I am an autistic, dyslexic, dyspraxic, ADHD, disabled changemaker
I want to make a change so that things don’t have to be as hard for people like myself as they were for me.
It took me too long to get my diagnosis, and I didn’t recieve any support when I finally did.
I was bullied at school and have suffered with my mental health as a result, and it took a long time to get the right treatment.
My parents were both undiagnosed autistic people, who had their own mental health and addiction battles. Generational trauma led to domestic abuse.
I was unable to access secondary education that was equipped for my needs, after dropping out of school at 12.
And once I finally got my qualifications, I didn’t know my rights as a disabled job seeker.
Through sharing my story, I am trying to raise awareness of the many people in similiar situations as myself – left on the scrapheap of society, without the right opportunities and development to make the most of their potential and abilities.
Experience
Inclusion and Diversity Manager GroupM, a WPP company
2018 – Present
– Developing and launching diversity outreach programmes with Brixton Finishing School for GroupM and WPP employers to find talent – including the Visible Start returnship programme
– Assisting and advising the head of Inclusion and Belonging to set up new Employee Resource Groups including Roots
– Supporting employees during the COVID-19 crisis with mental health content and resources
– Achieving Disability Confident Employer (Level Two)
– Serving as Chair for the Enable employee resource group
– With the Disability employee resource group, EnableM, developing content and social media campaign for Autism Awareness Week, including case study interviews with four autistic employees at different levels of their career about their experience of work, and a podcast about the Ambitious about Autism Autism Exchange programme at m/SIX
Achieved media coverage in Campaign Magazine, and retweets by large charities / nonprofits such as Scope
– Supporting the GroupM employee resource groups to influence on policy and run insightful events
– Working closely with the Global Head of Culture to develop a worldwide strategy, framework and plan for roll out – including branding, comms and a collaboration framework
Highlights
Being shortlisted for the IPA I-List inclusion awards
Speaking at
– Bloom Fest 2020
– Diverse Minds Neurodiversity Conference
– IBM Think Talent Network
– The Future is ND
– Capco
Inclusion Champions on WPP homepage: Sharing the positive role of neurodiversity and experience of mental ill health in conversation with Christine Benton, Executive Vice President at BCW North America
Autism, Neurodiversity and Disability Campaigner, Speaker, Consultant and Researcher
2018 –
As a self employed autism advocate and consultant, I use my expertise in autism, community and individual needs, neurodiversity, public representation and user experience to provide advice and advocacy to researchers, professionals and service designers. I ensure research design is autism-appropriate, services are autism-friendly, accessibility options are provided and that autistic perspectives are heard.
DARE
I am an advisory board member for Autistica and the Centre for Research in Autism Education at University College London’s, Discover Autism Research Employment (DARE) project. I have supported the project with my understanding of lived experience and expertise in accessible employment for autistic people, as well as testing surveys and websites and advising on publications.
Post 16 Education Research for the Department for Education
I am a young researcher on the Ambitious about Autism and the Centre for Research in Autism Education at University College London’s Department for Education and Autism Education Trust (AET) funded research. This research considers what change there have been for autistic young people in post–16 education, since the introduction of new entitlements to education provision to age 25 under the Children and Families Act 2014. The final report was presented to the Department for Education in 2020.
Randomised Control Trial
I am a member of the Autistic Advisory Group on the Sertraline for Anxiety in adults with a diagnosis of Autism (STRATA) randomised controlled trial, run by the University of Bristol.
Autistica Discover Insight Group
I have participated in Autistica’s Discover Insight Group by:
– Attending workshops and focus groups
– Reviewing applications for autism research programmes and grants
– Consulting on design of research such as clinical trials involving universities and the NHS
– Consulting on UX, CBT content and copy writing of Autistica’s Molehill Mountain app
– Assisting and advocating during UX testing of Molehill Mountain
– Monitoring ongoing research projects
Highlights
Speaking at:
– The House of Lords
– Scope’s Annual General Meeting
– Autistica’s Research Conference
– The British Psychological Society
– The Civil Service Autism Exchange closing ceremonies
– IRC Global Executive Search Partners to Chief People Officers
– Ambitious about Autism’s charity gala
Lobbying politicians by sharing my story, including Secretary of State for Transport RT Hon Chris Grayling, Minister for Children and Families, Nadhim Zahawi MP and Minister for the Constitution, Chloe Smith MP and Leader of the Liberal Democrats RT Hon Ed Davey
Sharing my story in the Universal Music UK #CreativeDifferences neurodiversity report and animations
Quoted in the BIMA Tech and Inclusion Report 2019
– Writing in the Huffington Post about my experience getting into work
Marketing Manager at Nudibranch Records
2016 – 2018
Working with Polyop and other acts at start up record label producing vinyl, other physical and digital releases.
– Social media management
– Content creation including photography, videography and post production
– Marketing strategy
– Press releases and copy writing
– Market research
– Fan engagement
Autism Exchange Intern
at m/SIX
2018
Interning in the TalkTalk team, and later in the Just Eat team. Also worked on projects with Vitality and Tate and Lyle.
I leveraged interest from parent company, GroupM’s People team in Autism, after they had taken Ambitious about Autism training and set up an Autism employee resource group, and influenced on recruitment practices and policy ahead of securing my role in that team as Inclusion and Diversity Coordinator.
Responsibilities:
– Reporting on weekly market trends, competitor media spends and TV ratings to client
– Audience and market research
– Post campaign analysis
Completed numerous training programmes including:
– GroupM University online and in person courses in media systems, personal development and Get To Know media owner modules
– Google Academy for Ads and Advanced Google Analytics
– Facebook Blueprint
– WPP Negotiation Training
Autism Exchange Intern
at The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
2017
Interning in the Commercial New Nuclear and Investor Relations team:
I delivered a presentation and research paper on nuclear technology to refresh the team’s knowledge. It was of critical importance that I understood my audience, and so I liaised with members of the team and identified areas of knowledge deficit, and identified key civil servants to meet who could provide expert knowledge. I used my time management and organisation skills to deliver to a tight deadline, and demonstrated my ability to develop an understanding of a complex topic at pace. I had the opportunity to sit in on high level meetings, to study and digest briefing documents, to learn about the planning behind Secretary of State meetings and phone calls with industry CEOs, and to experience working in a highly politically and commercially sensitive environment.
Amy Walker - Amy Aspie 