Tom's campaign blog #5: Push for Action so far… in numbers!

It has been almost four months since we launched our latest major campaign, Push for Action, our new campaign to influence the Government’s review of the adult autism strategy and improve the support that adults across England receive.

So much has happened since May, we thought we’d break it down for you in numbers to make it a little more digestible…

8,098 of you have signed the online petition to support the campaign. This is a record number for an NAS campaign (our previous best was 6,000 for the Autism Act) and it really helps us get national and local decision-makers to listen. We’ve already sent every MP a local dossier with the names and comments from all of their constituents and we’ll be delivering the full petition to 10 Downing Street in October.

4 national policy wins for the campaign since launch, and counting. Among other things, the Government have agreed to our demands to improve data collection, to make the self-assessment checks tougher for local authorities and to consult people properly as part of their review. A great start, but a long way to go.

19 local and regional autism charities have signed up as partners in the campaign, and along with our army of NAS branches, are championing Push for Action and campaigning for changes where they are. Read about what’s been happening in Hayle, Bedfordshire and Furness on our blog.

45 shops in Godalming, Surrey are now hosting brilliant autism awareness posters after the adults at our Horizons service pushed for action in their local area.

61 MPs turned up to our launch event in parliament and new independent research found that 35% of MPs are now supporting the campaign. With plenty of exciting Westminster action scheduled for October, that figure should continue to rise as we turn up the heat in parliament.

11 stops on our tour of the Travelling Button! Our big red button will be making its way round the country in October to pay tribute to some of our action hotspots and help us raise more awareness of the campaign. Watch this space to see if it will be coming to a town near you!

6 months still to go until the Government reports on the Autism Strategy Review, so that’s six months more to keep building the pressure. There’s plenty you can still do, whether that’s getting autism on your local NHS’ agenda, taking part in a Government focus group and completing their survey, sharing our campaign infographic and video, or signing our petition if you still haven’t done that!

Keep an eye on this blog for more updates.

Tom Madders,
Head of Campaigns

Campaigning works - stick at it!

Hi, I am Peter, a carer of a 43 year old son with Asperger Syndrome, active member of a voluntary local carer support group STACS, NAS champion and campaigner “Pushing for Action”.

Campaigning to me is an all embracing word which means a lot – awareness raising, influencing and working together.  It does take time and can be very frustrating but don't give up!

I have been involved in our local campaign for the provision of a low level preventative and supportive Hub facility for people with Asperger Syndrome and High Functioning Autism for the past 3 years or so.

This has resulted in a trial of a Drop In facility funded by Telford & Wrekin Council and CCG and is now also under consideration in Shropshire.  This type of support coupled with a wider regional diagnostic and support centre facility has been identified by us as the greatest area of unmet need and fulfils many of the adult autism strategy outcomes.  It is this type of real support we now need, not more empty words.

A meeting of the support group

So, what has made our campaign a success?

1. Work together as strong groupings of committed people

We are a coalition of Shropshire and Telford Asperger Support Group (STACS - www.stacs-shropshire.org.uk) and an Asperger self-help group called Autonomy (www.shropshireautonomy.co.uk).  Working together to represent lots of different views gives us all a louder voice.

2.  A clear campaign objective

In 2011/12 we produced a template document outlining a low level preventative support hub for people with Asperger’s Syndrome and their carers and presented it to the local authority and NHS.  We were clear that this was what we all wanted to see.

3. Being flexible in our approach

Telford & Wrekin council already had an Asperger specialist worker doing low level preventative and supportive work, so we knew the concept worked.  We initially campaigned to keep this but the post was lost.  We had to change our focus to campaigning for something new and different and now we have the Drop In hub facility.  Remember - some you win…some you lose!

4. Target your campaign and build relationships

We targeted and worked with all five Shropshire and Telford's 5 MPs, the relevant people in the councils and NHS, council Scrutiny committees, local BBC radio, Health and Wellbeing boards, Clinical Commissioning Groups.  It took pressure on all sides to get things moving.

5. Get involved and have your say

Get involved in your autism strategy development partnership groups and work with local councils and NHS and commissioners - things just will not happen without your involvement.

6. Don’t give up

The Drop In facility is being trialled in Telford and funded by the Council and the CCG.  Our next challenge is to sustain this facility and see it rolled out elsewhere. 

We are very keen to see this facility sustained locally and provided elsewhere.  Our campaigning has led to a project being delivered by four voluntary sector groups, working in partnership to deliver a seamless preventative and supportive service for people with autism and Asperger Syndrome and their carers.  You can do the same in your area – just keep pushing for action!

For more information about the Hub, please visit www.stacs-shropshire.org.uk/information/telford-wrekin-hub/