Autism Services
Teen Life
The Teen Life programme aims to empower parents and supporting professionals to understand more about how autism is experienced by autistic teenagers.
It creates opportunities to discuss useful strategies and share ideas to support the young person. For our face-to-face programmes, parents/caregivers can choose to have a professional attend alongside them, but this isn’t compulsory and is limited to one person. Unfortunately, we are unable to include professionals on our remote programmes.
The programme is fully funded by the Ministry of Health so there is no cost to participants.
Who Can Attend?
Parents/caregivers of a child aged between 10 and 15 (up to 16th birthday) who has an autism diagnosis. Up to two family members and a supporting professional (invited by the family) can attend together. The child/teenager does not attend the programme with the family.
In response to the increasing numbers of Omicron cases in our community, all our term two scheduled programmes will now be delivered remotely. We use MS Teams to deliver these programmes.
To join you will need a device (tablet or computer) and access to the internet.
The Programme
6 group sessions cover the following topics:
- Autism in teenagers
Hidden presentation in women and girls
The autistic perspective - Self-esteem
Spending time with other people - Stress and anxiety
Understanding behaviour - Understanding your diagnosis
Understanding intense interests
Managing expectations - Puberty
Independence skills - Education
Planning for the future
How to apply?
Parents/caregivers can apply by:
Choosing a programme from the schedule below and then doing one of the following:
- Downloading and completing the referral form. Remember to specify the programme you wish to attend from the calendar and email this to [email protected]
- Calling 0800 605 001 and asking one of our team to complete the referral for you
- Ask another professional in the teenager’s support team to complete the referral e.g. Service coordinator at NASC, Developmental/autism coordinator
We can accommodate a maximum of 6 families per programme and places will be allocated on a first received basis. We need a minimum of 4 families to run the programme so the programme may need to be cancelled if we don’t receive enough referrals.
| Course | Day | Dates | Times | Weeks Running |
| Remote Delivery (was New Plymouth) | Mon, Tues, Wed | 7/03/2022 – 9/03/2022 | 10:30am – 2:30pm | WITHDRAWN |
| Remote delivery | Tues, Wed, Thurs | 29/03/2022 – 7/04/2022 | 1:00pm – 3:00pm | FULL |
| Remote Delivery (was Tauranga) | Tuesday | 3/05/2022 – 7/06/2022 | 10:00am – 12:00pm | FULL |
| Remote Delivery | Tuesday | 3/05/2022 – 7/06/2022 | 12:30pm – 2:30pm | FULL |
| Remote Delivery | Thursday | 5/05/2022 – 9/06/2022 | 12:00pm – 2:00pm | FULL |
| Remote Delivery | Monday | 9/05/2022 – 13/06/2022 | 10:00am – 12:00pm | FULL |
| Remote Delivery | Tues, Wed, Thurs | 10/05/2022 – 19/05/2022 | 2:30pm – 4:30pm | FULL |
| Remote delivery (was Lower Hutt ) | Tuesday | 10/05/2022 – 14/06/2022 | 10:00am – 12:00pm | FULL |
| Remote Delivery | Tues, Wed, Thurs | 10/05/2022 – 12/05/2022 | 10:00am – 2:00pm | FULL |
| Remote Delivery | Tuesday | 10/05/2022 – 14/06/2022 | 5:30pm – 7:30pm | FULL |
| Remote Delivery | Wednesday | 11/05/2022 – 15/06/2022 | 5:30pm – 8:00pm | FULL |
| Remote Delivery (was Dunedin) | Friday | 13/05/2022 – 17/06/2022 | 12:00pm – 2:30pm | WITHDRAWN |
| Remote Delivery | Monday | 16/05/2022 – 20/06/2022 | 10:00am – 12:00pm | FULL |
| Remote Delivery | Wednesday | 18/05/2022 – 22/06/2022 | 10:00am – 12:00pm | FULL |
| Remote Delivery (was Whanganui) | Wednesday | 8/06/2022 – 22/06/2022 | 10:00am – 2:00pm | FULL |
| Remote Delivery | Thursday | 28/07/2022 – 1/09/2022 | 12:00pm – 2:00pm | For six weeks |
| New Plymouth | Mon, Tues, Wednesday | 1/08/2022 – 3/08/2022 | 10:30am – 2:30pm | For three days |
| Remote Delivery | Tuesday | 2/08/2022 – 6/09/2022 | 6:00pm – 8:00pm | FULL |
| Raumati Beach | Tuesday | 2/08/2022 – 6/09/2022 | 10:00am – 12:00pm | For six weeks |
| Whangarei | Wednesday | 3/08/2022 – 7/09/2022 | 5:30pm – 8:00pm | For six weeks |
| Wellington | Thursday | 4/08/2022 – 8/09/2022 | 10:00am – 12:00pm | Fpr six weeks |
| Remote Delivery | Thursday | 4/08/2022 – 8/09/2022 | 3:00pm – 5:00pm | For six weeks |
| Christchurch | Monday | 8/08/2022 – 12/09/2022 | 12:30pm – 2:30pm | For six weeks |
| Remote Delivery | Monday | 8/08/2022 – 12/09/2022 | 10:00am – 12:00pm | For six weeks |
| Remote Delivery | Tuesday | 9/08/2022 – 13/09/2022 | 10:00am – 12:00pm | For six weeks |
| Hamilton | Mon, Tues, Wednesday | 19/09/2022 – 21/09/2022 | 10:00am – 2:00pm | For three days |
| Tauranga | Wednesday | 19/10/2022 – 23/11/2022 | 9:30am – 11:30am | For six weeks |
| Remote Delivery | Wednesday | 19/10/2022 – 30/11/2022 | 10:00am – 12:00pm | For six weeks |
| Remote Delivery | Wednesday | 19/10/2022 – 23/11/2022 | 6:00pm – 8:00pm | FULL |
| Dunedin | Monday | 31/10/2022 – 5/12/2022 | 10:00am – 12:00pm | For six weeks |
| Auckland Penrose | Tuesday | 1/11/2022 – 6/12/2022 | 6:00pm – 8:00pm | For six weeks |
| Nelson | Monday | 7/11/2022 – 12/12/2022 | 10:00am – 12:00pm | For six weeks |
| Palmerston North | Wednesday | 9/11/2022 – 23/11/2022 | 10:00am – 2:00pm | For three weeks |
| Hamilton | Mon, Tues, Wednesday | 14/11/2022 – 16/11/2022 | 10:00am – 2:00pm | For three days |
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