What I’ve learnt as the mother of an autistic son.

15 March
An image of a mother and child looking over a landscape

As a mother of a child on the Autism spectrum, I have spent many hours trying to learn and understand how to be able to best support my son and help him thrive.

The hardest bit along our journey has been the unknown. Will he make friends? Will he get through school? Will he be able to live on his own? Will he be able to get a job? For a while, these questions were something that we needed to find answers to – how were we going to get him ready for all of these things?

But, taking a step back, we soon realised that it isn’t for us to mould him and make him fit in, it is for us to celebrate his strengths and encourage the rest of society to embrace him for the amazing boy that he is.

He could read fluently before his fourth birthday, his memory is unbelievable, he takes in facts like a sponge, he is besotted with vehicles and how they work and his passion for subjects he really cares about is blindingly obvious! As his Mum, I believe there is no career that he couldn’t smash!

This Neurodiversity Celebration Week, I am 100% behind the purpose of this campaign; “to help the world understand, value and celebrate the talents of neurodiverse minds.”

I feel like I am in a good place as his Mum right now. However, I wouldn’t be standing so tall, proud and strong without some amazing support, advice and love over the years. Personally from family and friends as well as some outstanding teachers, speech therapists and professionals.

But working for Shaw Trust has truly opened my eyes to see how the world is slowly adapting. I can see first hand the impact of supported internships, the employers who are embracing and adjusting to support and employ neurodiverse and disabled people and I get to read success stories that could make my heart burst.

My Shaw Trust colleagues are incredible! I have been welcomed into the Neurodiversity Peer Support Group with open arms and feel privileged to hear their lived experiences and get so much advice and support from people. Knowing you aren’t alone is what makes bad days good again.

Finally, being able to work on the Disability Power 100 for the second year is a dream! These incredible people year on year who campaign tirelessly for equality, awareness and acceptance gain recognition that they deserve. It is these people who are paving the way to make the world a better place for generations to come, including my son. A huge wave of gratitude flows over me each time I read a bio or even speak to the person themselves. I will always remember an email conversation with an autistic influencer about his lived experience and supportive, optimistic words. It wouldn’t have taken him long to type, but it has stayed with me for over two years now and is extremely appreciated!

So, this Neurodiversity Celebration Week, please help us challenge stereotypes and misconceptions, create more inclusive cultures and empower every single person around us.

Together we can change the narrative.

 

The Neurodiversity Celebration Week logo. A black light bulb with an image of a brain in multicolours.

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James Stewart OBE
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James became a Trustee in 2021 after a 30 year career spanning the public and private sectors. He started in the banking sector, led Partnerships UK and Infrastructure UK, and then spent ten years at KPMG finishing as a Vice Chair and member of the UK Board.

Much of James’ career has been spent in the pursuit of improving public services and he has been involved in the development of many of the leading UK infrastructure projects and programmes including Crossrail and HS2. James believes that skills are a key enabler to the regeneration and growth of the UK economy and helping young people to have the opportunity to acquire skills and have the best chance of employment is his motivation for joining Shaw Trust. He is attracted by the Shaw Trust operating model and believes that social enterprises can have a greater role in delivering public services in the future.

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Steve is passionate about using his extensive HR Leadership experience to make a positive difference to the lives of others. Throughout a career spent at the helm of global matrix organisations devising and implementing expansive change initiatives, Steve has utilised extensive HR experience to deliver substantial revenue, growth, and organisational development.

Steve has represented HR in Board positions for more 15 years, most recently as Chief HR Officer for the Apogee Corporation, leading on HR, real-estate, and environmental strategies.

Steve brings experience of working within the charity sector, having in the past managed and held leadership roles within National Citizens Advice Bureau for 6 years and performed non-executive director roles for Presentation Housing Association for four years, with a focus on the vulnerable and disadvantaged. Steve believes that the seamless blend and contribution of paid employees and volunteers providing valued and sought-after services can bring unique challenges to the workplace along with passion and devotion to the delivery of quality. This generates a unique culture, with people that have insights, motivation and experiences that utilised well, make an incredible difference to society. Steve believes in the importance of rigour and best use of available funds to maximise an organisation’s ability to facilitate this. Steve’s expertise in organisational consolidation following acquisitions, business transformation, continuous improvement and career pathing for employees will all support the delivery of Shaw Trust’s Vision 2030: Strategic Directive.

