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Neurodivergent Friendly Date Ideas

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Neurodivergent Friendly Date Ideas

 

Quite often, a lot of the stereotypical date ideas – like going to a restaurant – can be overwhelming, especially if you are autistic. There can be lots of people there making noise, there might be music on, the lighting might be weird, and the food might be different to what you are used to.  Here are some ideas, for date activities that won’t make you feel overstimulated.

Movie night – Maybe there’s a film you’ve both been wanting to see, or maybe you’d like to share your favourite film with your date. You could make it extra special by having your favourite movie snacks and drinks. If you fancy going to the cinema, you could also look up if there are any sensory-friendly showings near you, as this can be a good option if you normally find the cinema too loud.

Walks – Walking can be a great way to spend time with someone, especially if there is a nice place near you. You can spend time in nature and enjoy being outside. You might even like to take a picnic with both of your favourite snacks.

Art date – If you are creative people, you might enjoy making some art together. You could draw each other, colour the same thing and compare your choices, or even learn a new craft together. You might enjoy each working on your own projects, but in the same room, where you are able to chat, or just enjoy each other’s company.

Museums – museums and art galleries can be a great place for a date. You could explore something that you are interested in, and learn something new. There are lots of different museums for different things, if you are more interested in science, history or art, there will probably be something for you.

Games – If you enjoy videogames, there are so many games designed to be played in pairs, you could choose to compete with each other or play a fun co-op game and work as a team. Likewise, board games are a great activity for spending time together, getting to know each other, and there are a lot of great board games to play as a duo.

These are just some ideas for how you could spend time with a partner, and you could also use these ideas as things to do with your friends. Remember, there are no rules for what the perfect date should look like, but it’s good to think about what you need from your environment. For example, trying to get to know someone, or have a romantic time, in a busy or stressful environment might be quite difficult. It’s okay to go somewhere during off-peak times or choose to do something at home.

Think about calm environments, sensory friendly activities, and shared interests. Many autistic people benefit from routine and flexibility, so maybe a weekly movie night together, or a monthly trip somewhere might be fun!

ericknows.co.uk shares various locations which pride themselves on accessibility across the

 

 

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February Guides – Consent

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MAIN’s guide to understanding Consent

Giving consent means giving permission or agreement for something to happen. This is a very important thing to think about in dating and relationships, especially around sex.  Establishing consent clearly and explicitly is always important in sexual encounters.

Consent matters because it:

  • Builds trust in relationships
  • Prevents harm and trauma
  • Respects everyone’s boundaries
  • Empowers people to make their own decisions

Navigating sex and consent as a neurodivergent person can also be difficult and stressful. It can be hard to know what the other person is feeling and even what you want in a situation. When asking for consent it’s important to:

  • Ask for consent before engaging in sexual activities
  • Be direct and unambiguous
  • Respect the other person’s response
  • Check in regularly with your partner
  • Remember silence does not mean consent

You can ask questions like “Do you want to do X?”, “Is it okay if I X?”, “Do you like that?” or “Do you want to stop?”

Some people worry that asking for consent will ‘ruin the moment’, and take away from the experience. This is not true. Asking explicitly for permission means that there is much less ambiguity and, therefore, much less stress, letting both of you relax and enjoy your time together.

Remember: No means no. If someone says they don’t want to have sex with you, this is okay. They are allowed to not want to do something, and it doesn’t mean that there is something wrong with you if someone doesn’t feel like being physical with you. It is also okay for someone to change their mind and decide they want to stop.

It’s also okay if you change your mind, or if you don’t want to do certain activities. A good partner will respect your boundaries and will not pressure you into sexual activity if you don’t want to do it.

Navigating grey areas of consent

Sometimes it can be a bit ambiguous about whether someone is consenting, or able to consent. It is always better to err on the side of caution. Try to take your own feelings out of the picture, and think about how your partner might feel now, and how they might feel later. If there’s even a small chance they might feel bad about it later, then it is better not to. People definitely cannot consent if they are asleep, intoxicated, under the legal age of consent, or if they feel pressured or coerced.

Many people find it difficult to say when they don’t want to consent. If someone’s body language implies that they don’t want to continue, you should check in with them and make sure that they want to continue. Examples of this sort of body language include:

  • Looking away or moving away from you
  • Being very quiet or silent
  • Crossed arms or appearing closed off
  • Being still or not moving much

Life is full of ambiguities, and the best way to navigate them is to always act in the kindest way towards your partner and put their safety first. The reason why we need enthusiastic consent is that sex is supposed to be fun, and if your partner is visibly not having fun, this may mean you should check in with them.

You must always respect whether someone consents and not pressure or force someone to have sex or do sexual things with you. This is assault and it is illegal, and it is a very horrible thing to do.

If you feel that someone has forced you to engage in sexual behaviours with them, you can seek support from Victim Support:

www.victimsupport.org.uk 0808 16 89 111

 

 

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March 2025 -Autism & Mental Health Bookable 1:1

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Here to Help

MAIN are working in collaboration with St John of God to offer workshops to promote understanding of self and learning strategies.

