Autism Friendly Surrey

What is Autism Friendly Surrey?

Autistic people have told us they have difficulty using many community facilities, like shops and businesses, health centres and leisure centres.

We want to make Surrey an inclusive community and which welcomes, supports, and values autistic people, family, carers, and friends.

There will be 5 Autism Friendly Community Groups, in line with the Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) 5 "Places" across Surrey. The groups will be:

Autistic people to be able to use local facilities as easily as anyone else
Autistic people to have equal access to their local communities and to be valued as part of their community
Autistic people's voices are heard throughout this work so that they are fully involved
To change the way that organisations work, so that autistic people can use local facilities more easily and no one is left behind.
To improve understanding of autism and neurodiversity
To share information and resources about local support and partner organisations.

We have created commitments for organisations that wish to join the Autism Friendly Communities Groups to commit to.

Take up autism training through the Autism Friendly Communities groups in Surrey
Listen to autistic people when they tell us what would help

Share what we know with the people we work with and work together with others to improve understanding of autism and challenge people's assumptions
Make the Autism Friendly Community group a catalyst for change

Make our environment as autism friendly as we can
Take part in local autism-friendly community events
Plan what we can do to be more autism-friendly for our employees, customers and the wider public

Organisations and people signing up to these commitments can use and display an Autism Friendly Surrey logo.

If you would like to join your local autism friendly community group, please sign up here.

If you want to get in touch or need help completing this form, please contact us at allageautismstrategy@surreycc.gov.uk