We offer Mentoring and Work Experience Programmes.
TEX - Teens Exploring Work - Key Information
Summer 2024
When can I apply?
Information is being sent to families regarding Teens Exploring Work 2024 on 1st May and bookings will be open until the end of May. In the meantime you can find out more about the Programme below or by clicking to see the flyers at the bottom of the page.
Who is the Programme for?
Following our successful Teens Exploring Work programmes in Summer 2021, 2022 and 2023, we hope to run a fourth programme for Surrey based autistic teenage girls and young people assigned female at birth aged between 15.5-18 years old this Summer (must have turned 16 or be turning 16 by 31/12/2024 or still be 18 on 1st September 2024).
What is the aim of the Programme?
The objective of the programme is to provide an opportunity for social inclusion through work experience during our sessions for autistic girls aged 7-12 (our Girls Group), to develop employability and life skills as well as to support personal, social and wellbeing benefits by;
- providing ‘on the job’ real work experience and help to gain valuable work & life skills and mentoring to support future employability
- hearing from autistic women about their experiences of work
- helping participants recognise and accept their strengths and challenges and how these can be enablers and barriers in a work and social situation
- helping participants collaborate, plan and deliver activities with their peers for our Girls Group, and be supported to develop skills to help them communicate and negotiate in tasks and social situations
- helping participants develop necessary life skills including researching, planning activities to a budget, preparing food and refreshment and more
- promoting positive wellbeing and offering a space to share issues with staff facilitators outside of the family
- providing opportunities for independence
- providing further work experience after the programme ends, within our monthly Girls Group.
The project will also:
- Provide a forum for parents/carers of teens to find peer and specialist support including advice from a professional with experience of supporting autistic women in the workplace and from autistic women (talks/sessions will be arranged please keep an eye on our website for more details)
- Support many younger autistic girls and their families to benefit from activities and make links with older mentors.
What will happen during the Programme?
The teens involved will help plan and run activities for autistic girls aged 7-12 in hobbies like Arts and Crafts activities, baking, Forest school activities and more. The teens will also complete different activities in small groups to understand their own work skills and goals as well as being autistic and neurodivergent and how they can advocate for what they need in the future.
A room with tea/coffee and a Parent/Carer facilitator will also be available for parents/carers.
Who will be running the Programme?
● Georgina Kermeen, Teen Programme Manager (Maternity Cover)
● Rachel Pearson – Director and AS Mentoring Autism Mentor supporting autistic adults to access work and further education placements and in work and life skills
● Jo Dilworth – Appeer Co- CEO with extensive education and charity experience and neurodivergent woman
● Kris Cornell – Girls Programme Manager
● Further autistic women and staff members
Where will the Programme be held?
The Programme will be held in Woking.
Times and Dates-
The dates for our 2024 TEX Programme are August the 5th, 7th, 9th
and on the 19th August – will be a special Session in which the TEX participants deliver their activities to a small group from the Appeer Girls Group.
How do I apply?
If you are interested aren't already a member of Appeer please can you complete this application form here:
Please ensure you tick TEX in the field in the question “Are you applying for a specific upcoming Group or Session?”
Once we have your application form or you you have told us you are interested by ticking the TEX box on your COACHA profile - or by emailing claire@appeer.org.uk we will be back in touch with further details. Our normal TEX application process is that you have to fill out an application form, like the one below, in a similar way you might apply for a job or work experience - don't worry if this is your first time filling out a form like this - we can help or you can ask an adult at school, college or home to help you.
Please note, our current programmes have been designed to support those who are suspected or diagnosed as being autistic, who may also have other neurodiverse conditions. In the future we hope to expand our activities to support those with other neurodiverse conditions who aren't autistic too, e.g. ADHD.
