that can take us far.
It may be challenging at times,
But it also gives us gifts that shine.

Autism is a journey we walk,
With highs and lows, like any other folk.
But with love, acceptance, and support,
We can thrive, and our potential be brought.

As Euan once said in his own kind of way,
“My son has autism”, in Spanish he conveyed.
Autism is a part of our identity,
A beautiful tapestry, of diversity.’

Our resident poet, Lucie, also wrote a poem to celebrate On World Autism Acceptance Week 2023.

Autism comes in many ways,
Some more severe than others.
But don’t judge us before you get to know us
I should know this more than anyone, for I have autism myself
And many people have the same fate as me
Some have it more severe and others don’t have it as bad.
But no matter where they all are in the world…
…They should all be treated as equals.
Please stand by my side as we raise awareness to autism.
And allow everyone to understand that we should be valued like everyone else.

For World Autism Acceptance Week 2023, we ask the public to support our charity to continue offering a tailor-made services to ensure everyone at Camphill MK can live full and inclusive lives.

You can donate here!