Sarah Parsons, Hilra Vinha, Joe Cunningham
Transitions between stages of education are challenging for all children and young people but there is good evidence that such transitions can be especially difficult for students on the autism spectrum. Many students on the autism spectrum struggle with the transition from college to University, often due to experiences of environments which may not support their aspirations and ambitions adequately enough, and a lack of information or experience about what Universities are like. This project aims to design a bespoke transition programme jointly planned between the University and Richard Taunton College to support Widening Participation initiatives. The project seeks to address the following questions:
- What are the priorities, interests and needs that should be taken into account when planning a transition programme for students on the autism spectrum?
- How do the students and staff involved in the transition programme evaluate its success?
- In what ways could the programme be further developed and implemented?
