OPEN SPECTRUM is a parent-run activities club for children and teens on the autistic spectrum in South Dublin. Our club was founded in 2013 by Helen Norris and Victoria White, two parents of teens on the spectrum who met at an autism-friendly event. They felt their children should have the same opportunities to take part in after-school activities that their “normal” children had but could not find a club to serve their needs so they decided to set one up.
Our first event was trampolining at Jumpzone in Sandyford on September 26th, 2013. Jumpzone remains a major supporter of Open Spectrum, donating the “take” from our trampolining sessions on regular, designated Saturdays.
Since then the club has grown and grown and we have added many other activities including: karate, kayaking, wall climbing, surfing, bowling, athletics and boxing. We are always looking for new ideas.
We specialise in doing “blocks” of activities rather than one-off events and are particularly interested in activities which will benefit our children. Our kids crave exercise and exercise with sociability is particularly useful.
Open Spectrum caters for kids between the ages of five and 20 years. We do not yet have charity status but are keeping detailed accounts – available on request and at our annual AGM – with the aim of registering as a charity in the near future.
We charge no membership fee but require you to fill in a Confidential Registration Form on this site. You will receive regular emails and should join our Facebook group to receive updates.
Come and join in! We are friendly and welcoming and we understand the challenges which autism can present. Your kid will probably have fun and you are sure to meet some like-minded people who may have information to share with you
Open Spectrum CLG was awarded charity status on the 27/04/2022 . Registered charity number (RCN) is 20206387. All of our wonderful volunteers and participants are committed to developing and growing this wonderful charity.