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As an advocate for Social Mobility, Financial Inclusion and Disability Rights, Kalm has been working in the field of accessibility since 2013, delivering projects from DFID, the Commonwealth Youth Council and National Lottery Community Fund.

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Lara Oyesanya
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Lara joined Shaw Trust in April 2021. Lara is a trustee of Plan International UK and a co-opted Member, Committee on Benefactions, External and Legal Affairs, the University of Cambridge advising the Vice-Chancellor.

The vision of Shaw Trust of a future where good employment is accessible to all in society irrespective of life circumstances resonates with Lara. Growing up in Nigeria, Lara was raised with strong values that included a great sense of social justice, responsibility, accountability, respect, and care for everyone in the community. Shaw Trust’s outlined outcomes for education and skills, children and young people’s services, and health and well-being are areas that Lara believes are essential for a fair and equitable society. This vision is a big draw for Lara as a Shaw Trust trustee and she hopes that the work of Shaw Trust will continue to promote social justice and mobility to address the causes and consequences of poverty in society.

Lara is a solicitor and general counsel in the financial services – digital payments sector, currently General Counsel and Chief Risk Officer at Contis, a contributing editor, LexisNexis Encyclopaedia of Banking Law, and a Consulting Editorial board member LexisPSL©. She is a Fellow of The RSA and ‘Business Woman of the Year’, 2018 FL National Awards. Ranked in The Lawyer Hot 100 2021 and the 50 Must-Follow Black Female Leaders 2020. Formerly, legal director at Klarna, senior legal counsel at Barclays and BAE Systems, a divisional counsel at RAC, a legal director at HBOS, and Group Head of Legal at Lex Autolease. She is a law graduate (LL.B Hons) from the University of Lagos with an LL.M in Comparative Company Law.

Mike Nussbaum
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Mike joined Shaw Trust in February 2016. Mike sits on the boards of RNIB, Guide Dogs, Vision UK, the Equality and Diversity Forum and supports numerous other charitable organisations.

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Mike is passionate about the added value which volunteers can bring to an organisation as well as the personal benefits of volunteering. Supporting Shaw Trust’s 1,000 person strong volunteer programme, Mike received a national ‘Year of the Volunteer’ Award for services to volunteering in 2005, and in 2008 The Open University awarded him an Honorary Doctorate.

Annamarie Hassall MBE
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Annemarie was appointed to the Board as a trustee in autumn 2019. An expert in her field, she was appointed MBE for services to children and families in 2011.

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To find out more about Annamarie connect on LinkedIn.

Deborah Dorman
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Audrey Coutinho
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Audrey joins as a Trustee in June 2021. Shaw Trust’s inspiring vision for a future where good, rewarding and dignified employment is accessible to all and the values of the Trust were the primary attractions for wanting to be a Trustee at the organisation.

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Paul Baldwin
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Olly Benzecry
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Olly became our Chair of Trustees in February 2023. He is passionate about helping those with disadvantages to achieve their potential in employment.

In addition to being the Chair of Shaw Trust, Olly is a Trustee of Movement to Work and advises WithYouWithMe, an international provider of skills-based talent management solutions. He is Chair of the Corporate Development Board of the Natural History Museum (NHM) and a member of the Corporate Partnership Board of Cancer Research UK. Olly advises Faculty, a world leading AI provider, as well as being a CEO advisor more broadly.

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Chris Luck CB MBE DL
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Chris joined the Trust in May 2019, after a distinguished career in the armed forces.

Chris had not planned to move into the voluntary sector, however, his life experiences, personal values and strong sense of purpose made him the perfect fit to lead Shaw Trust. Ensuring those we support are at the heart of everything we do, Chris has implemented a new organisational structure, reviewed our strategic direction and championed new initiatives, including the Shaw Trust Foundation and Shaw Trust Policy Institute supporting and advocating for social mobility through opportunity.

To find out more about Chris follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.