About AutSPACEs

The ‘Aut’ in AutSPACEs refers to autistic people, and ‘SPACEs’ is an acronym for ‘sensory processing for accessible community environments’. This captures our aim of making all kinds of spaces better for autistic people by learning about their sensory processing and its impact.

AutSPACEs is made by and for autistic people, researchers and allies. We think the world would be much better if autistic people had more say in how public and private spaces are designed and used.

Because each autistic person is unique, we want to collect as many stories as possible to improve understanding of how sensory processing affects the way people interact with spaces. Together, we can use this information to build a more comfortable and inclusive world.

Our goals

• Share: To share stories and strategies so autistic people can learn from each other’s experiences.
• Influence: To influence how organisations and policymakers design and adapt spaces and policies to improve autistic people’s lives.
• Educate: To educate non-autistic people so they can better support autistic friends, relatives and colleagues.

How to use AutSPACEs

This section gives a step-by-step overview of how AutSPACEs works. You can find more information in the participant information and help sections.

1. Register with Open Humans

When you register you create a private and anonymous account with Open Humans. We work with Open Humans to make sure you have control over your data and that it’s safe.

The Alan Turing Institute has been working with Open Humans to create AutSPACEs. It is a not-for-profit organisation designed to help people access and understand their personal data, and to help them do and share things that use that data. You can find out more about Open Humans on its website.

2. Share your story

Enter a description of how your senses affect you. For example: ‘I don’t go on trains because they’re too loud.’ Say as much or as little as you want.

3. Choose who can read it

You can choose to share your story publicly, so people using AutSPACEs can learn from it, or privately, for research. You can also share both publicly and with researchers. Or you can opt not to share at all, so only you can view it.

4. Story is checked

If you want to make your story public, it will first be checked to make sure it follows our content guidelines. This is to keep AutSPACEs an autism-first, inclusive and welcoming space for all.

5. Change your story any time

You can view your own stories and edit them, or change who they’re shared with any time, even once they’re submitted.

Exploring AutSPACEs

You don’t need an account to explore AutSPACEs and read other people’s stories.

If you’re autistic, you may find other people who have similar sensory experiences to you. You can discover tips and recommendations from them.

If you’re not autistic, you may find ways to better support and empathise with autistic people by learning how their senses affect them.

Data usage

We will never sell your data. We believe your data should belong to you, so it’s your choice what to do with it.

We believe that your data should belong to you, so it’s your choice what to do with it.

Sharing publicly

If you choose to make your story public, it will first be checked by a moderator to make sure it follows our a href="/main/content_moderation_guidelines/">content guidelines. We will let you know when a moderator has made a decision.

If they decide it does follow our guidelines, it will be published anonymously on this website. Anyone will be able to view your story, but your name will be kept private. You can make this choice by checking the box ‘Share publicly on AutSPACEs website’.

If your story doesn’t meet our content guidelines, you’re welcome to change it, making sure it follows them, and submit it again.

If you choose not to share your experience, you can still view it by going to My stories.

Sharing for research

If you choose to share your story for research, it will be part of a dataset with other people’s experiences, and researchers outside the AutSPACEs team, who want to make the world better for autistic people and their families, will have to apply to look at the dataset. You can make this choice by checking the box ‘Allow story to be used for research’ when you add a story.

We will ensure autistic people are involved in making decisions about who can look at the data. We have partnered with Open Humans so your data is kept safe and secure.

Sharing publicly and for research

You can also choose to make your story public and share it with researchers. Do this by selecting ‘Share publicly on AutSPACEs website’ and ‘Allow story to be used for research’.

It’s okay to change your mind

You can change your mind at any time by going to My stories and selecting the options you would prefer.