Futures is a programme run by Autism Unlimited to provide bespoke learning opportunities for 18 – 25-year-olds using the Preparation for Adulthood framework. This enables them to realise their full potential and work towards independence. We opened in November 2021, with 4 Learners, we continue to expand and today support 15 Learners on their journey to independence.
A key part of our success is our team of coaches who support these young adults on their journey. Tom is one of these coaches, he joined the Adult Services Division of Autism Unlimited in July 2015 but was so completely and utterly convinced about the need for more support for young autistic adults that he transferred to our Futures programme as soon as it opened.
Tom believes that every young autistic adult should have the same opportunities as their peers – a career that they love that makes the most of their unique skills and to live independently. He believes that no-one should be denied the opportunity to achieve their dreams.
The difference that Tom makes to the lives of our Learners is amazing and he uses the unique three-step process to provide:
- Individually tailored support.
- A programme for achieving independence.
- Skills for building resilience in new environments.
Thanks to his efforts he has transformed the lives of those who have been in his care and one such example is Ethan:
Ethan was desperate to work as a blacksmith and had a very inflexible attitude to life and other people. Tom guided Ethan to rethink his aspirations and transfer his natural talent and passion for metal work into the world of work, strengthening his employability skills. After a short stint of work experience, a local engineering company were so impressed they offered him a full-time, permanent role. He also encouraged him to use his natural leadership skills mentoring others within the group and to widen his social circle. As a result, his social life has come on leaps and bounds, his confidence has soared and this summer he will take his first ever solo trip abroad to Germany.
This incredible transformation is just one example of the success of the Futures programme and in particular Tom’s devotion to this group of young adults, he has changed lives – for the better. Although Autism Unlimited are responsible for setting up the Futures programme it is only with the dedication of coaches like Tom that we have changed the lives of these young adults.
Ethan explains the difference that Tom has made to his life:
Attending Futures and Tom’s help has transformed my life. I now work full-time, am able to travel on my own, and do all of the things that I want to do, that my peers do.
I was struggling to get a job. I knew I had the skills and had applied for lots of jobs but was getting nowhere. Tom guided me, gave me advice, helped me prepare my CV and taught me how to handle interviews. Because of his support and training, I am now in full-time employment and enrolled in an apprenticeship scheme doing a job I love. I am able to mix with the team at work and have more friends because I have learnt how to communicate with others.
Thanks to Tom, I learnt many new things including how to cook, how to use public transport and how to go to the shops on my own without feeling overwhelmed.
My long-term aim is to live independently and, I am saving hard to get a deposit but, in the meantime, I have my first ever solo trip abroad to meet with friends and visit Comic Con in Dusseldorf. I am so excited and cannot believe that I am able to do this. Without Tom’s support and the Futures programme all of what I have achieved would have just been a dream!
