How Sunderland's Fans Museum is giving people with autism learning opportunities
The Fans Museum is helping to get people with autism on the pathway to employment.
As well as housing the world’s largest collection of SAFC, and wider football, memorabilia, The Fans Museum harnesses people’s passion for football to help the community.
The latest project has seen a group of young men with autism gain valuable experience at the museum.
Started in 2023, in partnership with the NHS and Sunderland College, the pilot scheme to encourage the group to learn and develop via work experience and life opportunities has since flourished.
The group - made up of Rhys Peer, Dan Patton, Elliott Milburn, Andrew Rowell and Charlie Banks - are not only now involved in the daily operations of the museum, but have enriched their lives, socially, educationally and, in some instances, through gaining employment.
Rhys brought with him an in depth knowledge of railways and locomotives - fitting for the Fans Museum’s location at the old Monkwearmouth Station - and has since gained employment at Beamish Museum.
Fans Museum founder, Michael Ganley, says each of the men have made a significant contribution to the museum, seeing their confidence and skills thrive.
“The men echo what our ethos is about,” he explained. “The Fans Museum is a safe space that can accommodate everyone and make a positive change to their lives.
“To see these guys work alongside our other Ambassadors is amazing, not only enriching their own lives, but to see them supporting our Mental Health project, our Dementia Outreach, and all of the other projects raises our pride to a new level.”
Michael has amassed 250,000 items in his decades of being a Black Cat. A collection so vast that monthly display rotations take place at The Fans Museum in the hope of being able to show it all.
What started life as a private collection snowballed into a museum for all in 2017 when Michael took on the grand Monkwearmouth Station after the railway museum closed its doors.
“Knowing what has been created in a building that had been closed to the public, proves that we have created something special in the city and the wider community,” he said.
“We are the only museum of its kind in the world, offering this kind of support and environment, providing these young people with opportunities and experiences that they would never otherwise have.
“The Fans Museum is free and accessible to all, pushing boundaries in the museum sector with the work we carry out in local communities.”
All members of the scheme also undertook training sessions on Suicide Prevention sponsored by Karbon Homes and delivered by ’If U Care Share’ - at the Betsy Jenny Community and Wellbeing Café - and Understanding Drug Abuse delivered by Wear Recovery.