ASCENT Autism Specialist College in Newton-le-Willows has been awarded a £20,000 grant to develop its autistic students’ digital skills and support future employment opportunities.
The grant comes from the National Lottery Community Fund, for its new, two-year programme, “Inspire + Connect: Digital Futures for Neurodiverse Youth”. The project aims to encourage creativity, foster a legacy of confidence and inspire autistic young adults between the ages of 16- 25 to pursue careers in the £108 billion creative digital sector.
Ascent is working in conjunction with Digital Arts Box CIC (DAB) and its team of experts, who provide creative opportunities and experiences that make a social impact. Together, they will use their expertise to co-develop and deliver workshops tailored to neurodiverse students with an interest in digital arts.
The two-year programme comprises of 28 sessions, providing 420 opportunities for student participation in a range of workshops that will utilise state-of-the-art equipment and cover topics such as animation, video game design, digital art, and coding.
Julliet Doherty, head of adult services at Ascent said: “I am absolutely delighted that we have been awarded this grant. It is vital that we equip our young adults with the knowledge and skills needed for employment, and this will grant will allow us to deliver expert, sector specific skills in a thriving industry that’s only going to continue growing.
“Our autistic students remain at the forefront of all decisions made and all workshop sessions will be tailored to them. Through surveys and discussions, they will influence the topics covered and activities completed to ensure the programme is engaging and relevant to their needs. I would like to thank the team at Digital Arts Box CIC for the support they have provided and look forward to working with them on this exciting and inspiring project.”
The two-year programme will start in the next academic year and sessions will be held at the college’s new site which is opening on The Parks Business Park in September.
Ascent Autism Specialist College is part of the Remarkable Autism Charity which supports autistic individuals aged 5-25..
