Journey On was instigated by Libby’s attending one of the Church Mission Society’s ‘Make Good’ weeks in October 2016. (This course is a social/missional enterprise accelerator that helps transform ideas for social change into action. For more info about CMS see: www.churchmissionsociety.org
The original idea for Journey On was based on Libby’s experience of seeing friends on the autistic spectrum struggling to fit into work, social groups and their local contexts, and spending significant periods of time alone, unnoticed and indoors. A quick Google search shows quite how high suicide rates are and how low life expectancy is for people on the spectrum globally. In response, Libby created the idea to get people outside, connected, more supported and excited about the future. Andreas, with his personal experience of living with autism, has been influential in motivating and organising the network.
Andreas has experience in media and communications, computers and many other things. He has also studied Theology at the University of Uppsala with a focus on Church History. An avid book and record collector, he produces music under the name Andy Planck (www.soundcloud.com/andyplanck) and has an internship as a handyman with the Swedish Tax Agency.
Libby is a community chaplain in the Methodist church, an experienced EFL teacher and oversees School Pastors in a large secondary comprehensive school in Reading – an initiative that largely supports students with additional learning and emotional needs. (For more on community chaplaincy or School Pastors, see www.wantab.org.uk/contact-us.html and www.schoolpastors.org.uk/locations/burghfield-area).