“I can do the work. I just can’t keep doing it in places that ask me to leave myself at the door.”
I’m AyhanClinical Lead Monthly Meetups at Thriving Autistic
Illustration: lara Abigalil / Thriving Autistic
“I thought it was just me!”
Thriving Autistic’s Discovery Programme
Not long ago, like many in the Thriving Autistic community, I didn’t know I was Autistic. I had spent years trying to fit in. Trying not to stand out too much. Not be too loud or too quiet. I got good at small talk. The weather. The journey to the office. Anything that made others feel comfortable, while I rarely felt comfortable myself.
Hiding my differences helped me feel safe. I didn’t even realise how much effort I was putting into just existing around other people until I no longer needed to.
I joined Thriving Autistic in October 2024 to support people who were newly identified or had just completed the Discovery Programme. Alongside others in the Neurodivergent Practitioners Network, I help facilitate the monthly community meetups. It’s informal, peer-led, and often unexpectedly meaningful.
So when I was invited to join the panel to celebrate the launch of Thriving Autistics’ new Discovery Programme Impact Evaluation Report, I said yes.
What is the Discovery Programme?
The Discovery Programme is a community-led support space for Autistic adults. It’s a whole ecosystem. It includes:
- Six Weeks Discovery Programme run by Autistic professionals
- One-to-one sessions with Autistic therapists, coaches, and psychologists
- Advocacy support service, including AI-assisted tools and clinics
- Ongoing community connection and peer meetups
It was created by Autistic people who work in support roles, and who understand what it’s like to be on the other side.
Autistic Experiences Through Animation
As part of the celebration, two animations created by members of the Discovery team and community were premiered. Each explores a different aspect of the Autistic experience and will be shown as part of the six-week Discovery Programme, introducing key themes in each module. Helen Edgar, Community and Communication Lead at Thriving Autistic, shares more about how the animations were created and what it was like to speak on the panel in her blog on Autistic Realms.
1. Discovering You’re Autistic
This animation explores the early stages of self-discovery and offers support, reassurance, and insight from people who’ve been through it.
2. Lightbulb Moments: Being Autistic
This animation explores everyday Autistic experiences that are often overlooked and offers recognition, clarity, and connection from people who’ve lived them.
The Panel: Practitioners in Community
Before my turn on the panel, there had already been contributions from Tara O’Donnell-Killen, founder and CEO of Thriving Autistic, the representatives of Rethink Ireland, the community team behind the animations, and the panel members who spoke before me. I was moved by what I had already witnessed.
And then it was my turn:
“What is it like being a part of The Thriving Autistic Neurodivergent Practitioners Network and supporting people?”
Many of us working in this field are familiar with the statistics. A recent UK Government report confirmed again that only three in ten Autistic people are in employment. The reasons are complex, but the simplest way to put it is that most work environments aren’t designed with Autistic people in mind.
Tara writes in the introduction of the evaluation report that her vision “was always to create a space where Autistic people could be supported by Autistic professionals.” And that’s what makes Thriving Autistic so meaningful for me too.
Supportive work that doesn’t ask me to leave parts of myself behind, co-created by Autistic people for Autistic people. Because of that, I feel more at ease as a practitioner. I’m less worried about being misunderstood. I can show up more fully and be present with the community as we co-create a space that is genuinely welcoming for all of us.
“Turns out, it wasn’t just me!”
I left the celebration with a renewed sense of hope. If Thriving Autistic can create work environments that actually work for Autistic people, then others can too. That’s how we start turning around those disheartening employment statistics.
But we can’t do it alone. We need backing from allies, from governments, from funders like Rethink Ireland, and from others around the world who believe in doing things differently.
If you’ve recently discovered you’re Autistic, the Discovery Programme is a good place to start.
