An Asperger’s champion who appeared on popular TV series ‘The Undateables’ will star in a national housebuilder’s special event to celebrate World Autism Acceptance Week.
Alex Manners, a TV and radio presenter, will take part in a speaker session called ‘Asperger’s in the Workplace’, for Vistry Group colleagues next week, organised by a newly launched company network for those touched by disability or accessibility challenges.
Vistry’s Emma Sueref, sustainability and new business manager; Emma Hunt, associate legal director; Tara Hart, senior HR business partner; and Michael Laws, sales consultant; are leading the ‘Accessibility Allies Network’, which has a dedicated Dug (staff intranet) page with news, polls, policy and external links.
Emma said: “We cannot wait for Alex’s talk on his experience with Asperger’s and having this form of autism in the workplace. It promises to be an insightful session full of character and we hope as many Vistry colleagues as possible can join and take part. This is the Accessibility Allies Network’s first event and having Alex join us next week is a great precedent for future activities.”
Tara added the network sought to create and empower an inclusive community focused on the diverse needs of Vistry colleagues. The network will invite engagement from colleagues throughout the year and is encouraging those interested in being more involved to get in touch.
“We aim to host events like Alex’s talk, networking opportunities and promote policies that provide employees with resources to help them prosper in their professional and personal lives,” she said. “Our network welcomes all Vistry employees who affiliate with, want to learn more, or wish to support people with diverse needs.”
Alex, also an author, featured on Channel 4’s ‘The Undateables’ in series 10 and 11. He now presents talks on his life with Asperger’s to businesses, universities and schools. He has presented his own children’s programme on a weekly local radio show. He has also written a book: 'That's Not Right!: My life living with Asperger's'.
Alex’s Vistry talk will cover understanding Asperger’s, communication, adaptation, strengths in the workplace and autism myths. Not all disabilities have physical signs and those that can be hidden include autism, mental health, sensory processing, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, partial sight and hearing loss. Alex's session – which takes place on Tuesday, 29th March at 1pm – can be accessed via a link at the top of the network’s Dug page.
World Autism Acceptance Week, pioneered by the National Autistic Society, takes place between 28th March and 3rd April.