Aspire’s Champions: Inclusion in Focus
Our Neurodiversity Champion, Olivia Morris, discusses her personal diagnosis, her initiatives within Aspire, and the importance of creating an inclusive learning environment for all.
At Aspire, we’re committed to ensuring that every learner and member of staff feels supported, valued, and empowered to succeed. And, this October, which is both ADHD Awareness Month and Dyslexia Awareness Month, we’re proud to spotlight our Neurodiversity Champion: Olivia Morris. Diagnosed as autistic later in life, Olivia has first-hand experience navigating the strengths and challenges of neurodiversity and advocates for awareness, understanding, and support for individuals with additional learning needs.
“They don’t see the Autism, they see the strengths. It’s absolutely amazing to work with people who have that view.”
Our Olivia
A Tutor and Assessor since April, our Olivia has thrown herself whole-heartedly into her position at Aspire. She told us, “I feel lucky and privileged to continue teaching in a way that prioritises my work-life balance and that allows me to use my own knowledge and experiences to help others.”
When joining the team, she became aware of our Champions and loved the idea of people using their passions and strengths to bring positive change to the company. Having been diagnosed in August 2023, Olivia was keen to tackle negative stigma and use her experience to implement real, tangible change, both inside and outside Aspire.
The Importance of Awareness
October is ADHD and Dyslexia Awareness Month, a crucial time to highlight the unique challenges that people with additional needs often face. For neurodiverse individuals, the traditional approach to education can sometimes feel overwhelming or inaccessible. As Olivia explains, “When I got my diagnosis, it was like a weight lifted off my shoulders.” And, as an education provider, Aspire is conscious of finding ways to adapt and support those with learning differences to ensure success for everyone.
Strengths, Challenges, and Common Misconceptions
There’s no one size fits all for neurodivergent individuals; everyone is unique. However, there are some shared traits or experiences that can indicate the presence of a neurodiversity, and it was these that helped Olivia to seek assessment for autism when she became aware of them. So, in the interest of raising awareness, Olivia shared some of the strengths and challenges that she personally experiences:
Challenges:
Slower processing speed
Rejection Sensitivity Disorder
Pathological Demand Avoidance
Executive Dysfunction
Strengths:
Detail-orientation
Problem-solving skills
Creativity
Experiencing intense joy
These elements of her neurodiversity can make life more challenging, and Olivia is aware of the common misconception that ‘everyone is a little bit on the spectrum’. While neurotypical individuals can share some of these experiences, it’s important to understand that the brains of neurodiverse individuals aren’t always able to handle life’s stressors as well as neurotypical ones. Olivia describes it as “a bottle of pop that fizzes up and then explodes” and warns that saying that ‘everyone is a little neurodiverse’ takes away from the authentic struggles that neurodiverse individuals face.
The Aspire Experience and Impactful Initiatives
When applying for the role, Olivia had written her diagnosis onto her CV, and wasn’t sure how accepting companies would be. She was thrilled to discover that Aspire wants to raise awareness and wants to be inclusive. She told us, “They don’t see the Autism, they see the strengths. It’s absolutely amazing to work with people who have that view.”
Some standout successes of Olivia’s initiatives as Neurodiversity Champion so far include collaborating with other members of the team to deliver training on Additional Learning Needs, making accessible resources for tutors to deliver to staff, and revamping the Level 3 Curriculum. She says, “It’s really nice to have people reach out and talk to you about their experiences. It just goes to show the culture we have at Aspire”.
As we celebrate ADHD and Dyslexia Awareness Month this October, we’re reminded of the importance of creating an inclusive environment where all learners can thrive. We’re grateful to Olivia for her dedication and advocacy and are proud of the significant strides we’re making as a company to support neurodiverse learners and staff.
If you’d like to learn more about what life is like at Aspire, check out our socials below. And to garner more insights into the invaluable work of our Champions, be sure to check out our Sustainability and Reading for Pleasure blogs too.