MAIN will be delivering some sessions in March, you can book a 30 minute- one hour slot 

Monday 3rd March: 1pm-3pm
Wednesday 5th March: 2pm-4pm
Wednesday 12th March: 1pm-3pm
Friday 14th March: 10pm-12pm
Friday 21st March: 1pm-3pm
Monday 24th March: 1pm-3pm
Wednesday 26th March: 1pm-3pm
Friday 28th March: 10am-12pm

All sessions are suitable for anyone aged 14+ years.

Location: MAIN, The Finlay Cooper Centre, Elizabeth Terrace, North Ormesby, Middlesbrough, TS3 6EN

We can provide alternative dates and times, along with telephone or video call sessions. Please just get in touch.

You can access more information, resources and support here

Please contact us if you would like more information and to book on

photo of showstoppers group with handmade cards

Showstoppers Spread Love and Joy at the Care Home

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Showstoppers Spread Love and Joy at the Care Home

Over the past couple of weeks, the Showstoppers have been hard at work practicing a dance to “Love Is All I Can Give to You” and a song to “Dancing Queen” in preparation for their performance at the care home. Their dedication and enthusiasm truly shone through during their visit.

In addition to their performances, the Showstoppers made heartfelt Valentine’s cards with personalized messages for the residents and staff. The entire group did an amazing job, displaying confidence and warmth as they greeted everyone with cuddles and conversations. They were respectful and kind to all the staff, making the visit even more special.

A highlight of the visit was reconnecting with their favourite resident, Carol, from their last visit. The Showstoppers made an extra effort to chat with her and see how she’s been, which brought smiles all around.

To say we are proud of the Showstoppers is an understatement. Their hard work and kindness have made a significant impact, and to celebrate their achievements, we will be having a movie night and takeaway next week to show them just how amazing they are.

Stay tuned for more updates on our wonderful Showstoppers and their inspiring activities!

 

 For more information about our Showstoppers group please look here
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MAIN’s guide finding Social Groups

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MAIN’s guide finding Social Groups

Making friends as an adult can be difficult, but joining groups and clubs around an existing hobbies or starting a new hobby can be a great way meet like-minded people. By socialising around a specific interest it can make communication much easier.

How to find a potential group around an interest:
o Online local search
o Libraries
o Community notice boards
o Courses related to your interests

Managing anxiety before attending groups and clubs:

o It can help to get as much information about the group before you
go.
o Breaking down the task of going into small tasks can help reduce
anxiety.
o Introducing yourself before turning can help when they know to
expect you.
o Taking someone with you can be a good aid for the first time even
if they don’t like the interest.

Example

Drama club
o Email beforehand to introduce yourself and find
out the details
o Find out about the venue
o Look up the route to the venue
o Join the clubs social media
o Attend with a friend that goes or bring a friend

At university?
You can also look for:
o Look at the Student Union for societies and clubs
o The university might have an accessible hour at fresher’s fair, which
are quieter
o Talk with students on your course
o The people you live with
It is best join as soon as you can at the start of the year.

 

You can also look at our social groups here : Adult Group   Inbetweeners   Showstoppers  Tween and Teens
Love heart art work

Celebrating Heart warming Feedback from Our Community

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Celebrating Heart warming Feedback from Our Community

February at MAIN: Fostering Relationships and Wellbeing

February is MAIN’s month to focus on our relationships and provide clients with useful guides and workshops to promote safety and wellbeing and reduce social isolation. We are thrilled to share some lovely feedback from various services we provide at MAIN.

Showstoppers Group

One parent shared their appreciation for our Showstoppers group:

“Lovely group put together who enjoy singing and dancing and each other’s company. C looks forward to going each week, which has helped her confidence and social isolation greatly. Thank you for your ongoing support.”

Durham Coordinators

We also received heartfelt verbal feedback for our Durham Coordinators:

“Thank you so very much, Katherine. I really appreciate it. I don’t know what I’d do without you, Lewis, and the rest of MAIN. You are such a vital service, and you are all so nice, patient, and understanding.”

1:1 Bookable Sessions

In partnership with St John of God, our suicide prevention program for autistic individuals across Tees Valley has also received positive feedback:

“The advice and guidance I have received from Leah so far has been really beneficial, and I am grateful to have this support at a crucial point where I am facing a lot of uncertainty and changes. I’d feel alone otherwise and just wouldn’t know what to do. I feel it will help me navigate what the next few months may look like or what might change, and I am hopeful it will help me get back to a stable position where I feel more confident and comfortable with my circumstances and can manage my anxiety.”

We are incredibly grateful for this feedback and remain committed to supporting our clients in every way possible. Thank you for being a part of MAIN’s community!

