We don't have a funded, formal Advocacy, Information or Support service with paid employees, so as volunteers working from home we do what we can and often refer people on to others including the NAS and local services.

Volunteers (Committee members and other Umbrella members) have taken a steady stream of phone calls from members and others in the wider autism community needing information, advocacy and/or often just needing someone to understand their situation and needs.

These calls involve giving the time needed to listen to sometimes painful experiences.

These calls often involve linking people with others locally or with services. Each call represents not just a call but recognising and responding to an important autism issue affecting many people.

For information telephone our ring back message service on 01223 510593.

We have had six informal evening meetings this year, open to members and non-members equally. People working with the members of the autistic spectrum community are always welcome at Open Meetings to learn alongside all other Umbrella members.

As well as interesting speakers and topics reflecting important issues, we try to ensure these events provide a chance to meet and talk with others with similar concerns and interests.

We gratefully acknowledge the Hilltop Carers' Centre, who allow us to base our meetings in the Centre.

Open Meeting dates are given in the Newsletters, a copy of which is sent to all new members.

We welcome suggestions for Open Meeting visitors and/or topics. Send suggestions to admin@umbrella-autism.org.uk or phone our ring back message service on 01223 510593.

We aim to send out our Newsletter three times per year.

Many members and others receive the eNews, including newsflashes and newsletters direct to their computers.

Communication regarding the eNews or Newsletters should be directed admin@umbrella-autism.org.uk.

Changes for the coming year will include:

	Newsletters (current and past) will be available on this website www.umbrella-autism.com.
	The news in future will be the eNews and the main mode of delivery will be email. Members without email access will need to specifically request postal copies.

We undertake to have a variety of social events open to families during the year. For example, this year we had:

	a party early in the New Year and
	another party in the Spring.
	a family picnic in the Kings College Fellows' Garden

We warmly welcome to suggestions and support of people who have ideas for events. Contact admin@umbrella-autism.org.uk or phone our ring back message service on 01223 510593.

This is a Youth Club ("chill out" space, not social skills training or therapy) for 7 children with Asperger Syndrome (AS) aged 9-12, supported by a youth leader and 4-5 volunteers from the Umbrella Cambridge University Volunteers scheme.

Why doesn't the club offer "social skills training"? Research shows that generalisation from social skills training situations to real life application is poor for people with AS. Yet we have observed that people with AS often spot and socialise in their own way with other people with AS. The youth club provides an opportunity to socialise spontaneously, and in their own way, with children with similar issues.

As far as we know it is the only chill out Youth Club of its kind in the country: it meets weekly, children attend without their parent (providing respite for parent and siblings), and the group is staffed by a dedicated team of University volunteers with a particular interest in Asperger Syndrome in children under the supervision of a paid Youth Leader. There is no therapy agenda, just members to enjoy themselves in the company of people who like the same kinds of activities without a big group setting.

The Club runs in partnership with Romsey Mill, a voluntary organisation with a community centre offering youth and community opportunities.

In the coming year we will be looking at developing working with ASD children as part of certificated Youth Work training.

The Club is managed by a Parent's Youth Club Committee and Karen Hosking is the Chair of the Committee.

For more information, write to 86 Mill End Road, Cambridge, CB1 9JP or email admin@umbrella-autism.org.uk or leave a message on the Umbrella ring back message system at 01223 510593.

A club for 13-18 year olds with Asperger Syndrome or similar social communication issues.

At present, the pilot group meets on alternate weeks term time and is especially for girls. It was set up to respond to those girls who felt the usual male AS stereotypes didn't fit them and who wanted to have a "chill out" space with other girls with similar experiences.

We aim to set up a co-ed group to run on the weeks between the tea timers group in the future. Again, anyone interested should make contact.

For more information, write to 86 Mill End Road, Cambridge, CB1 9JP or email admin@umbrella-autism.org.uk or leave a message on the Umbrella message system on 01223 510593.

