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Respect for Group Services
We offer Group Wellbeing Support Services to autistic people and their families and carers who live in Greater Manchester. Groups are run online.
All of our groups are hosted by trained counsellors and facilitators, with at least one facilitator identifying as neurodiverse themselves.
We offer two types of groups:
- Autism Awareness Groups
- Themed Peer Support Groups
We run very small groups of between 6 and 8 people and there are groups available for teenagers, adults, parents / carers and LGBTQI+ communities.
More details on our groups can be found below.
Please fully complete the referral form - click the link below. Please note, incomplete referral forms cannot be processed.
After we receive your referral, we will contact you to arrange an assessment where we will discuss all our service options with you and guide you through the next steps. You are able to access more than one service.
We offer a flexible working environment at the Charity and many of our service coordinators work part-time. Once you have submitted your referral form, please be aware that it may be up to 2 weeks before we contact you to book you in for an assessment. Thank you for your patience.
Autism Awareness Groups
Our Autism Awareness Groups offer you 8 x 2 hour online groups.
Each group is held weekly, has 2 facilitators and up to 8 participants.
These groups are structured and psychoeducational in nature. This means that our facilitators use a range of activities within the group sessions that combine education with counselling approaches and the shared lived experiences of group participants to improve knowledge and understanding of autism and how autism can impact day to day life.
Participants can decide how active they want to be during sessions and may wish to keep cameras off or use the typed chat functions rather than speak etc. If you want to speak in the sessions, there is also plenty of opportunity for interaction and peer connection.
Groups are such a powerful opportunity to connect with people who are experiencing similar things to you.
These groups are available for:
Adults (18+)
Parents and carers
Course content:
Week 1: Autism and diagnosis
Defining autism: from historical theories of autism to today’s theories. Diagnosis and co-occurring conditions. Life beyond diagnosis.
Week 2: The social autistic being
The social being and the challenges of being social. Autistic identity theory.
Week 3: Autistic communication
Verbal and non-verbal communication, behaviour as communication and supporting social interactions.
Week 4: Sensory processing
The language of feelings and emotions, Understanding our sensory worlds and sensory difficulties empathy.
Week 5: Executive functioning
Impact on functioning and independence, processing information, signs of not coping, coping strategies.
Week 6: Mental Health
Mental health and functioning, maintaining mental health, neuroplasticity, sleep, other support.
Week 7: Knowing ourselves better
Knowing me, knowing you! AHA, disclosure, advocacy, relationships, aging.
Week 8: Accessing support
Making a support plan and moving forward.
Resources pages: healthcare, workplace, legal support and benefits.
Our Autism Awareness Groups run multiple times per year.
Themed Peer Support Groups
Our Themed Peer Support Groups offer you 8 x 2 hour online groups.
Each group is held weekly, has 2 facilitators and up to 8 participants.
These groups are facilitated but are peer led in their approach. This means that the discussions in each group session are led by the participants rather than structured. Our facilitators are there purely to help get the conversation going in line with that week's topic.
The weekly themes for these groups are:
Week 1: Autism and me
Week 2: Autism diagnosis, self-Identifying without diagnosis, and Disclosure
Week 3: Communication differences and difficulties
Week 4: Sensory processing and differences
Week 5: Emotions and emotional regulation
Week 6: Managing our mental health and wellbeing
Week 7: Endings and transitions
Week 8: Open group topic
Participants can decide how active they want to be during sessions and may wish to keep cameras off or use the typed chat functions rather than speak etc.
Groups are such a powerful opportunity to connect with people who are experiencing similar things to you.
These groups are available for:
Adults (18+)
LGBTQI+ Adults (16+)
Autism and work (18+)
Parents and carers
Our Themed Peer Support Groups run multiple times per year.