AsIAm, Ireland’s national autism charity, and AIB have announced a three-year partnership to help make Ireland a more autism-friendly society.

AsIAm provides direct support to autistic people and families with over 3,000 people supported by the Autism Information Line and over 1,000 people accessing group-based supports in the last year.

AIB said it will be supporting AsIAm to roll out more support services to autistic people in Ireland, while AsIAm will work with AIB’s Abilities Network to establish training and supports that will help make AIB more accessible for customers, colleagues and job candidates.

Colin Hunt, AIB Group chief executive, said: “As a business, employer and neighbour, AIB aims to be inclusive and diverse in terms of how we meet the needs of our customers and employees. We also seek to work closely with local communities through our programme of partnerships with a particular focus on sustainability, education and financial inclusion.

“We look forward to working closely with AsIam and supporting its empowerment of people with autism over the next three years.’’

In Association with

Announcing the partnership on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Adam Harris, founder and CEO of AsIAm, commented: “We are excited to roll out understanding autism training across the bank whilst also tapping into the huge expertise of the bank in our goal to end autism unemployment.

"We recognise inclusion is about the whole family and that is why we are also looking forward to supporting AIB employees who are parents and family members to autistic people.”

Festive Forest

This Christmas AsIAm is aiming to raise €78,000 from the business sector with its ‘12 Ways of Giving’ fundraising campaign that centres on a Festive Forest of virtual Christmas trees.

The charity is offering 48 trees that will be hosted on the AsIAm website. The trees are priced in four varieties - Blue Cedar (€500), Red Spruce (€1,000), White Fir (€2,000) and Golden Conifer (€3,000).

Businesses that purchase a tree will have their corporate logo affixed, and clicking on the tree will show the impact the money spent will have in the community.

“We’re asking businesses and corporations to sponsor the virtual Christmas trees on our website,” said Dick White, fundraising manager at AsIAm.

“We have a dedicated section for the 12 Ways of Giving within the website, and supporting companies will be given a range of social media tools to broaden the message, and to get their support out to their wider network.”

Supporters are offered in return membership of the charity’s business ambassador network, biannual webinars, a visit to the AsIAm offices, and a meeting with Harris, staff and the board.

“If we could sell out it would be a significant boost for our fundraising in 2023,” said White, adding that most of AsIAm’s funding comes from business and public donations.

AsIAm was established by Harris in 2014 and has grown to a staff of 21, half of whom are autistic. The charity aims to provide the public and those living with autism with information on autism and a platform for those affected by autism to share their views and stories.

AsIAm’s work spans education, empowerment for people with autism, skills and knowledge training to help organisations become autism-friendly, advocating public awareness and policy campaigns around issues in the community, and bringing autistic people and their families together with those sharing similar experiences.

AsIAm was at the forefront of efforts to secure primary and secondary school places for children with autism amid widespread confusion in August ahead of the current school year when over 100 students were without a confirmed school place.

Autism Spectrum Information Advice & Meeting Point, a company limited by guarantee, generated income of €925,000 in the year to June 2021.

€320,000 was sourced from public and private grants, including €90,000 from Pobal and an anonymous donation of €50,000. On the fundraising side, AsIAm raised €376,000 in donations, up from €292,000 in the previous 18-month period.

To contribute to AsIAm, click here.

Photo: Adam Harris (left) and Colin Hunt