Friends on the Spectrum (FOTS) Stafford/Fredericksburg Area

Friends on the Spectrum (FOTS) Meetup group is a warm, low-pressure social group for for young adults between the ages of 18-26 with Autism Spectrum Disorder Level 1 (ASD1) who want to make new connections and have fun!

If you’re looking for a friendly space to build real connections, you’re in the right place!

FOTS will meet once a month in-person to engage, connect, and make new friends. The monthly meetings are where we will also plan activities for FOTS members in-between monthly meetings. For our first meeting, let’s share our name and interests to get to know each other better. Also, let’s hear each other’s ideas about group events that would interest you.

At some meetings we may have chats about our interests, play board games, or have creative activities.

Tips for group for group meetings:

(1) Share your name, hobbies, and favorite activities. Please keep sharing to 5-10 minutes so everyone who wants to will have a chance to talk. If you would like to, you can bring a photo or an object that represents your interests or that is special to you. If you want to, you can even make a poster or a diorama to show everyone to help you explain your interests!

(2) Talking in front of the group is optional! This is your group too, and YOU control whether you want to speak in front of the group or if you would rather talk in a small group, or even if you want to talk at all! Maybe you will need time to get to know others before talking and that’s absolutely fine, YOU decide when you’re ready to engage with others.

(3) Only young adults with ASD1 will be permitted in the group meetings aside from one or two neurotypical organizers. Family and caretakers may wait in the library if they wish. We hope eventually to create groups for people with various autism levels.
For this ASD1 group, we ask that you are able to attend a meeting and attend gatherings on your own without support or supervision: one hour for meetings and 1-3h without support or supervision.

(4) There will be breaks! We will take a 5 minute break for every 20 minutes we are in the group setting but YOU decide if and when you need a break! If you need a break at anytime other than a scheduled break, just step out of the room and re-enter when you’re comfortable to do so.

(4) Stimming is OK! Fidget gadgets are OK! Let’s feel comfortable in our group!

(5) No loudness.

(6) There will be a small fee for becoming a member of the group to help keep the Meetup site up and running and to provide snacks during the meeting for example. Dues will be discussed at our first meeting.