Alex Jackson

Trainee Software Engineer IDG

“I’ve not had the best experience, and I don’t want anyone else to go through the same as me.”

“I was late diagnosed as autistic but always felt like I was wired differently to everyone else. I didn't know anything about neurodiversity back then, I honestly thought I was going crazy. When I received my diagnosis, I felt validated. Imagine going through life and as far as you can tell, all your senses work, but everyone keeps telling you that what you experience isn't real. You're just making it up.

To be autistic means your brain develops differently to the normal standard, which is known as neurotypical or NT for short. It's something you're born with. This can become obvious when it comes to social communication and interaction and can be characterised by developmental delays. For an example, I was mute until I was four, but when I did talk, it was in full grammatically correct sentences.

Warwick has immense potential to create a nurturing and inclusive environment for its neurodiverse staff members. Those of us who are autistic, or who have ADHD, dyslexia or dyspraxia, for example. We're often expected to adapt to environments that do not benefit or support us. For a neurotypical staff member, a meeting cancelled at the last minute or a loud, brightly-lit office space would not necessarily impact them. But for neurodiverse colleagues, these things can be deeply draining - and we are constantly having to react and respond to them in a workplace that is traditionally set up for neurotypical staff

We’re expected to conform to societal norms that are not natural to us. When I attended the Staff Neurodiversity Peer Support Group earlier this year, I quickly realised that when we ask for help, there is no standard response.

I’m setting up a group of Neurodiversity Champions from across the University. The aim of this group is to raise awareness and all I really want to do is to help somebody. Whether it's a manager understanding things or somebody realising that they've been struggling with things all their life. Not knowing what label to give that or know what to research to find that out. If it can help just one person, then I've done what I set out to do.”