Pasda – Supporting families of Adults with Autism

Friday April 17th 2015

Pasda provides practical and emotional support to parents, partners and siblings of adults (16+) with Autism Spectrum Conditions across Edinburgh and the Lothians, helping these carers live meaningful and fulfilling lives, empowering and improving their health and wellbeing through one-to-one and peer support, signposting, social activities and learning opportunities.

Their Interactive project (funded by The Big Lottery Fund and the Scottish Government’s Autism Development Fund) consists of:

Carer-training workshops on Understanding Autism, Employment, Autism and Mental Health, Independent Living and Communication Skills. Each workshop lasts 3 hours and the facilitation of these workshops is shared by two Project Workers. These workshops provide education, skills and intensive support for carers across Edinburgh and the Lothians.

A personalised action plan for every carer based on what the carer’s main concerns are and what support Pasda can offer. Carers are supported to review their action plan every 3 months. Our carers are better equipped to cope with their challenging situations thanks to the intensive and dedicated one-to-one support they receive from our project workers.

A full programme of support groups across Edinburgh and the Lothians including a Midlothian carer support group held the second Tuesday of every month from 7-8.30 pm in Penicuik Town Hall. Other activities include a craft group, book group and singing group. Carers enjoy and benefit emotionally from our support groups and relish the opportunities Pasda provides for them to try new activities in the company of their peers.

They are looking to publicise their work to a wider audience and in March, their Executive Manager, Donna Nelson, and one of their carers, Cath Purdie, were interviewed by Michael McEwan of IRISS.fm. You can hear the interview at HERE. There will also be articles about Pasda in two magazines that Michael writes for; a national publication “Learning Disabilities Today” and Glasgow magazine “Possibilities”.

Their team comprises their Executive Manager, Donna Nelson; Project Manager, Dylan Hamilton; two Project Workers, Danni Szerszynska and Graeme Syme; an Administrator, Rachel Pickett; and Fundraising Officer, Judith Younger. They also have a volunteer service which currently provides a counselling service and several of their groups.

Please feel free to contact Pasda for any more information you may require, on 0131 475 2416. They would be delighted to hear from you.

Their website is at www.pasda.org.uk, or you can e-mail info@pasda.org.uk. You can also find them on Twitter @PasdaOfficial or on Facebook .