WHAT SOME OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS HAVE HAD TO SAY ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH AUTISM

WHAT DOES AUTISM MEAN TO YOU?

"Growing up it seemed a bit of a stigma, you get that label across your head, and you're seen as less able than others I feel like sometimes I stand out for the wrong reasons because autism is overlooked sometimes by people they’ll think that I won’t be able to do this or that when actually some of the cleverest people in the world are autistic."

Apprenticeship Connect Learner

WHAT CHALLENGES DO YOU FACE?

"I’ve had a lot of difficulties during school, I couldn’t go to a mainstream school because it was too difficult. I couldn’t cope, there was a lot of bullying, a lot of stigma and people didn’t understand me. Both kids and teachers presumed that if you had a meltdown you were a naughty boy. I do still struggle to get out of the house each day just because of the social anxiety which is partly a result of my autism."

Apprenticeship Connect Learner

DID ANYTHING CHANGE FOR YOU TO START BECOMING MORE ACCEPTING TOWARDS YOUR AUTISM?

"For me, the reason I started to be more open was that I started to become defined in a certain way which was typically negative such as unemotional and serious. I then realised that now I need to take ownership of this and tell people why so they can begin to understand this isn’t someone trying to be a certain way this is just who I am."

Apprenticeship Connect Colleague HOW, AS A SOCIETY CAN WE LOOK AT SUPPORTING OTHERS WHO HAVE AUTISM?

"We’ve all got facets about us that are disadvantaged across society, what we need to do is find a way of equalising and not having those become a factor to work towards equal treatment for all."

Apprenticeship Connect Colleague

IN THE NEWS: RAMADAN ON THE SPECTRUM - 'HOW AUTISM AFFECTS HOW I CELEBRATE THE HOLY MONTH'

Hassaan Mohammad, from Birmingham, is autistic and says he struggles with the change to his daily routine during Ramadan

“I've always found the change in routine difficult as I struggle with sleeping at the best of times,” he says “There's not the usual routine of breakfast, lunch and dinner so occupying myself is harderthis is part of the challenge for me. ”

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IN THE NEWS: AUTISTIC WOMAN WHO WASN'T DIAGNOSED UNTIL AGE 22 REVEALS SIX WARNING SIGNS OF THE DISORDER THAT ARE OFTEN IGNORED IN GIRLS

RESOURCES FOR DIAGNOSIS ON THE NEXT PAGE

A 23-year-old who didn't find out she was autistic until adulthood has shared six lesserknown signs of the disorder that are often disregarded in girls.

Jennifer, has been sharing her experience with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) since she was diagnosed last year on her own TikTok channel

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