Lived Experiences

We have gathered some examples of lived experiences, needs and the support we can offer.

Click on the box and then on each tab in turn.

Please note: strengths and weaknesses, and their combinations, are highly individual
and not determined by gender.

I'm Autistic

I'm Abeni. I was diagnosed at the age of 16, when I started college. I have been working as an administrator for five years.

I have never disclosed my diagnosis because I worry about being stigmatised and potentially losing my job.

HYC support options

I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

Autism

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I have challenges

I have strengths

Autism

I am an accomplished musician and have always excelled in both administrative and technical skills.

My strengths

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I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

Autism

My challenges

My biggest challenge is finding the courage to unmask and admit how completely drained I feel after work meetings and team collaborations.

I also want to nurture my friendships with my friends, but I’m afraid they might reject me if I share my true needs.

HYC support options

I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

Autism

My support needs

I would like to understand my autism better—why I excel at certain things while others seem impossible for me.

Sometimes, I wonder: Am I just a misfit, or is there hope for me?

HYC support options

I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

Autism

HYC Support

We will arrange a meeting with one of our neurodivergence specialists to help Abeni gain a deeper understanding of female autism, which will, in turn, boost her confidence.

Additionally, we will offer support in developing her friendships by providing strategies for disclosing her needs in a safe manner.

I'm Autistic

HYC support options

I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

Autism

Hi, I’m Josh. I’m a social guy who enjoys being around my friends. They tease me about my autistic behaviours, but it’s all in good humour.

I've known about my autism for as long as I can remember and received  great support at school. 

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I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

Autism

I can design and make just about anything, and I’m a walking encyclopaedia on inventions throughout history.

My strengths

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I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

Autism

My challenges

My main challenges include people outside my friendship group sometimes perceiving me as rude or unfeeling.

My girlfriend has accused me of being selfish, which I don’t understand at all, as she is the most important person in my life. Being misunderstood is depressing.

HYC support options

I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

Autism

My support needs

I’d like to understand why people misunderstand me so often and how I can show my girlfriend that I care.

HYC support options

I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

Autism

HYC Support

We will arrange a meeting for Josh with one of our neurodivergence specialists to work on practising phrases and behaviours for various social situations. 

We will provide him with strategies for adjusting his manner, phrasing, and tone of voice to communicate more effectively with his girlfriend.

I have combined ADHD

Hi. I'm Raphael. I was diagnosed in my teens.

I experience both inattention and hyperactivity, and I am also very impulsive.

HYC support options

I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

ADHD

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I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

ADHD

I am a creative designer with my own business. My steel band performs at festivals and in clubs.

When I am passionate about something, I can maintain focus for hours. I have decided against medication, as I feel content with how I am. Instead, I meditate and exercise regularly.

My strengths

HYC support options

I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

ADHD

My challenges

Procrastination is my biggest problem. I am often on edge due to leaving work assignments to the last-minute. I tend to be late wherever I need to be, which can be frustrating for others.
Additionally, depending on my mood, I can be either too quiet or excessively talkative.

HYC support options

I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

ADHD

My support needs

I need task-management tools that work for me, but so far, I haven't found any that are effective. The more I try to manage my time, the more chaotic it seems to become.

I think I need support not only for task management but also for managing my mood and everyday tasks.

HYC support options

I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

ADHD

HYC Support

We will support Raphael in testing a range of potentially relevant software, while he shares his thoughts and feelings. This will help us understand what works for him, what doesn’t, and why.

Additionally, where possible, we will aim to facilitate a meeting with one of our counsellors and occupational therapists to develop an integrated support plan.

I have ADHD

My name is Emma. My attention issues were known to my family from a young age, but I wasn't assessed in school because I was bright, and the teachers were unaware of my difficulties.
My current boss has ADHD, and he arranged for me to see a specialist when I was 25.

HYC support options

I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

ADHD

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I have challenges

I have strengths

ADHD

I am a project manager and get on well with both colleagues and clients. I’m often told that I’m fun to be around and a reliable worker.

My strengths

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I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

ADHD

My challenges

Despite my social successes, I suffer from low self-esteem and often feel inadequate, sometimes to the point of self-hatred. I drink too much and am addicted to video games.

I hide my anxieties at work but struggle at home, which puts strain on my relationship with my partner.

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I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

ADHD

My support needs

I would like to feel more confident in being myself at work and to let my colleagues see that I am as vulnerable as they are. I believe this would help me take home less emotional baggage.
I also need help with my addictions.

HYC support options

I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

ADHD

HYC Support

We will arrange a meeting for Emma with one of our neurodivergence specialists to help her understand the relationship between masking, anxiety, meltdowns, and burnout, and to come to terms with her experiences of attentional differences from early childhood up to the point of assessment. Additionally, where possible, we will ai to facilitate a meeting with one of our counsellors and addiction recovery specialists to address her relationship issues and addictive behaviours.

I'm Dyslexic

My name’s Ben, and I’m 29.

