I broke up with my boyfriend and now I have bangs
I broke up with my boyfriend and now I have bangs

Edaein OConnell

WIN a family pass to Emerald Park this Easter
WIN a family pass to Emerald Park this Easter

Shayna Sappington

This peaceful Victorian-era Galway home is on the market for €1.65 million
This peaceful Victorian-era Galway home is on the market for €1.65 million

Sarah Finnan

How to recreate 90s skinny brows without plucking out your eyebrows
How to recreate 90s skinny brows without plucking out your eyebrows

Holly O'Neill

A definitive guide to the very best Irish-made Easter eggs
A definitive guide to the very best Irish-made Easter eggs

Sarah Gill

Supper Club: Peanut soba noodle salad
Supper Club: Peanut soba noodle salad

Meg Walker

18 interiors finds under €50 to refresh your home this spring
18 interiors finds under €50 to refresh your home this spring

Megan Burns

This Co Meath self-build blends with its rural surroundings, and has a clean and modern interior
This Co Meath self-build blends with its rural surroundings, and has a clean and modern...

Megan Burns

5 ways to style a beige trench coat
5 ways to style a beige trench coat

Sarah Finnan

WIN a €250 shopping spree at Kildare Village
WIN a €250 shopping spree at Kildare Village

IMAGE

Image / Agenda / Breaking Stories

Clonakilty celebrates two years of being Ireland’s first autism-friendly town


By Erin Lindsay
22nd Oct 2020
Clonakilty celebrates two years of being Ireland’s first autism-friendly town

The town now acts as a benchmark across Ireland for autism-friendly businesses and services


This month, Clonakilty in Co. Cork will celebrate two years since it became Ireland’s first autism-friendly town.

In 2018, Clonakilty, through a partnership with AsIAm and SuperValu, became the country’s first autism-friendly town, an initiative that includes accrediting certain local businesses as Autism Friendly Champions, meaning they have followed autism-friendly staff training, are service dog friendly and host a sensory activity that is beneficial to customers or visitors with autism.

Clonakilty has seen local businesses, organisations, sports clubs, schools and community groups throughout the town complete autism-friendly training, in an effort to “create a greater awareness, understanding and acceptance of autism so that our communities become more accessible and enjoyable places for autistics of all ages.  people to live in.”

SuperValu retailers and Clonakilty locals Catriona & Eoghan Scally said: “We are incredibly proud of our entire town, particularly the Clonakilty Autism-Friendly Town Committee who have collectively worked to reach and sustain our position as an Autism Friendly town. We are delighted to be a part of a committee which includes autistic voices and local bodies representing everyone from sports clubs, schools to retail and to celebrate this anniversary with this valuable webinar. We hope it not only marks the occasion but helps other communities across Ireland navigate this challenging time.”

Navigating Covid-19

This month, the town will celebrate its anniversary with a free online webinar, entitled “Navigating COVID-19 in an Autism Friendly Way”. The webinar, hosted by AsIAm and SuperValu, will chat to U.S-based author and Wall Street Journal bestseller Jennifer Cook and will discuss ideas, tools and tips on navigating Covid-19 for those with autism (and even those without).

Cook is best known for her six award-winning Asperkids books and her best-selling memoir Autism in Heels: The Untold Story of a Female Life on the Spectrum which was named one of the ‘Best Autism Books of All Time’Jennifer’s three children have Asperger Syndrome and Jennifer herself was subsequently diagnosed as an adult.

The webinar will take place on Wednesday 28th October at 7.30 pm via Zoom. Anyone interested in tuning in can register here.