Tallaght exhibition brings you into world of people with autism

By Mary Dennehy

AN INTERACTIVE and unique exhibition which brings visitors into the world of people with autism will be staged in Tallaght Stadium on January 19 and 20 – with special sessions also being held for schools and youth groups.

Developed by autism charity, AsIAm, with support from the Department of Justice and Equality, the free exhibition will enable visitors to experience what it’s like for people with autism to deal with the world around them.

The pop-up exhibition uses an engaging questions and answers format as well as a series of activities to answer people’s questions and enable visitors to step into the shoes of those with autism – though the use of sounds, smells, touch and sight experiment.

Exhibition organisers, who are hoping in particular to engage young people in the event, will give visitors an MP3 player that will provide an audio guide through 15 stages, which allows people to experience different aspects of life with autism.

According to Adam Harris, CEO of AsIAm, around one in 65 people in Ireland live with autism.

He added: “People with autism often experience a sense of being overwhelmed and confused by what others see as normal life, and this exhibition will allow those attending to understand this more than they have done before.

“Neurotypical people engage with people with autism all the time but often do not know how to relate well to them because they do not understand how the world looks for someone on the spectrum.

“Through visiting this exhibition we believe young people will be much better equipped to engage with people with autism who they meet regularly in their day-to-day lives.”

The exhibition was developed by the AsIAm Youth Leadership Team, a group of young people with Autism who act as advocates for the organisation.

It is part of a larger campaign to engage young people in autism issues, and includes a social media campaign and a website, youthhub.asiam.ie.

The exhibition, which is free, is open to the general public in Tallaght Stadium on Thursday, January 19, from 4.30pm to 8pm and Friday, January 20, from 1pm to 4.30pm.

Special sessions are being held outside of these times for schools and youth groups, which require booking. Email info@asiam.ie to book.

For further information on the event visit www.asiam.ie.