Any A/AS organisations en New Zealand?

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I just wanted to ask: are there any aspie organisations, clubs, social groups, awareness campainers etc. in New Zealand? I coulnd't help noticing, that aspie problem is largely overlooked here, and many people does not even know about Aspergers. I think this country needs some awareness raising.

It certainly does! Some people at my school found out that someone I knew had it last year, and the amount of times I got asked what it is was unbelievable! I hadn't even heard the word 'autism' until I was 17 (only recently found out I have it). Even my biology teacher at school didn't have a clue what it was!

I went to a psychiatrist a few weeks ago for something else, and he said within 2 minutes of meeting me that I definitely didn't have AS, and that it's drastically overdiagnosed in NZ (he's German).

There's the Cloud 9 foundation, though - I've heard they're quite good. They run support groups for kids, teenagers and adults. And the disabilities support person at Massey in Palmy started am adult AS support group in Wellington, but I don't know much about it.

Maybe WE should do something about it! There's a few other Kiwis on here - what do you reckon?

Autsim New Zealand Inc

Alison Bradley's asplanet site

Thanks pandd

More information as requested my site is for of course Kiwis and connecting worldwide, as the spectrum is transit:
Aspergers Parallel Planet - bringing together those of us who are neurologically differently able, to me complex at times but often brilliantly intriguingly interesting : http://www.asplanet.info/
AsPlanet forum - a private place and like an extended family for spectrumites worldwide - read, share, ask or have somewhere you feel understood and matter http://www.asplanet.info/forum/

I could put lots more, but really simply visit some time, my site belongs to all. I also when time visit here the mother ship to many other planets together the spectrum solar system

Alison has added a bit of info about asplanet (thanks so much Alison).

The other link (in my earlier thread) is for a nationwide charitable org (no government funding) that has local sub-chapters.

Thanks! Maybe I'll try and find the Auckland branch then. But honestly I don't know how to contact this kind of organisations. Do they have some campaigns, or events or something?

Details of Auckland and other NZ groups held on my web site:
http://asplanet.info/index.php?option=c ... Itemid=114

Would it be okay if I just suddenly show up? Or do I need to make some appointments or something?

Auckland in North Island, I am in South Island.. so no idea.. simply phone and they will let you know, usually maybe not on a simply turn up basic, until they know who you are anyway I think, but a lot of good progress in Auckland I here and I love there approach to their group meetings, quite relaxed from what I have heard...

[quote] Goren wrote Would it be okay if I just suddenly show up? Or do I need to make some appointments or something?[quote]

I do not know because I live in the Bay of Plenty but if it is similar to my group, it depends on what activity is planned.

I can't phone, I have a kind of a phobia for phones.

Goren, so far as I know the society in Auckland holds informal meetings aimed at adults with AS/HFA and people may just drop in casually. Unless there have been changes since this time last year, the meetings are run by author Jen Birch (you can google her for more info). I am not sure how you will know when the meetings are though unless there was an email contact on the website that asplanet/Alison posted a link to or you are willing to go into the office to ask in person. If you do contact them, they will send you an information pack and an application to join (it's free for you to join although a donation is always appreciated I suspect).

Okay. I'll put a pin in it.

It's likely they will have an email address.

Autism New Zealand maybe able to put you in contact with a group in your area. They likely have an email address as well.

Good luck with this.

Yeeah... Well, honestly I was kinda hoping that someone from those organizations would pop up here and say, like, hello and welcome and stuff. So that I wouldn't have to try and reach people myself, as I suck at this. After all, WP is the biggest aspie network, isn't it? But seemingly nobody from there is here, or maybe they don't have too many people at all. So I'd have to email them. Gosh I'm anxious. When I write the email, how do I start?

Hi,
I have Asperger Syndrome (or other as appropriate). I live in Auckland. Please could you send me an information pack. Thankyou.

Insert your details for postage here