Final minutes of the Autscape Board meeting held at 4pm on 25th May 2024
Meeting opened 16:14
Chair: Kacey
Present: Elaine, James, Kacey, Martijn, Trish
Apologies: Richard
Observers: one
1. Approvals
1.1 Minutes of meeting held on 23rd March 2024
Approved, 5 for
2. Ratifications
2.1 Ratification of the decision taken on list 7th May 2024. The Event Manager proposed the board accept the following proposals for Autscape 2024:
Elliot
Experiences of Autistic Joy - findings from a participatory research project
Jess Garner
Drama Workshop Exploring Autistic Joy
Barnabear
The Joy of Engineering
Max Marnau
Music, word-sounds and the taste of languages: vocal stims and autistic joy
The Neurodiverse Sport Team
Finding joy through sport
Courtney Ward
Joanna Lawicka
Applied Needs Analysis - neuroinclusive support for autistic people
Kate Fox
The Flux
Dr David Thorpe
How to love your work: Breaking down what makes great employment
Saffron
Creating a Sensory Experience and Special Interest Toolkit
Sara Rocha
Exploring Artificial Intelligence tools for Autistic Joy
Corsin Gaudenz
Dancing together – a toolkit
Alicja Nocon
Sensory joy to the rescue: emotional containers and portable safe spaces
Approved, 5 for
Heta joined the meeting at 17:21
3. Proposals
3.1 The Company Secretary proposed that we pay the attached EUCAP membership fee of 210 Euro and budget up to £200 to allow for currency flunctuations.
Approved, 6 for
3.2 The Company Secretary proposed the following amendment to the Bursary Policy open statement:
Change "However, Autscape is exceptional in that a significant proportion of its participants could qualify for a discount under these terms. Therefore we do not offer any discount but we set our fees as low as possible for everybody" to "Therefore we do not always offer a discount but we set our fees as low as possible for everybody"
Approved, 6 for
4. Follow ups
No follow ups
5. Reports
5.1 Chair
Nothing to report
5.2 Company Secretary
The Company Secretary said she was writing the annual report which will be sent to list soon
5.3 Treasurer
No report (absent)
5.4 Tech Coordinator
The Tech Coordinator reported that the transition to the new server is finally making progress, slowly.
He has made some cosmetic updates to the website so it looks better (including new blue/red/green/plain themes)
He has reorganised the menus to be clearer. Everyone in the new photos has given consent.
Feedback welcome.
Kacey requested access to the chair@ email.
5.5 Fundraising Coordinator
No report, absent
5.6 Event Manager
Can we find and put this report here (Report sent on list)
Elaine and Kacey updated:
100 people registered on the first day which is faster than last year. Latest figure is around 150. About 6 have taken professional rate.
All presenters have confirmed though some still need to confirm their day
Martijn confirmed that days only registration has not opened yet.
6. AOB
6.1 Martijn informed that EUCAP has a form we need to fill in (online) to show them that we still meet their criteria as a member.
This is a periodic check. We need the number of members. Martijn will fill in the form with figures from Richard.
6.2 EUCAP meeting - Kacey is unable to attend but Martijn has agreed to.
6.3 Heta is preparing a project funding application for the Finnish association ASY. She would like to propose collaboration,in the form of one or two Autscape board members or organisers acting as consultants or trainers, a few times over a period of three years, if they are successful in getting the funding. This would involve things like explaining the idea of autistic space and the autism friendly practices in use at Autscape. She would need to have a letter of intent signed by Kacey, to be included in the project application by Friday. This would be a non-binding agreement, therefore no risk involves so she suggests delegating the task to Kacey.
It was done last year but the application was not submitted, so she is trying again.
The Chair proposed that we accept the project collaboration.
Approved, 6 for
Meeting closed 17:10