Drop In Support

Aim

Our Norwich Drop In provides advice, support and advocacy for young people and adults with Autism who experience financial exclusion.

About Us

Asperger East Anglia is a registered charity that was set up by families affected by Asperger syndrome (AS). We offer personal, friendly support and assistance for everyone with, or suspected of having, AS. Our aim is to be a resource and provide a range of support services for children, young people, and adults with AS and their families, whilst also increasing awareness and understanding of Asperger syndrome.

Our activities:

• Adult Support, including Social Groups
• Personal Support programmes
• Workshops to improve skills development and employment opportunities
• Children/Young People Groups
• Parenting Support Groups
• Family Carer Support, including Groups
• Educational Aid advice/information for children/young people.

Our Team

We are a dedicated team – some of us have first-hand ‘lived’ experience of autism. Some of us have children with Asperger’s syndrome, both young children and those who have reached adulthood. As a family carer, we understand the challenges people experience with autism and we have a good insight into the often complex and high levels of behavioural needs people present with.  We have been fortunate to employ an ex-service user within our Employment and Training Workshop and their insight of autism informs all areas of our delivery and working practice. 

Our Board of Trustees

Trustees bring their own expertise to the charity and include a Forensic Psychiatrist working within the NHS secure mental health field, a Professor Clinical Psychology and Disability who also works as an Honorary Consultant Clinical and Forensic Psychologist, a Special Educational Needs Teacher. Others have worked extensively in the charity and professional sectors, serve as an Anglican priest.  Some are family carers of children/adults with Asperger syndrome and one Trustee also has a diagnosis of autism.

Our Patrons

We are also fortunate to have the support of three Patrons who champion our work, and they are:

Sir Norman Lamb who was the Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for North Norfolk from 2001 to 2019. He served as Minister of State for Care and Support in the Department of Health. In December 2019 Norman Lamb was appointed chair of South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust; Sir Lamb actively champions the work of Norfolk’s voluntary sector.

Mr William Armstrong OBE became Norfolk Coroner after practicing as a solicitor for over 30 years in Norwich, specialising in mental health and child-care issues. During his tenure he set up a support service and the first chaplaincy service in the county. He was chairman of the health watchdog Healthwatch Norfolk and has held the role of Sheriff of Norwich. He is a Lay Cannon of Norwich Cathedral and in 2015 was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of his services to the bereaved and to charity.

Dr Fiona Scott is a Chartered Psychologist and former Research Associate at the Autism Research Centre (ARC). She has over 17 years’ experience in researching and assessing children and adults with autism spectrum disorders. Her research interests include the epidemiology autism and Asperger syndrome in 5-11 year olds, and developing work exploring prospective incidence of autism spectrum disorders. Dr Scott has also been involved with the Department of Health workshop and policy drafting on Asperger syndrome, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Autism, the National Initiative for Autism Screening and Assessment (NIASA), and the Review Group for the Medical Research Council Review of Autism. Research.

Our Vision

Our vision is that people effected by Asperger syndrome (AS) live in a settled, warm, and comfortable environment, and that they have the resources needed to lead a healthy and enjoyable lifestyle.

Our Project – Drop-In Support to Young People and Adults with Asperger syndrome

Asperger syndrome is a neurodevelopment disability falling within the autistic spectrum. It effects how people communicate with/relate to others, how they experience the world around them as well as their prospects for employment and independent living. 

Requests for support from people with Asperger syndrome is continuous as people struggle with income deprivation, housing needs and anxiety/poor mental wellbeing. People require specialist advice and support in the context of Autism.

Due to the considerable increase in self-referrals, we need to extend the opening hours of our Drop-In and Support project that we deliver in Norwich. The project is facilitated by a small team of Support Workers who provide timely, person-centred support for young people and adults living in Norwich/surrounding area who are in crisis, or who have concerns, regarding their financial circumstances including the cost of living and food poverty.

With consent, the Support Worker will liaise with statutory organisations (Health/Benefits/Housing), advocating on behalf of service users to ensure their entitlements are met. 

We take a holistic approach to supporting people with Asperger syndrome, which includes offering support to family carers.  For many families affected by autism, the cost-of-living crisis is further impacted by a family carer/parent leaving their employment to become a full-time carer of their autistic child, placing further stresses within the family home. Delivery will include:

-individual Assessment and Action Plan to address identified needs.

-Benefit Entitlement Checker providing advocacy and support where we believe people are not receiving their full entitlement(s).    

-individual support which takes into account the unique needs of the person with autism to ensure information, advice and guidance is understood.

-liaise with energy suppliers/other service providers, specialist advice services such as debt. 

-support to family carers, including addressing unaffordable rent/mortgage payments, utility bills and debt; and developing coping strategies during challenging periods.  

Or project is based in the city centre of Norwich; people are able to Drop In for support.  In busy times, this may mean an appointment is scheduled for later in the day.   Additional Support Worker resources will enable us to reduce waiting times but also enable us to provide a more immediate response.  

Our project outcomes

564 adults with Asperger syndrome have reduced levels of anxiety regarding their financial wellbeing leading to improved:

-income levels, receiving full Benefit entitlements.

-management of household expenses, including skills acquisition to maintain healthy finances – income/expenditure, financial planning, understanding debt, where to get specialist financial advice services.

-awareness of, and access to, Food Banks and other similar community resources to ensure healthy eating is maintained.

-financial wellbeing which positively impacts on the mental health and wellbeing of people with Asperger syndrome and their family carers. 

-ensuring the caring and cared-for relationship(s) remains strong and mutually supportive.

Client Testimonial

“I really don't know what I would have done without the Drop-In Centre. I have lost count of the number of times I found myself at the point of a melt down and made my way to the office. My support Worker knows me well now and helps to calm me down.

If it wasn’t for Asperger East Anglia being there for me on those occasions, I don’t know what would have happened to me - it has literally saved me from myself.

Thank you for all your support.”  

How we will use money raised

Asperger East Anglia is grateful for any money received through this Crowdfunding Campaign, regardless of the amount received.  Money will be used to increase the project delivery hours so as to fully support and reach people with or affected by Asperger syndrome who have concerns regarding their financial wellbeing.  

Raising £1,557 will enable us to deliver an additional 2 hours of support per week over 52 weeks 

Raising £2,335 will enable us to deliver an additional 3 hours of support per week over 52 weeks

Raising £3,114 will enable us to deliver an additional 4 hours of support per week over 52 weeks.

Raising £3,892 will enable us to deliver an additional 5 hours of support per week over 52 weeks.

REWARD - for donations made of £50 or more, a young person attending our training workshop will make a house sign for the donor.  

This project successfully funded on 12th January 2023