Advice on starting support group

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My area has absolutely nothing for people with autism/Aspergers. I would like to start a support group for teens and young adults with Aspergers. I have no experience with organizing any kind of a group. I am also a bit handicapped in that area because I have Aspergers myself.

I would be grateful for any advice anyone can give me about starting a support group. I do want to be able to offer real help for people, not just a place for people to gripe.

meet at a public library
advertise on Craigslist Activities section
call all local colleges through their disabilities office and ask to distribute a flyer with support group and for the staff to give your contact info to aspies
advertise on WP
PM WP members who live in your area
start a meetup.com group

read a book about being a facilitator of a support group

In my community, I belong to a support group called "Advancement Square" that was created by the Kelberman Center for Autism. Individuals in our group are at least age 25 and older as there are other groups for children and teens. We meet one
evening a week, to get together...for a planned activity, like bowling or going to a movie that was previously prepared for in advance but, most times, we just get together at the Kelberman Center to talk and support one another. We have alot of fun.
Our group is run by one of the staff members at the Kelberman Center.

When the group first started, it was just a few members and someone who wanted to take the lead. Actually, the Kelberman Center was started by a group of parents who "saw the need"and created this facility, the Kelberman Center for Autism as
a kind of grass roots project. Many families move here to Upstate New York simply to be close to this outstanding facility that
the Kelberman Center has become.

Check out their website, if you would like to see how great this facility is and for any possible ideas. Just Google...KELBERMAN
CENTER FOR AUTISM.

Fascinating post. What would you put on the agenda?

It's a great idea, but I think if I went that direction myself I'd end up with a bunch of us quietly sitting around in a circle NOT looking at each other for an hour...

Stated without bias or sarcasm: I wonder if the AS will make you more or less effective as a mediator in such a group?

Please post more on this as it develops. It's very interesting.

Lookup ASAN.org

Let me save you some time. This person is spamming. Hawk your wares elsewhere, please.

From the 'About Us' at ASAN.ORG:

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ASAN is legit, i will give you the correct website tonight

Thanks, Bender, I am ignorant of these things . I retract my previous comments.

Thanks for your post. Right now, I would say I am definitely handicapped. I don't relish the idea of contacting lots of people I don't know, and also I am very disorganized. I also hate anything number-related, so if this becomes an organization with funding and bookkeeping is involved....Ack! But, I am willing to learn.

I will keep a journal and let you know how it comes along.

I am not spamming - I wrote down the wrong website - I mean the Autism Self-Advocate Network. Here's the correct address: http://www.autisticadvocacy.org/