Saturday Tween and Teens 

Two parents gave some amazing feedback to Brooke Hall, the groups facilitator- well done Brooke

Mum: 
“James loves your teens and tweens. Since you used the public bus, he has been showing me pictures of Arriva buses on his iPad. So, that whole part of the activity where you did something that James wouldnt normally do was great for him”
Mum: 
“T loves all the sessions, he loves anything physical and always comes home having enjoyed the activities”
 For more information about our Post Diagnostic Support and other services, please visit Support Services on our website
Staff learning first aid at work and doing practical

MAIN Completes First Aid at Work Training with FR Safety and Training

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MAIN Completes First Aid at Work Training with FR Safety and Training

At MAIN, we take the health and safety of our staff and clients very seriously. That’s why we recently completed a comprehensive First Aid at Work training session with FR Safety and Training.

Our team learned essential skills, including CPR, to ensure we are prepared to handle any emergencies that may arise. This training is a crucial part of our commitment to providing a safe environment for everyone at MAIN.

Check out some photos of our dedicated staff in action, practicing their CPR techniques and other first aid skills. We’re proud of their hard work and dedication to keeping our community safe.

Thank you to FR Safety and Training for providing such valuable training. Together, we are making MAIN a safer place for all.

 

Staff learning first aid at work and doing practical

 

 

Picture of products being used and MAIN love lush

Afterschool and Sensory Play – Thank you Lush Middlesbrough

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Afterschool and Sensory Play – Thank you Lush Middlesbrough

Lush’s  Donation to MAIN: Enhancing Sensory Play for Young People

We are thrilled to announce that Lush Middlesbrough has made a generous donation to MAIN, providing us with a wonderful array of their products to support sensory play for young people. This incredible contribution has allowed us to create engaging and stimulating experiences that our young participants absolutely love.

Lush, known for their ethical and sustainable products, has always been a champion of social and environmental causes. Their commitment to giving back aligns perfectly with our values at MAIN, and we are grateful for their support.

The donated Lush products have been a hit with the young people we serve. They have enjoyed exploring the different smells, colors, textures, and the cause-and-effect interactions these products offer. Sensory play is a vital part of our programs, helping to develop cognitive and motor skills while providing a fun and therapeutic experience.

We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to Lush Middlesbrough for their generosity and for believing in our mission. With their support, we can continue to make a meaningful impact and improve the lives of those we serve.

If you want to learn more about Afterschool club please look here

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Feedback from a Parent – Durham’s Post Diagnostic Support Service

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Celebrating Heart warming Feedback from Our Community

At I am MAIN, we are dedicated to providing compassionate and expert support to Autistic Individuals and their families. We are thrilled to share some heart warming feedback from the parents of one of our clients, which truly highlights the positive impact of our services.

“As parents of a young person with autism, we received the news of I am MAIN’s existence with great relief. Friends of ours with similar needs spoke very highly of the support their young person had received from the service in Durham. Since then, our son has attended a series of meetings with Katherine Palmer to talk through his experience and his needs in detail. He has engaged very well with Katherine and the process even though he doesn’t always find this sort of thing easy to deal with. Katherine’s empathetic approach in the meetings provided a reassuring and understanding environment for him to express himself in. He has enjoyed the opportunity to talk through his aspirations with Katherine and about the obstacles that he will need help tackling in order to achieve them. And we now have a series of support activities scheduled to help him begin work on this. We have greatly appreciated the compassionate and expert engagement we and our son have experienced so far and are very hopeful about the programme that is now available for him to move forward.”

We are incredibly grateful for such kind words. It means the world to us to know that our efforts have made a positive difference in the lives of our clients and their families. Katherine Palmer’s empathetic approach and dedication to understanding each individual’s unique needs have been instrumental in creating a supportive and reassuring environment for our clients.

Our mission at I am MAIN is to empower young people with autism to achieve their aspirations and overcome obstacles with the help of tailored support activities. We are excited to continue working with our clients and their families to provide the best possible care and support.

Thank you to everyone who has shared their experiences and feedback with us. Your stories inspire us to keep striving for excellence in everything we do.

Together, we can make a difference

 For more information about our Post Diagnostic Support and other services, please visit Support Services on our website
Image with green heart in caring hand saying here to help

February 2025 -Autism & Mental Health Bookable 1:1

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Here to Help

MAIN are working in collaboration with St John of God to offer workshops to promote understanding of self and learning strategies.

MAIN will be delivering some sessions in February, you can book a 30 minute- one hour slot 

Monday 3rd Feb – 1pm-3pm
Wednesday 5th Feb 1pm-3pm
Monday 10th  Feb 1pm-3pm
Friday 14th Feb 1pm-2pm
Monday 17th Feb 10am-12 noon
Wednesday 19th Feb -10am-12 noon
Friday 21st Feb -1pm-2pm
Monday 24th – 10am -12 noon
Friday 28th Feb – 10am-12 noon

All sessions are suitable for anyone aged 14+ years.

Location: MAIN, The Finlay Cooper Centre, Elizabeth Terrace, North Ormesby, Middlesbrough, TS3 6EN

We can provide alternative dates and times, along with telephone or video call sessions. Please just get in touch.

You can access more information, resources and support here

Please contact us if you would like more information and to book on