"My GP Mental Health Nurse recommended I go along to this new member-led Adult Autism Support Group that was being started up in Menstrie by CTSI. The evening of the day I was told about it, I went along and I was elected the chairwoman in my first meeting. Now known as Neuroclacks, while founded by CTSI, is in the process of becoming an independent organisation. Originally it was "Adult Autism Support Group" and didn't have that many members or an online presence. We made a group decision to rebrand to Neuroclacks. This is a combination the words "Neurodiversity" (anyone who is not neurotypical) and "Clackmannanshire" (the area of Forth Valley Scotland in which our group is based) for multiple reasons. One of which is that it's easy to advertise, all of our socials are simply @neuroclacks and our website is neuroclacks.com. Another reason is that it opens the group up to people who don't have an autism diagnosis. Research shows that women especially can struggle to get diagnosed with autism, often waiting years for diagnosis, or getting misdiagnosed with anxiety due to the symptoms presenting differently in women. It also opens the group up to people who may have other forms of neurodiversity, including but not limited to; Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Dyscalculia, etc. While these aren't all the same and we recognise the differences in challenges faced, a lot of the symptoms cross over and many neurodiverse people have multiple "comorbid" diagnoses. Mixing different neurodivergent individuals is incredibly beneficial to our mental health as it can reduce the feeling of loneliness and isolation we often get by trying to fit into a neurotypical world. It also recognises that neurodiversity is a group of spectrums in which we are all affected in different ways. That's why it's important we emphasise the accessibility and inclusivity of our group to ensure that everyone is welcome. Since becoming the chairwoman of Neuroclacks and implementing our new brand strategy, we've seen our membership double within a few weeks. By implementing a more friendly, colourful, less clinical design language, and by expanding on social media, we've helped reach people sooner. Before we rebranded, the registration forms show that the majority of our members were being referred by their GP Mental Health Nurse. Now people discover us sooner, through our online channels, providing earlier intervention which can be hugely beneficial in improving the mental health outcomes of our members. Our members say that they join for social connection, peer support, personal growth, to make new friends, to understand their condition better, to learn new coping strategies, to try new things and to expand their comfort zone. I am delighted to be able to play a critical role in this new organisation that is making a real difference to the lives of neurodiverse adults, like myself, in Forth Valley Scotland. If you or someone you know would like to come along to our weekly sessions, I highly recommend you self refer via our website, neuroclacks.com. I look forward to meeting you and hopefully welcoming you along to one of our groups. 🤗"