We are a brand new Charity based in the North East of England with our central base in Middlesbrough.
We exist solely to support children and young people with Autism Spectrum Disorder and ADHD. We help them to thrive, build friendships, confidence and so much more.
It’s OK to be a Glowstick !
When you feel like you don’t fit in, are struggling in busy environments or maybe just feel different, you are just like a Glowstick!
Glowsticks shine dimly until they are snapped or broken in half…but when that happens, they shine SO brightly: and that’s what we want, for you to shine as brightly as you deserve!
Your child or young person does not need to have a full diagnosis to register and join the clubs.
We follow a largely social model of diagnosis which means the only requirement we have is that your child or young person needs to have been identified by yourself or a carer/professional (such as school) as having additional needs relating to Autism and/or ADHD and been referred onwards (such as to CAHMS, mental health services or any other organisation which works towards a diagnosis).
Home educators: you must have approached a GP and your child needs to have been referred onwards for a neurological assessment related to Autism or ADHD.
Do get in contact with us if you’d like to discuss this in any further detail as we take every child or young person as an individual and not a blanket statement for all children because as we know – it doesn’t work like that!
To get involved, register your child or young person for events, or interested in more information about volunteering in the Charity or in our Cafe, please email:
We have an on-site sensory room – available to book via our digital channels. Walk ins very welcome!
Please get in touch to discuss this.
If your child or young person has other conditions, such as Cerebral Palsy or Downs Syndrome, but they also have Autism or ADHD, this is absolutely not a barrier to registering with us provided they meet the above criteria.
We run an EYFS (early years foundation stage) group too – watch our socials for more information!
About the events
We will be initially running a series of events including:
Chess club
Cinema club
Art club
Board Games club
Arts & Crafts club
Football club
With special guests!
Woods and Waves Forest and Beach School CIC currently run, on behalf of The Glowsticks Project, 2 incredible provisions of outdoor education: a Junior (ages 5 – 12) and a Teen (13 – 19) session too which focuses on survival skills!
We are extremely grateful to our sponsors, without them we would not exist.
Middlesbrough Council
The National Lottery Community Fund
The Screwfix Foundation
Tees Million