Compassion~Support~Inclusion
RISE
Raising Inclusion Standards for Everyone
Exploring autism through our eyes.
Contact us: RISE@waymakers.co.uk
What is RISE?
RISE is a youth-led co-design project aimed at professionals working with neurodivergent young people.
Our aim is to:
- build inclusive futures for young people in education and elsewhere.
- deliver hands-on workshops for professionals.
- provide insights into a typical day for autistic people.
- equip professionals with tools, and a better understanding of life through our eyes.
Our Purpose
To ignite change with autistic young voices, sowing the seeds of inclusion for today and tomorrow.
Our Mission
RISE is led by autistic young people, delivering hands-on workshops that open a window into our world. With practical solutions, we spark meaningful, lasting change in how you support neurodivergent people.
Our Vision
A future where neurodivergent people are included in every part of society, free to thrive with their strengths embraced.
Professionals leave RISE confident to create environments where everyone can flourish.
How does it work?
- We come to your venue (or we host you in Barnstaple).
- A RISE workshop lasts 2 hours, with a break.
- You get a hands-on and interactive learning experience – not a lecture!
- You leave with an action or two to implement: we want to see change!
- We ask for a contribution of £10 per attendee, or £150 if less than 15 people.
Our voices, our vision: for a better, more inclusive world.
Our aims
- better understand the experiences of autistic young people;
- be better equipped to implement small changes in their professional (and perhaps personal) life;.
- have an improved sense of where and how common barriers arise;
- feel more confident and positive about difference.
Our aims
- better understand the experiences of autistic young people;
- be better equipped to implement small changes in their professional (and perhaps personal) life;
- have an improved sense of where and how common barriers arise;
- feel more confident and positive about difference.
Our RISE team
Meet Paris
My role at RISE: I help to deliver and organise workshops for attendees. With the rest of the team, I also promote RISE, attend meetings and help out with Powerpoints.
What I am passionate about: using my past to help bring change into this world, no matter how little it is.
One thing I don’t like: Spiders or any bugs.
If I was a mythical creature, I would be: A unicorn 🦄 but with wings – I love unicorns and I wish I could fly. The perfect combo for me.
Meet Flo
My role at RISE: Working as part of the amazing team to deliver workshops, and promote RISE. As well as working behind the scenes doing admin work and helping design sessions.
What I am passionate about: being able to use my experience to create change.
One thing I don’t like: Hot Weather ☀️
If I was a mythical creature, I would be: a gnome – very helpful with mundane tasks but love to play tricks.
Meet Storm
My role at RISE: ranges from designing and delivering sessions to doing admin and promoting RISE with the rest of the team. It’s been amazing to be a part of a great team.
What I am passionate about: being able to use my past experiences to make a change, no matter how big or small.
If I was a mythical creature, I would be: a siren as they are spirits of the sea. 🌊
Our RISE support team
Meet Jess
My role at RISE: My role in the team is to help things stay on track and to make sure that all the fab ideas and opportunities have a space to come together and be integrated into the programme.
What I am passionate about: making opportunities for people to be their best selves.
One thing I don’t like: 🍋 Lemons! They taste like washing up liquid!
If I was a mythical creature I would be: a chimera because I’m very multi faceted
Meet Anna
My role at RISE: To support the team in any way I can. From attending workshops to designs of slides, webpage and ensuring the team get paid, of course! Always being there to listen and think things through. I just love being part of RISE.
What I am passionate about: making change happen, no matter how big or small.
One thing I don’t like: 🍄 Mushrooms, YUCK!
If I was a mythical creature I would be: a wood sprite, they are magical guardians of nature and animals.
Meet Alex
My role at RISE: At first, I worked alongside our core team of young people to craft, create and pilot RISE as a concept. Now it’s fully-formed, I have stepped back a little to play a smaller part.
What I am passionate about: striving for a time when everyone gets a fair chance to inhabit their true self in a welcoming world.
One thing I don’t like: Brussel sprouts – eeeuuwww!
If I was a mythical creature I would be: a firebird – I like a quest and I’d love to be able to fly!
How RISE came to be:
How RISE came to be:
Kailo – A Dartington Service Design Lab project – and WayMakers
We’re a group of young people who got involved when Kailo came to Northern Devon in 2023. Kailo is all about looking at what really shapes young people’s mental health and wellbeing—not just in one area, but across schools, communities, and services.
Through Kailo, we worked alongside WayMakers and other local partners. For many of us, one thing stood out clearly: a wish for better understanding and practices around the accessibility and inclusion of schools, colleges and other organisations for neurodivergent children and young people. We wanted professionals to see and understand what a school day feels like from our perspective.
That’s how RISE began. Four of us came together and created a workshop designed and led by young people, for the adults who support autistic students. Our workshops give professionals a chance to experience school and college ‘through our eyes’, build their confidence, and take away practical tools to make education more inclusive and supportive for everyone. In the future we are looking to build workshops for other organisations such as primary and secondary care, dentists, opticians and much much more, so watch this space!
Our workshops
What Professionals say
Really great to hear lived experience articulated in a very open, honest and candid way.
Personalised stories have given power to the small things I was already aware of and hearing these have not changed my ideas or beliefs, but have reinforced them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can we attend the workshop if we are not part of a school or college?
Yes: any professionals working with children and young people will benefit from our workshops. Please email RISE@waymakers.co.uk and we will contact you to discuss plans.
Is RISE a CPD accredited course?
Not yet, but if there is sufficient interest in it being accredited, we will look into this.
We're not in Devon: can we book a RISE workshop?
Maybe! It is early days for us and we haven’t yet travelled with RISE so let’s arrange a call and see what we can do.
