Autistic Girls Network

We are a small registered charity working to support, educate, and bring change. Everything we do supports the mental wellness of neurodivergent girls, women, and non-binary people. Structured, neurodivergent-led support that helps them move from crisis and isolation to confidence, connection and belonging. We run face to face groups for autistic girls and non-binary young people aged from 9-18, in Birmingham our group is based in Stirchley at Pineapple house. Our groups are one of the most powerful things we do for young people’s mental wellness. The space itself is built around how autistic young people experience the world: soft or natural lighting rather than harsh strip lights, low noise, no strong smells, predictable routines, small, capped numbers, and absolutely no pressure to speak or join in. In that safety, anxious and isolated young people grow in confidence, make friends who truly understand them, and learn to advocate for themselves. Families consistently describe it as life-changing. Our groups are neuro-affirmative spaces where, most importantly, autistic children and young people can be themselves and be accepted exactly as they are Our group facilitators are neurodivergent themselves, with neurodivergent children, and they understand. Most of our facilitators have trained as teachers or Forest School practitioners. They are DBS checked with safeguarding training. Our group sizes are capped so that the group does not become too big for the young people to be comfortable coming to it. We do lots of craft, cooking and outdoor activities but we also make time for understanding more about being autistic, in a positive way.