Our next blog in this series will feature <\/i>Dr Alexandra Sturrock,<\/i><\/a> Clinical Lecturer and Consultant Speech and Language Therapist. Alexandra created and hosted \u2018Beyond Words,\u2019 an event series which explored autistic children’s own experiences of communication differences, through their words and interpretations of those words into visual representations. Alexandra was highly commended in the Individual (staff) category at the 2023 awards.<\/i>\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n Subtle language and communication difficulties are experienced by many autistic individuals even when they do not have additional learning disabilities. These difficulties may affect a person\u2019s day-to-day living, social relationships and emotional well-being. However, there has been little exploration into how autistic children experience these difficulties and what impact this has on their daily lives. By enhancing our understanding of these communication challenges, we can create therapies and strategies to overcome them.\u00a0<\/p>\n In March, Alexandra hosted \u2018Beyond Words\u2019 at the Whitworth Gallery, an event which explored the communication experiences of autistic children through visual arts. The full-day PPIE event comprised an exhibition, workshop and talk. It attracted a diverse group of attendees, presented art from local autistic artists, and offered volunteering opportunities to students from the University and Pinc College<\/a>, an inclusive, supportive art college for neurodivergent young people.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n The exhibition comprised of novel artwork from two commissioned sources: professional Ukrainian artist, Anastasia Khmelevska, and young neuro-divergent art students at Pinc College (Manchester). The images explored original quotes from autistic children collected during academic research by Dr Sturrock (2021)<\/a>. The event was designed to enhance understanding of communication differences for and with autistic individuals.\u00a0<\/p>\n The event also offered volunteer work opportunities for four BSc Speech and Language Therapy students, who gained skills interacting with autistic children and their families. Three work experience students from Pinc College also provided ushering services to attendees and one acted as photographic reporter for the day.\u00a0<\/p>\n A talk highlighting the collaboration between UoM and Pinc was subsequently hosted at Manchester Museum, attracting around 50 individuals. A legacy online gallery has been established and images shared through social media (reaching 2600).\u00a0<\/p>\n The project achieved universal acclaim with one parent stating, \u201can event like this is key to spreading awareness and educating others in supporting interaction\u201d.<\/i>\u00a0<\/p>\n Find out more:\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n Follow Alexandra on twitter – @Alex_Sturrock<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n Follow Beyond Words on Twitter – @BeyondWordsArt<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n To find out more about PPIE: watch our\u202fshort film<\/a>, sign up to the monthly\u202fPublic Engagement Digest<\/a>, visit the\u202fPPIE blog<\/a>, or contact srbmh@manchester.ac.uk.\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n To read more about other PPIE Award winners visit\u202four blogsite.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_post_nav _builder_version=”3.0.106″ in_same_term=”off” show_prev=”on” show_next=”on” prev_text=”Previous” next_text=”Next” locked=”on” parent_locked=”off” \/][et_pb_comments _builder_version=”3.0.106″ show_avatar=”on” show_reply=”on” show_count=”on” background_layout=”light” header_font_size_tablet=”51″ header_line_height_tablet=”2″ custom_button=”on” button_icon_placement=”right” button_text_color=”#ffffff” button_use_icon=”off” locked=”on” parent_locked=”off” button_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_text_size__hover=”null” button_one_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_size__hover=”null” button_two_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_size__hover=”null” button_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_text_color__hover=”null” button_one_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_color__hover=”null” button_two_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_color__hover=”null” button_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_width__hover=”null” button_one_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_width__hover=”null” button_two_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_width__hover=”null” button_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_color__hover=”null” button_one_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_color__hover=”null” button_two_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_color__hover=”null” button_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_radius__hover=”null” button_one_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_radius__hover=”null” button_two_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_radius__hover=”null” button_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_letter_spacing__hover=”null” button_one_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_letter_spacing__hover=”null” button_two_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_letter_spacing__hover=”null” button_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_bg_color__hover=”null” button_one_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_bg_color__hover=”null” button_two_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_bg_color__hover=”null” \/][et_pb_text admin_label=”Related posts” _builder_version=”3.0.106″ background_layout=”light” locked=”on” parent_locked=”off”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column_inner][\/et_pb_row_inner][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_sidebar _builder_version=”3.0.106″ area=”sidebar-1″ orientation=”left” show_border=”off” background_layout=”light” locked=”on” \/][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Connect Title” module_class=”footer-section” _builder_version=”3.17.6″ background_color=”#1d1d1d” custom_padding=”0px||0px|” prev_background_color=”#ffffff” global_module=”380″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” global_parent=”380″ parallax_method_1=”off” parallax_method_2=”off” parallax_method_3=”off” module_id=”footer-row” _builder_version=”3.17.6″ locked=”off”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Contact Us Title” global_parent=”380″ _builder_version=”3.17.6″ text_text_color=”#ffffff” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_layout=”dark”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Contact Us” global_parent=”380″ _builder_version=”3.17.6″ text_text_color=”#ffffff” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_layout=”dark”]<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The Social Responsibility Public Engagement Digest<\/span>: https:\/\/www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk\/connect\/social-responsibility\/contact\/<\/a><\/p>\n The Faculty Website<\/span>: https:\/\/www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk\/connect\/social-responsibility\/public-patients\/<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.manchester.ac.uk\/bmh-sr\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/178\/2024\/02\/alex-sturrock-2-300x201.png\")
Students at <\/span>P<\/span>i<\/span>nc<\/span> College were asked to select poignant quotes from the <\/span>research and<\/span> interpret them as they chose. Teachers described quo<\/span>tes as <\/span><\/span>\u201c<\/span>extremely powerful<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>,<\/span> offering <\/span><\/span>\u201cfirst hand experiences\u201d<\/span><\/span> on communication difficulties. <\/span>One student<\/span> enjoyed the opportunity to <\/span><\/span>\u201c[show] people the way I see the world around me<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>.<\/span> The whole college worked on this project over the spring term, resulting in 13 pieces of individualised artwork<\/span>,<\/span> covering various aspects of the theme, including<\/span> the<\/span> impact of communication differences on social interac<\/span>tions and emotional well-being.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.manchester.ac.uk\/bmh-sr\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/178\/2024\/02\/Alex-sturrock-1-300x200.jpg\")
On the 25th of March, the Garden Studio at The W<\/span>hitworth hosted the exhibition <\/span>alongside a full day of workshop activities<\/span>, <\/span>attracting<\/span> around <\/span>65 attendees<\/span>. Visitors were asked to think about quotes from the research and generate their own images along the theme. The whole event was described as a \u201ccelebration\u201d of neurodiversity<\/span>, <\/span>wh<\/span>ich for one family, helped their<\/span> daughter <\/span><\/span>\u201c<\/span>embr<\/span>ace her <\/span>neurodiverse<\/span> identity<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>.<\/span> Audiences learnt about autistic communication strengths and strategies, while children and families shared experiences in a \u2018celebration\u2019 of autistic creativity.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n
Related<\/h1>\n
Related posts:<\/h3>
PPIE Award Winner 2023: The Blueprint Project<\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/a>
PPIE Award Winner 2023: COVID-19 Shielding Stories<\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/a>
PPIE Award Highly Commended 2024: Clinical Data Science Programme<\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div>
Further information<\/span><\/h4>\n