Autism Group at St Andrews Semester 1 25/26 🧩
Starting university can feel overwhelming, and having a supportive community can make a big difference. At St Andrews, the Autism Group provides a welcoming space for autistic students—or those exploring whether autism is part of their experience—to connect, share, and feel supported.
The group is facilitated by Student Services Disability Advisers and offers both online and in-person sessions. It’s a chance to:
- Meet peers and socialise in a safe, inclusive environment
- Share experiences and learn from others
- Receive practical information about navigating university life information and resources.
Week 6 – Independent Learning Week – no group
| Week 7 | Wednesday 29th Oct | 2-3:30pm | In person – Swallowgate Seminar Room 4 (art & craft) |
| Week 8 | Monday 3rd Nov | 1-2pm | In person – Wardlaw Museum |
| Week 9 | Monday 10th Nov | 5-6pm | In person – Rector’s Cafe |
| Week 10 | Wednesday 19th Nov | 2-3:30pm | In person – Swallowgate Seminar Room 4 |
| Week 11 | Monday 24th Nov | 5-6pm | In person – TBC – check Teams page |
Who hosts the group?
The Autism Group is facilitated by Student Services Disability Advisers:
Kate Leavy, Michelle Petrie, Stephanie Beaumont, and Katie Easton.
One or two advisers will always be present at each session to provide support and guidance.
💡 Whether you’re looking to meet new people, share experiences, or find resources, the Autism Group is here to help you feel more connected at St Andrews.
💻 Online Group Sessions
Our online autism group meets on selected Mondays during semester (see schedule for details).
🕔 Time: 5–6pm
📍 Where: Microsoft Teams
Here’s what to expect:
- 🌟 Drop-in friendly: Come every week, once in a while, or just try it out. No ongoing commitment needed.
- 🔗 Easy access: A link is posted on the Teams page every Monday morning — add it straight to your Outlook or Teams calendar.
- 👩🏫 Hosted by Disability Advisers: The link will let you know who’s facilitating and share two discussion topics.
- 👍 Choose topics together: Vote via the thumbs-up emoji in the chat.
- 🎥 Camera optional: Keep it on, off, or switch throughout.
- 🎤 Mute to reduce noise: Helpful when there are multiple participants.
- 🖐️ Ways to join in:
- Use the raise hand ✋ feature to speak.
- Type in the chat 💬.
- Or just listen quietly — that’s totally okay!
- 📌 Custom view: Pin one video if that’s easier for you.
- ✍️ Captions available: Turn on live captions individually.
✨ All discussion topics come from group members themselves, so you know they’ll be relevant.
🏛️ In-Person Autism Group
Prefer to meet face-to-face? We’ve got you covered.
- 📅 Check the schedule for dates.
- 🔕 Quiet setting: No music, just natural sounds of conversation and doors opening/closing.
- ⏰ Flexible arrival: Drop in or leave at any point — stay as long or as little as you like.
- 📝 Planned activities: Posted in advance on the Teams page.
- 🚪 Leaving options:
- Slip out quietly at your own pace.
- Let a Disability Adviser know.
- Or message us beforehand.
- ☕ Breaks welcome: You can step out and come back if you need.
Feedback and suggestions 📝
The group is going into its sixth year. It has always been informed and developed based on student feedback, so thoughts on the group format, events and discussions are very welcome.
Please let us know if you had any feedback, ideas or suggestions that would help you or others participate in the group by:
- Posting on the Teams page.
- Completing our anonymous feedback and suggestion form. There is also a link to this form in the Teams group.
- You can use this form at any point ahead or throughout semester.
Suggestions and feedback are always very welcome!
If you would like more information about the group, have any questions or are interested in attending, please feel free to contact us.
🌱 Final Note
These groups are here to help you feel connected, supported, and understood 💜. Whether you prefer to join online from the comfort of your own space or pop into an in-person session, you’re welcome exactly as you are.