Proposal for an Autism Mentors' Network in Scottish Higher Education

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Gaine, L. (2025). Proposal for an Autism Mentors' Network in Scottish Higher Education. In Applications and Practices for Empowering Neurodivergent Learners (pp. 283-318). IGI Global Scientific Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3373-4445-4.ch010 · ISBN : 9798337344454

Publication date: 25 Jul 2025 Added to AutiHub: 9 Oct 2026 Type: Book chapter Article language: English
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Authors

Publication authors
1
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 1 (100.0%)
  1. Laura Gaine *

Abstract

This chapter investigates the potential for establishing professional networks among Autism Mentors in Scotland. It aims to examine how multimodal networks can enhance mentoring quality and facilitate structured pathways for Autistic individuals to become Mentors themselves. The chapter explores the definition and scope of the Specialist Autism Mentor role, as well as assessing its' effectiveness. Theoretical integration of Bronfenbrenner's Bioecological Framework and Irvine's Framing for Reframing is used to highlight the systemic challenges Autistic students face throughout the student life course and outlines opportunities for Mentors to address these challenges. Alternative mentoring models that transcend traditional dyadic approaches are proposed. The chapter culminates in a proposal for an Autism Mentors' Network in Scotland, outlining its core principles and benefits for both Mentor and student. It concludes with a call to action for educators working in the field.

Bibliography cited by this reference

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Cited bibliography overview

These indicators describe the bibliography cited by this publication. An author name is counted each time it appears in one cited reference, so the same person can be counted more than once. Names not yet linked to an author already present in AutiHub are treated as unknown, not as non-autistic. Last computed: 28 Oct 2026 01:01.

Cited references
65
With a DOI
35
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
27
10 / 65 (15.4%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
21 / 65 (32.3%)
References with detected author names
45 / 65 (69.2%)
Without detected author names
20
Without a structured title
21
Without a stable identifier
26
References with raw author names still to review
20
References with external metadata lookup issues
1
These indicators apply to cited references displayed on this page, after technical duplicates have been merged. A reference without a DOI can still support author statistics when a title and author names are available.
Author names detected in the cited bibliography
133
From DOI or external metadata
133
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
32
56 / 133 (42.1%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 77 / 133 (57.9%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
13 / 133 (9.8%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 13 / 56 (23.2%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 10 / 125 (8.0%).
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