On World Autism Day Henry joined The Kent Morning Show to discuss how workplaces can be more accepting for those with additional needs.
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00:00Well, neurodivergence, this is something that my mum recognised when I was two years old.
00:06We got it diagnosed and now I have high-functioning autism because she could tell the signs were
00:13sort of there from when I was young, like really struggling with communication when
00:18I was just a toddler.
00:20So she got that diagnosed and now here I am, got the diagnosis and it's really helped me
00:27through school, helped me through university, just having that support makes all the difference.
00:34And tell us a bit about those experiences of school, of university, of working here
00:38at KMTV and that kind of, the role of neurodiversity in that, what have been your experiences across
00:47all those places?
00:48Well of course with neurodivergence and of course being in often neurotypical environments
00:54it can often be quite challenging to adapt so that's why with the help I've got from
01:01like say mentors in university and school, support of teaching assistants, they've helped
01:09to really keep me, keep me happy, keep me aware, know what, know everything that's going
01:16on and that's just made all the difference when getting through those stages of my life.
01:23Yeah and so you're starting to post your work as the self-proclaimed ASD reporter, so tell
01:29us about this and what you're doing on social media and reporting.
01:33This is something that me and Andy came up with, we thought it would be a really unique
01:37pathway to show how I work alongside neurodivergence, not against it, and of course all the challenges
01:47and also benefits that it brings because it's not all drawbacks because with high-functioning
01:53autism you tend, I tend to have like greater focus and more and greater attention to detail
02:00so it would be really good to chronicle, to show these parts of my life and just show
02:08people that you can function and you can have a good life even with autism.
02:14I think that's a really important thing to get across, I mean we've seen, you know, we
02:18see weekly the pieces that you do for us at KMTV and across a range of topics as well.
02:26It's one of the photos of course that you did as well.
02:28Yes, absolutely, so what are the kind of, you know, myths that you want to bust for
02:36people about neurodiversity and autism, especially in the workplace, what are some of those myths
02:42that through your work that you want to show, you know, bust them?
02:47I think a common myth is that autistic people tend to be seen as loners, they don't want
02:54to socialise but actually a lot of them do want to socialise, it's just some have barriers,
03:02some have really struggled to cope in neurotypical environments and I want to show that autistic
03:11people aren't loners and they're just the same as everyone else and they can thrive
03:20in workplaces like this if they have the right support.
03:24And speaking of support, tell us a little bit about how your parents and family supported
03:28you and for children and families watching, what would you say to them?
03:33I would say if there was any advice I would give to parents with neurodivergent children,
03:39I would say just get that diagnosis because it can make a world of difference getting
03:44through school, getting through university, getting through whatever it is.
03:49If you see the signs, get it checked out because you never know, it could be something, could
03:55be something else but it's just, that's what happened with my mum and my parents and it's
04:01just made a world of difference for me and that's why I'm here right now, doing what's
04:07speaking to you, doing these packages and just loving work here at KMTV.
04:12Yes, and I see you often wearing the lanyard as well, that kind of recognises that.
04:18So what would you say as well, so going back to diagnosis, so what about your diagnosis
04:26helped you growing up, did it give you access to more support?
04:31Yes, I remember having teaching assistants in primary, secondary school, they were just
04:37there to help regulate my emotions, help keep me calm, understand what I'm supposed to be
04:43doing and then of course in university I also had a mentor who I'd see about every week
04:49or so just to check in with work, just see how I'm doing, I think it's just simple, just
04:56simply having someone to talk to really.