Matthew Gale
Compliance Officer, Restart GM
The reason I became a neurodiversity champion is because as a neurodiverse person myself on the autistic spectrum who was diagnosed at age 24, I want to educate and help others learn about the condition particularly ASD to not look at stereotypical misconceptions and look at the talents and abilities that can be overlooked.
Particularly in the workplace where ONS figures published said just 22 % of autistic people are in employment. I have struggled myself with anxiety and my identity after my late diagnosis and the challenges of conforming to a non-neurodiverse environment, I hope that with more education and progress, more people can see this neurodiversity as a positive and not a definition of who a person is.
I also got involved to be a voice for others and share my experiences, so it helps other neurodiverse people in the organisation feel included and that things can change and get better for so many neurodiverse people.
Jenny Brooks
Skills Development Tutor, Education & Skills
Working in education for over 12 years, I have supported many individuals with a variety of conditions including Dyspraxia, Dyscalculia, Dyslexia, ADHD, ASC, as well as a suite of complex mental health conditions. I have a diagnosis of Complex PTSD and a Major Depressive Disorder and am constantly surprised by the lack of knowledge, understanding and support for all these conditions.
My youngest son is diagnosed with both ADHD and Autism, he’s non-verbal by choice, and his care and development have been the most challenging and rewarding aspects of my life. I’ve developed resources for educating around the conditions and have achieved qualifications in autism understanding and support, helping me to appreciate more of the spectrum so I can best support his needs.
50% of people who have a diagnosis of Autism, also have a a diagnosis of ADHD. That’s a huge correlation that should be being investigated, unfortunately, both conditions have very little research funding available. 1 in 100 people has Autism and 1 in 20 children have ADHD.
I am dedicated to educating and changing the negative language and terminology used around these conditions. Neurodiversity is not a mental illness and cannot be cured, often medically diagnosed as ‘disorders’ suggesting deficiency or abnormality, this is something I desperately wish to change.
I’m available for support, mentoring and training sessions for identifying and supporting neurodiverse people.
Lauren Bradshaw
Relationship Coordinator, JETs Job Centre Plus
Being dyslexic myself and having gone undiagnosed until I was 16, I had to really learn how my brain worked and how to get the best out of it during my studies without additional support. This was a challenging time but did allow me space and creativity to trial-and-error different techniques and ways of learning information and completing certain tasks I found challenging to remember.
I later then got diagnosed with visual stress (Irlen syndrome) which explained a lot of things with my reading and working memory. I do believe I have ADHD but undiagnosed. I am always reading up on ADHD, autism, and dyslexia in women especially. I find it fascinating that all medical research was done on men, so they are still finding out signs and symptoms in women specifically and having diagnosis for women at the ages of 30 plus because of this. These conditions show up in men and women differently and it is a shame a lot of people have gone through their lives struggling without a diagnosis feeling lazy, incompetent, and frustrated when they actually have a condition that explains why they do things the way they do.
I am passionate about psychology, and I love to learn about the human mind. I am excited to be a Neurodivergent Champion because I have had to struggle and find out what works best for me via trial and error, and I have been on my own journey and faced my own difficulties and I would love to help others on their journey. I have great ideas to bring to the table especially with my teaching past and mentoring my students and inspiring them to carry on chasing their dreams.
Emma Bennett
Team Manager, JETs GM
Having spent most of my life managing my own Depression and Anxiety (among other conditions) with varying degrees of success and support, as well as supporting neurodiverse young people and adults in teaching and third sector, I feel like anything I can do to keep improving my own understanding of neurodiversity and keep working to improve support and recognition for others on their own neurodiversity journey, whether as someone with a diagnosis, seeking a diagnosis, or as an ally, will help me to pay forward the help and education I have received over the years. Smashing stereotypes and removing barriers (real or perceived), especially for people whose thought processes and ways of working are different to but no less effective than the “norm”, is very close to my heart so this EDI group means a lot to me.
I’m prone to info-dumping but also a trained coach so if you need to talk I’m here to listen!
Bethany McNerlin
Employment Specialist (substance misuse)
I chose to become a neurodiversity champion through my professional experiences working in supported employment services. Throughout my career I have provided specialist support to young people with a range of neurodiversity in the workplace and advocated for reasonable adjustments.
My personal journey with neurodiversity started last year and it has been a learning experience in what works for me and being open about how I work best.
Being a champion is a way to use my professional experience as a trained employment coach for those with ASD and learning disabilities to mentor and support my colleagues across the Growth Company.
As part of the EDI network I hope to share my experiences and expertise to advocate for equity in the workplace.
Carol Vincent
CFO, Activity Hub Sheffield
Neurodiversity is how I live, my partner, his son and his son's girlfriend are all ASC (I don't like disorder as they are very ordered) and I suspect I have ADHD. Holidays and social situations can take a lot of planning. Question phrasing is important. My partner is very caring and feels emotions deeply, though can often feel overwhelmed (maybe a puppy not the best idea).
Understanding that each person is different, and their issues are often quirky. It is easy to label someone, but I feel often life is stacked against the Neurodiverse. It is important to understand and play to their many strengths. I want to stop stereotypes and help understanding. My partner is not a savant, he's a bloke.
Rachel Higgins-Kay
Key Worker on the MOJ Personal Wellbeing contract
I chose to become a Neurodiversity Champion for a range of reasons. Throughout my career, I have always found myself drawn to supporting people who are neurodiverse. I worked in Education, Health and Social care and for the probation service and feel that neurodiverse people are often seen as a stereotype which is embedded from the schooling environment. During my time working in Welfare to Work on IPES and Restart, I have seen that there is often an issue with a self-fulfilling prophecy due to the embedded view and this means that neurodiverse people often feel that they are unable to achieve, which is completely false.
I personally have experience of being neurodiverse (Depression, anxiety, OCD and autism diagnosed at the age of 30) and feel that neurodiverse people can achieve anything that they put their minds to with the right support. I am keen to keep supporting people who are neurodiverse to break down barriers and prove that the stereotype is false.