ABOUT US:
OUR Mission:
Creating joyful, safe spaces with
autistic young people and championing their views and experiences to drive meaningful, societal change.
OUR VISION:
Creating communities where autistic young people can belong.
Every autistic young person deserves to feel accepted, understood and able to be themselves. Yet many experience isolation, exclusion or pressure to fit into environments that don’t work for them.
We create communities where autistic young people can connect with others who share their experiences and interests, build meaningful relationships and explore who they are without having to hide or change themselves.
For us, belonging means more than having somewhere to go. It means feeling that you are understood, that you matter, and that there is a place for you exactly as you are.
OUR
CORE
values
Connection
Ensuring people feel safe, seen, heard and valued.
Curiosity
Open-minded, reflective interest in others, grounded in the belief that people are doing the best they can.
Collaboration
Creating better outcomes by shaping decisions together with the people they affect
Care
Caring for people, including yourself, in ways that are sustainable.
OUR CURRENT SERVICES:
Online Community
A safe space online supervised by trusted adults where young people can explore, connect and grow with others.
Learning Community
A place of emotional and sensory safety for young people who are struggling to reclaim their natural desire to learn, by offering a non-judgemental, non-coercive, democratic learning space.
Advocacy & Training
Our work is shaped by lived experience to set priorities, develop practical solutions, and share what works through training and guidance that support meaningful change.
Meetups
Opportunities for young people to spend time together in person, build relationships, and take part in activities in a supportive environment.
We believe that young people’s voices are the most important in deciding how services should be delivered and how they should be supported. Therefore, what we do, how we run and our transformation is driven by members of our community. We have autistic young people that are also part of our voluntary staff team, and they fulfil a variety of roles including Minecraft Builders and Moderators, Event Leads, Advocacy Project Helpers and more.
They will all be here to help and support you throughout your time in our community!
In this video from 2021, Andy and some of our members share their thoughts about Spectrum Gaming and being autistic:
Why Spectrum Gaming Started:
Spectrum Gaming was started by Andy, a 29 year old autistic adult who lives in Bury, Greater Manchester. Here is his story:
Just over 7 years ago I attempted suicide, as I had learnt that I was never going to live a happy life as an autistic person. This wasn't an emotional decision, but a logical one, as I saw no other way out of the miserable life I was living (I share more about what led to that moment in this video).
After I survived, I came into contact with some autistic people online who completely changed my life. I met people who had learned to accept their differences and were living life with meaning and purpose. They explained that as an autistic person, you have to live a different life to the norm, but that doesn't mean it has to be an unhappy one.
This glimmer of hope that I could actually be happy after years of hurt, mistreatment and misunderstanding is what enabled me to change how I lived my life. I fought to overcome severe anxiety and depression (which were a result of living in a world that wasn't made for me), and eventually became the happy person I am now, where I am able to be myself and find a place in the world where I can be my authentic self, rather than trying (and failing) to 'fit in'.
After struggling so much growing up, I made it my life goal to make sure as many autistic young people as possible avoid the struggles my generation and previous generations have faced. This work has been ongoing, and we have achieved more over time.
Spectrum Gaming doesn't just focus on enabling friendships and connection, but on advocacy, and ensuring autistic young people heard.
Want to help us to support even more autistic young people? You can set up a monthly donation, or send a one off amount, via our fundraising site below. We are incredibly grateful for any amount you can contribute, and we would not have been able to make such a difference already without your continued support <3