I’ve always hated reading and writing and avoided it whenever I could. I dropped out of school when I was 16, but now I’d like to go back to college.

HYC support options

I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

Dyslexia

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I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

Dyslexia

I love working with my hands and I’m good at visualising, designing, and building things.

I find it easy to follow visual-rich manuals.

My strengths

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I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

Dyslexia

My challenges

My main challenges are reading large amounts of academic text and getting my thoughts down on paper. My eyes get tired, I get a headache, and I give up quickly.

Just the thought of it makes me feel mentally exhausted.

HYC support options

I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

Dyslexia

My support needs

I need to find strategies to study effectively and keep my enthusiasm when things become difficult or boring.

I also need solutions for my physical discomfort.

HYC support options

I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

Dyslexia

HYC Support

Our neurodivergence specialists are experienced study skills tutors and can help Ben adopt a priority-based, dyslexia-friendly approach to studying, such as working in short bursts and using visual and hands-on methods to make his learning less strenuous and more enjoyable.

In addition, we would screen him for visual stress (Meares-Irlen) and provide strategies and tools to help him manage this challenge.

I'm Dyslexic

Hi, I'm Mandy.

I was diagnosed only recently and am still in the process of adjusting.

HYC support options

I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

Dyslexia

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I have challenges

I have strengths

Dyslexia

I excel in visual and hands-on learning, and I'm very good at 'reading' a room.

I also volunteer for our local Samaritans helpline.

My strengths

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I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

Dyslexia

My challenges

My main challenges include following multi-step procedures, multitasking, and remembering details. 

I tend to be hard on myself and I am highly sensitive to criticism from others.

HYC support options

I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

Dyslexia

My support needs

I would like to learn how to stay relaxed during multi-step activities, manage multiple tasks competing for my attention, and improve my ability to memorise details.
I also want to find ways to better protect myself from being overly sensitive.

HYC support options

I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

Dyslexia

HYC Support

One of our neurodivergence specialist will help Mandy identify effective software together with other personalised approaches for more effective time management and multi-step activities, alongside strategies for helping with short-term memory and processing speed.

We will also aim to invite one of our counsellors to the meeting to help address her challenges with her high sensitivity.

I'm Dyspraxic

Hi, my name is Imani. In my family and friendship circle, I’m known as the clumsy one, but I didn’t know it was dyspraxia until I struggled with my undergraduate assignments and completed an online questionnaire.
I hadn’t realised that my thinking difficulties were linked to my physical issues.

HYC support options

I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

Dyspraxia

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Dyspraxia

I have a strong work ethic and resilience.

People often want to talk to me and share their problems; they tell me I’m a good listener.

My strengths

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I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

Dyspraxia

My challenges

My main challenge is that I get easily drained because everything seems to take so much energy. Just keeping up with everyday tasks tires me out.

I can’t read a map to save my life, and thinking through actions in sequence is really difficult for me.

HYC support options

I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

Dyspraxia

My support needs

I need task-management tools that work for me.
I’d also love support with organising my personal life and managing my energy better.
I’m vaguely considering a career change and would like more clarity on what I want and what I could do.

HYC support options

I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

Dyspraxia

HYC Support

We will arrange a meeting for Imani with a neurodivergence specialist and, if possible, an occupational therapist to help her better understand both her physical and cognitive symptoms and find solutions that work for her, including energising strategies.
We will guide her in testing relevant software to select the programme best suited to her needs. Additionally, we will facilitate a focused, strengths-based career discussion.

I'm Dyspraxic

My name is Max. I run a successful organisation providing home care. In my line of work, I’ve encountered several individuals with issues similar to mine, such as clumsiness, brain fog, and difficulty with balance.

I wonder whether I might have dyspraxia.

HYC support options

I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

Dyspraxia

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I have challenges

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Dyspraxia

I have a successful career and find leading and managing a large number of staff a rewarding task.

I'm comfortable talking with people and enjoy finding creative ways to train my team.

My strengths

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I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

Dyspraxia

My challenges

My main challenge is chronic, crippling exhaustion. Some days are better than others, but overall, I often feel just drained.

HYC support options

I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

Dyspraxia

My support needs

I urgently need support to break the exhaustion cycle, as it’s now affecting my ability to think clearly at work.
My doctor has finally agreed to refer me for an assessment but warned that there are very few adult dyspraxia assessors available, and the waiting list could be years.

HYC support options

I need support with...

I have challenges

I have strengths

Dyspraxia

HYC Support

We will offer Max an in-depth dyspraxia screening and address his energy needs holistically. He will be provided with personalised balance exercises and strategies to alleviate brain fog, which we will practice together.
Additionally, where possible, we aim to consult with an Occupational Therapist and Nutritionist to create an energy-preserving, time management, organisational, and dietary plan. We can also point him towards private assessment options, if needed.

For more information on how we can support you, contact us. 

We are looking forward to hearing from you. 

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