"It shouldn't be about autistic children having to change themselves for the world," says Autism Intervention Trust Chair, Julia Ball, "it's about adapting the world so they can thrive."

That's the premise on which the Autism Intervention Trust was built; making everyday activities work for the children they work with. "Autistic children have the same needs as any child – they want to have fun, go to gym classes and holiday programmes," says Julia, "some children just require a bit of extra support."

The Trust was founded in 2004 by a group of parents undertaking therapy with their autistic children. It was their goal to enable success for every child by supporting families with an autistic child in practical and positive ways. Julia's own journey with the Trust started in 2016 shortly after her three-year-olds' diagnosis. "He has a LOT of energy, and loves experiencing new things, but struggled with more traditional classes and programmes," says Julia.

Free-form classes for fun and discovery

Similarly, other autistic children experience barriers to participation, encountering challenges with communication, social skills and following the typical, more rigid format of children's classes typically on offer, explains Julia. Instead, Autism Intervention Trust classes, which take place every Sunday at Capital Gym in Newtown, are play-based and invite children to explore autonomously and have fun without strict parameters. "As long as they're safe, they are free to follow their hearts and be their special selves," says Julia.

The classes are important for parents as well, with many experiencing feelings of isolation. "Parents can often feel out of sync as their children are hitting milestones at different times to their peers," says Julia, "it’s fantastic to provide them with an opportunity to meet and spend time with other families who have an autistic child. We welcome siblings too and love to see them having fun with their brother or sister.”

Support to re-invigorate important community activities

A few years ago, numbers for the Autism Intervention Trust's gym classes were dwindling due to COVID-19 restrictions and a change in gym location. Recognising the many benefits that the classes had, the Trust sought to revive this important community service. The first step was to engage coaches from Victoria University's Autism Clinic; an initiative initially founded and funded by the Trust to develop and evaluate best practice early interventions for young autistic children. It was a great opportunity to implement the coaches' findings and techniques while making sure autistic children could reap the benefits of the classes.

The Autism Intervention Trust sought funding to help cover operational expenses for these classes. Nikau Foundation was delighted to support, providing a grant of $5,680 from the Kāpiti Disability Support Fund.

"The grant gave us breathing room by ensuring out gym fees were paid," says Julia, "we could then focus on advertising the classes, talking to other organisations in our area, and ensure our class met community needs."