This is a volunteering programme open to Cambridge University (CU) Staff and Students with a strong academic or personal interest in autistic conditions. It is funded through the government Active Communities fund and a grant obtained through the Community Liaison Office of CU. Participants make a commitment to regularly support an agreed Umbrella activity, for which they receive training, on-going supervision and participate in two workshops per year for the student volunteers with invited specialists. As well as contributing to our team, the programme is designed to extend and build on the students' academic knowledge of autistic conditions. Volunteers have supported these Umbrella activities:

	Youth Clubs. The A Team has been the first activity offered within this programme and both the kids and the students are finding it fun, "cool" and personally rewarding. We have had several keen to volunteer and of these 5 have been placed with the A Team. The Girls' Tea Timers Team is also staffed by volunteers. Our pilot youth groups are totally dependent on the CU volunteers in making them the "chill out" and agenda-free success that they are.
	Befriending. For instance, we have been able to support one psychology graduate student matched to work with an older teen boy with complex needs entering the transition between child and adult services. Befriending is a specialist service and required careful matching and supervision and support for everyone involved. Without a properly run befriending scheme and trained volunteers and supported by a trained coordinator specifically for befrienders, Umbrella Autism can only manage one or two befrienders at a given time, and these come through the CU volunteers scheme.
	Supporting the Adult Social Group which meets once a month.
	Supply work for the Youth Clubs, as and when there is a need and the volunteer is able.
	Support for one-off events such as family events and parties.

Anyone attached to Cambridge University (staff at any level, undergraduate or graduate students, etc) interested in learning more about this programme should contact email admin@umbrella-autism.org.uk or telephone the Umbrella message service on 01223 510593.

This is a Saturday Play scheme for 4-11 years on the Autistic Spectrum. Children attend, without their parent, with their group on alternate Saturdays year round.

Umbrella Autism, along with multi-agency patterns co-ordinated by the charity Crossroads for Carers, was very active in the design, setting up, initial stages and finding initial funding for this scheme. Management has now been taken on by Crossroads for Carers.

As well as providing quality experiences for the children, the Club has a "caring for the carers" ethos, with priority for places being based on how much support the carer/family receives. The Club provides "chill out" space and fun activities for the children whilst providing three hours respite for parents and siblings.

Sunshine Club has been going from strength to strength and is so popular that both the yellow and blue weeks are full at the moment. Unfortunately the waiting lists are quite long, particularly for the yellow group (those children who require a higher staffing ratio). There has been quite a large turnover of staff in the last year but this is being resolved and a new group of enthusiastic key workers are being recruited. Funding for the club is stable and plans are currently being made for more staff training, possibly in partnership with other organisations who work with children on the Autistic Spectrum.

The children continue to take part in a wide range of activities, with cooking a new firm favourite. Fundraising coffee mornings are held for parents twice a year, an opportunity for parents to get together, share experiences and raise money for the club.

Various people have been fundraising for the club. Among them, Colin Domoney has raised a fantastic &#pound;1,000 (approximately) by cycling from Lands End to John-o-Groats. This is already being spent replacing worn-out toys and books, on activities to appeal to the older club members and also on some bikes for outside play. Umbrella would like to thank everybody who has raised money for the Crossroads Sunshine Club.

For further information about Sunshine Club please contact Anna Bainbridge at Crossroads on 01954 252149.

As we rely entirely on the energies of volunteer coordinators, we have only have been able to offer a group for parents of older teens and adults.

The parent support group meets monthly. It's not counselling or therapy. It's an upbeat, informal sharing of experiences with people who really understand what parenting young and older adults with autism involves. Within this atmosphere of mutual recognition, the funny moments get appreciated too. The group's aim is that people should go home feeling better and more connected with others than when they arrive! Contacts are Phyl Lewery (01223 709827) takes charge of the group for parents of older teens and adults, with Jacqui Radford (01954 210075).

An aim of the coming year is to try to set up a similar once-a-month group for parents of school age children. Anyone interested should email admin@umbrella-autism.org.uk or contact the Umbrella phone message system on 01223 510593.

