Triple A’s and One Stop Shop Aberdeen: Secured funding to Re-Launch free online ‘Autistic Yoga Classes & Autistic Carers’ and ‘Autistic Counselling Service’
Autistic-led charity Triple A’s is delighted to announce securing an incredible £11,020 of funding from Fairer Aberdeen: Covid-19 Hardship Fund running up to June 2021. The new fund will allow the delivery of free online autistic appropriate yoga classes and one carers yoga class. In addition to this wellbeing initiative, we will deliver a limited autistic appropriate counselling service.
Yoga
These relaxing sessions are being delivered in partnership with non-profit social enterprise Edinburgh Community Yoga, who specialise in delivering accessible and inclusive classes. Aimed at autistic people and their families across Scotland, they will provide gentle relaxation at home, with no previous yoga experience. Yoga is believed to have many therapeutic benefits for mental health, reducing stress and anxiety.
The yoga programme will consist of three sessions every week. The yoga was piloted for 6 months in 2020 funded via Scottish Government Wellbeing Fund and delivered 716 live and offline classes to 112 people registered over 6 months.
Classes run on Monday (6–7pm) focussed on Yoga for Mental Health, Thursday (8–9pm) Evening Chill Out Yoga focussed on preparing for sleep for autistic. And the welcomed return of our Carers Gentle Yoga on Tuesday (8–9pm) restarting on Tuesday 16th March 2021.
Founding Director Laura Wilson comments “We are delighted to be continuing our work with Triple A’s. It has been a real silver lining in a very challenging year to have had the opportunity to reach the autistic community with online yoga in this way. The feedback has been so positive and we have really felt the positive impact these classes have had for people attending.”
Those interested can get more information and register on the One Stop Shop Aberdeen website www.oss-aberdeem.co.uk/yoga/
Counselling Service
The new autistic appropriate counselling service was piloted in 2020. Our counsellor John Grafton is a fully qualified practitioner and is himself autistic, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role. While the service is currently limited to the local area, we hope to expand the service over the coming year in line with the huge demand for support.
John Grafton, Counsellor “I have been working with Triple A’s in the pilot of their counselling & support service, through the Covid 19 crisis. From my earliest days I was aware that I was working with, not just one person; but their interaction with their environment and immediate family and friends.
The inevitable link between client and surrounding has constantly been re-emphasised throughout my 45 years of practice. Training in special education teaching, General Nursing and Psychiatric nursing. Following qualification as a Mental Health Nurse I took up post in an adolescent unit, began training Psychotherapy [Psychodrama, Insight Therapy, Family Systems therapy]. In the late 1980’s I moved into counselling provision in general Practice. Running voice hearing groups in private hospitals, listening to ex-service personnel with PTSD, managing adolescent private care.
Working with Autistic people, and their ‘families’, through the covid crisis has been an amazing journey — to see the resourcefulness of the human being, how these people keep going and striving. When you are sitting in your flat, watching the money, alone… then the heating goes in the middle of the cold snap!! And so many other brick walls ‘we’ have HIT over the year.. and we keep going!! A BIG well done to everyone!
And thanks to the teams at Triple A’s and One Stop Shop Aberdeen for securing this new funding enabling us to continue this crucial service. We aim to continue and expand the support service over the course of 2021.”
Anyone who wish to access our services can register for our yoga classes www.oss-aberdeen.co.uk/yoga/. If you wish to access our counselling service please contact us by email hello@oss-aberdeen.co.uk for more information.