Sussex to offer new summer school for autistic students
Sussex is set to be one of the first universities to offer a summer school to students with autism.
PhD student Chris Girvan
The Widening Participation summer school team is planning a pilot summer school for up to 20 new entrants to Sussex in 2015 who are on the autistic spectrum.
The Sussex Autistic Summer School (SASS) aims to give them a chance to become acquainted with the unfamiliar surroundings of the Sussex campus before they have to navigate them for real as a fresher.
It recognises the need for familiarity and routine that is a characteristic of many people with autism, thus supporting a successful transition to university life. Their numbers on campus have soared as part of the general expansion of higher education.
Chris Girvan, a PhD student in social cognitive development, proposed the SASS at Sussex and, with Janet France and Stephen Pomfret - the WP summer school team - will co-ordinate the event in early September.
Chris said: “We want it to enhance social and vocational skills. We want the transition from school to be good.”
Participants will be supported by a team of Widening Participation ‘Redcoats’ (ambassadors/mentors), who will undergo additional targeted training.
Chris added: “On top of that we’ll have academic teaching staff providing sample lectures, seminars and lab sessions.”
The team is optimistic that the level of support on offer – and which is recommended by experts in the field – will pay dividends.
The co-ordinators are themselves supported by the Student Support Unit (SSU) and a steering group of academic staff from across the University – drawing on real expertise on campus from people who are willing to become involved with this initiative.
Janet said: “We hope the new summer school will help more young people with autism to fulfil their potential and stay the course of their degree.
“And we hope that their experience will pave the way for others to succeed, not just at Sussex but in the university sector as a whole.”
To learn more about the Sussex Autistic Summer School, email Janet France, Stephen Pomfret or Chris Girvan (cg264@sussex.ac.uk).
The Widening Participation team will be running eight summer schools this year, the core programme of summer schools for pre-entry First-Generation Scholars being augmented for the first time not only by the SASS, but also by Headstart, a summer school for Year 12 students who will follow a programme in either engineering, chemistry or biology.