We have developed a small team of volunteers who take calls from parents around the region via a national Free phone number. The National Autistic Society provide funding for the calls, some training and other costs. The volunteers are all local parents with close knowledge of various aspects of the autistic spectrum. They are trained and supported to offer a friendly, sympathetic parent-to-parent listening ear and relevant information.

The local branch of this support scheme, funded by the National Autistic Society (NAS), has sadly been temporarily suspended in Cambridgeshire due to a lack of volunteers. Anybody currently ringing the free phone number will have their call redirected to a trained volunteer parent from another area.

It is hoped that we will be able to re launch this valuable scheme with volunteer parents from our area in the New Year. However, to do this we will need some new volunteers! Parents who are willing to give up an hour or two each week to talk to other 'ASD parents', following training and with ongoing support, should contact Kathy Pascuzzi on 01223 873316 for further information.

In the meantime, this freephone scheme is still available to all nationally through the NAS, but manned by parents from other areas. If you wish to talk to a trained volunteer parent, in confidence and for free, call Parent to Parent on 0800 9 520 520.

This is a social group for up to 8 adults (aged 18- about 40+) which meets in Cambridge one evening a month. It is facilitated by a team of three, usually with two facilitating any one session. We are extremely grateful for the able administrative support provided by Isabel Clare, a professional in Mental Health Trust, who is also an Umbrella member and undertakes this task as a personal support the Social Group.

The group isn't about Social Skills or therapy; it's a "chill out" group where people with AS can relax, be themselves and feel comfortable with others. Susan Owen (01638 508430) can be contacted for information about vacancies joining.

We've had numerous requests for something similar for University students, staff and their friends and supporters. Anyone interested in this should contact us to share information about designing and running such a group. Our CU Volunteers scheme would be interested in supplying people to help facilitate a university based social group. Communication concerning this should be directed to admin@umbrella-autism.org.uk or leave a message on the Umbrella ring back message system at 01223 510593.

We, at Umbrella, designed this education programme and another voluntary organisation, Turning the Red Lights Green, has taken on campaigning for funding and detailed management of the programme. Umbrella Autism supplies advisory support and line manages the Co coordinator. As far as we are aware it is the first of its kind in the country. An aim is to provide a model for what could be provided got people with lifelong social communication difficulties within existing Special Needs Adult Community Education services and with specialist trained staff.

The programme is for people who have Asperger's Syndrome or similar social communication difficulties (no diagnosis is required) who are looking for a specially designed education programme which can begin to prepare the way for thinking about successful, supported work experience. National accreditation (National Open College Network) is available and programmes/content are individualised. The participants work within a small group. Each group has a maximum of 8 members. The programme usually involves 3 days attendance at the programme base in Bottisham. There is help with transport, so that should not deter anyone. People can visit and try the programme out first. The coordinator and tutors understand that AS brings unique needs and they understand the concerns of both participants and their families or carers. For more information, ring Susan Owen (01638 508430) or Turning the Red Lights Green (01223 811662).

From time to time members hold coffee sessions for people in their area. If you are interested in attending or offering one yourself contact admin@umbrella-autism.org.uk or leave a message on the Umbrella ring back message system at 01223 510593.

Colin Manning, an Umbrella member with specialist knowledge, has taken on helping us to update and maintain the website. We a very grateful for all his advice and support. In future, users should find relevant local information, details about Umbrella, and copies of our recent newsletters on the website.

The Umbrella Committee includes Trustees and other co-opted members. All are volunteers. We value any skills people can bring to the Committee, but most of us learn new skills as we go along. The Committee prides itself on being flexible and responsive to the changes in members' availability. If we wait until we are free of the unexpected demands of autism, we'll wait forever! Joining the Committee is joining a supportive, "can do" group which takes people's availability and skills "as they come". It meets about 6 times a year. The committee offers people an opportunity to try make a difference to life in the autism community. If you are interested in joining or supporting the Committee, ring Jacqui Radford (01954 210075).

We also keep a Help List for people who need to keep their commitment event more flexible: give you name and details to Jacqui and we'll call you when we have a task we need help on. If you can help, great; if not, no problem and we can keep you on the list for another time.