Fiona Ferris is Deputy CEO of AsIAm Ireland and is the final guest on the Community Voices podcast series. Fiona discusses her experiences at school, university as an autistic woman and parent of an autistic daughter. 

In this final episode of the Centre’s ‘Community Voices’ podcast series, produced in partnership with AsIAm, Aoife chats to Fiona about school, college and her career as an illustrator and comedian.  She offers inspiration to young autistic people, encouraging them to pursue what they enjoy and how visualising ambitions can help them to become a reality.  She also stresses the importance of having one person who believes in you, and then trying to be that person who believes in others. 

The Centre would like to thank Fiona Ferris from AsIAm and the guest speakers: Grainne, Eleanor, Nicholas and Aoife. 

Today’s podcast and the previous 3 episodes are on Buzzsprout, Spotify and Apple

Today the Centre and AsIAm bring you episode 3 in the Community Voices podcast series.  Nicholas, a writer and documentary maker talks to Fiona, Vice-CEO of AsIAm, about both his positive and negative experiences in school, the importance of good support and how his skills and interest in writing and film making have led to the production of two highly successful documentaries. 

Please be advised that this podcast addresses the important issue of bullying, but this may be upsetting for some. 

In this Drama Therapy podcast, Orla provides some ideas for exploration and creative writing. Parents and teachers may want to pause the podcast at various points to give the child time to reflect on the issues discussed. 

Eleanor is a performer and advocate from Kilkenny, currently living in Dublin. 

Middletown Centre for Autism and AsIAm are excited to launch the first podcast in a four-part series entitled ‘Community Voices’.  In this episode, Grainne talks to Fiona Ferris from AsIAm  about how she navigated post-primary education, her current experiences of college education and her career aspirations.  This podcast will offer valuable insights for other autistic teens and their support circle. 

The Centre is delighted to invite you to listen to the second podcast in the Drama Therapy series, produced with Orla Gildea.  This week is about Physical Development so click the lick and get ready to move in a fun and engaging way! 

The first episode in the Centre’s Drama Therapy podcast series is here!

Please click the link to listen to Orla Gildea’s excellent podcast, this week focusing on the topic of Emotional Regulation.

Click on the link below to get access to the Visual resources that accompanies this Podcast

https://www.middletownautism.com/social-media/drama-podcast-week-1-1-2021

Podcast Name: Siblings 

Jessica from Co Clare discusses life with her autistic twin brothers 

This is the Centre’s last podcast interview of 2020 and an opportunity to talk again to Claire Smyton and gain her insights into parenting a young person with autism.  This time Claire discusses her experiences of celebrating Christmas with her son, Jonah.  She discusses the things which make the holiday season joyful for him and the whole family, and the new traditions which have developed around his likes and interests.  She explains the challenges which Christmas can bring to those on the autistic spectrum but that by ensuring predictability and encouraging others to be flexible, the celebrations can be relaxing and enjoyable for all.