Matthew’s personal journey.

Tell us a bit about yourself and your role at Get Set UK. 

“I am an Employment Advisor in the Burnley office. I started this role in December 2024. Before that, I worked in education and other admin jobs. I have also lived in Liverpool and in Ireland. Outside of work, I like to read, spend time with my wife and child and, for my sins, I follow Burnley FC.”

How does being neurodivergent impact your daily life? 

“I am autistic. I first became aware of it during the Covid lockdowns. During this time, my wife started to suspect that I may be on the autistic spectrum and would often tell me that I needed to get an assessment. In true male fashion, I ignored this advice until it was suggested to me by someone else. I had always known that I was different from other people in terms of how I think and the things that I would say. I always thought it was simply a symptom of being unfulfilled in work or being a little “eccentric”. Turns out that I wasn’t.

It took a bit of time for me to come to terms with being different from others and to recognise that I do have additional needs. Up until that point, I had never seen myself as disabled or autistic. This is because I wasn’t interested in trains or anything really obscure, nor did I have anything close to a “superpower” or phenomenal memory or special math ability. I enjoyed reading and can remember obscure facts about 90s TV shows. Plus, I like to read about badgers.

Autism doesn’t really impact my daily life as I am relatively low needs. I like to keep routines and eat the same foods during the day. In this way, I am fortunate.

Professionally, before my diagnosis, I thought I was just incapable of succeeding in a job or going any length of time without making a mistake. It always felt like everyone was held to a different set of rules and standards of which I was never told about and was constantly falling short of. Since my diagnosis, I am more aware of where I need support and the areas where I need to develop personally. I feel more capable than ever of making a success of my job and career.”

How do your unique strengths help you in your role and in supporting our customers? 

“For me, this is a difficult question to answer – if I reflect, I can see that my way of thinking allows me to approach a problem from a totally different angle. Being able to think outside of the box means I can sometimes come up with a solution that other people wouldn’t think of. I have a talent for writing and use that to help participants create cover letters and CVs that stand out and showcase their skillsets and strengths.”

What can colleagues do to be more mindful and supportive of neurodivergent team members? 

“Be mindful of any needs that they tell you they have. It is important to remember that a neurodivergent person is like any other colleague and educate yourself about what you can do to support them. Some people with neurodivergence do not like talking about it and find it uncomfortable, while others don’t mind. No two people with a neurodivergence are the same – just like no two neurotypical people are the same.”

Instead of seeing these as difficulties, neurodiversity encourages us to focus on the strengths and challenges that make each person unique. With 15-20% of the population being neurodivergent, embracing different thinking styles helps create a more inclusive and supportive world for everyone. Matthew’s story reminds us that neurodivergence is unique to each individual and that by creating a neuroinclusive workplace, we can help ensure that every colleague thrives.