Young adults with autism have given the thumbs up to a new skills course

Building websites, using educational maths and spelling apps and blogging are just some of the valuable lessons the young people have enjoyed as part of an innovative digital project running at Parklea Branching Out.

Paul Brooks, from Software Training Scotland, is working with a group of young people who attend a transition group run by Inverclyde Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP).

He says it's proved an enormous success.

Paul told the Tele: "This is about building their education in a fun way and making them feel good and learning as they go.

"They have led it in terms of what works and we then guide it."

Over the last few months Liam Elder and Jonathan Davis, both aged 20 and who have autism, have been attending the workshops which are based at Parklea.

John Cowe, a support worker with the transition group, says the course has been great for them.

He said: "The guys absolutely love using the educational devices like this.

"They are in their element.

"At the start they were given about seven apps and they went through them, so Paul would bring more and more educational stuff.

"They take it as far as they can until they become fluent at doing it."

John says their new digital skills will give them a platform to communicate.

They are working towards creating a digital diary to record their day-to-day activities and keep their families up-to-date.

Lyndsey Shaw, a day centre officer with Inverclyde HSCP, said the course has been hugely beneficial to the people she works with.

She said: "They have learned so much."