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The National Autistic Society Scotland has launched a new programme of support designed for recently diagnosed or self-identifying autistic adults who are over the age of 18 and living in Scotland.
Participants will attend a six-week block of online sessions, exploring a variety of topics, including diagnosis, identity, masking, executive functioning, and making connections.
The programme, called What’s Next, runs until March 2028 and aims to support and empower autistic people by deepening their understanding of autism and autistic identity, improving their wellbeing, and fostering peer connections.
As receiving an autism diagnosis can be an intense emotional experience, the course looks at supporting autistic adults in many areas of life, from managing energy levels throughout the day to requesting reasonable adjustments in the workplace.
Spoon Theory and autistic people
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It also examines the Spoon Theory, a metaphor for managing the limited daily energy an autistic person has, where each “spoon” represents a unit of energy. Originally created for chronic illness, it has been widely adopted to explain how tasks that seem simple to neurotypical people can consume significantly more energy for autistic individuals due to factors like sensory processing differences, social demands, or masking. This limited energy pool means autistic people must make intentional choices about how to spend their spoons to avoid burnout, which can lead to exhaustion, meltdowns, or shutdowns when they run out.
The programme is designed and delivered by autistic people, and participants will be supported to connect with other autistic people and share their experiences within the groups.
Rob Holland, Director of the National Autistic Society Scotland, said: “Support for recently diagnosed or self-identifying autistic adults is incredibly important, so it is great to see the launch of our new What’s Next? programme. What’s Next? will provide a safe space for autistic adults, where they can learn more about what being autistic means to them and meet other autistic people. We thank Inspiring Scotland for their continued commitment to supporting autistic people through their Autistic Adult Support Fund.”
The programme is funded by the Scottish Government and Inspiring Scotland’s Autistic Adult Support Fund.
