Autism Wellbeing Hub July Webinar

 Join us for an honest and hopeful conversation with Harrison, a 19-year-old university student with autism and ADHD, as he shares his journey from early childhood overwhelm to navigating transition to university, independent living and university life.

This session will focus on the transition to university — what helped, what was challenging, and how he now manages his needs. He will talk openly about managing anxiety, sensory needs, routines, friendships, and learning to regulate himself away from home for the first time. Alongside the challenges, Harrison’s story is one of resilience, self-understanding, and finding the right environments to thrive.

Harrison’s mum will also be online to give her perspective on some of these learnings. This session is ideal for parents of older primary and secondary-aged children, young people (14+ with parental support), and professionals supporting neurodivergent students. Expect a real, relatable and strengths-based discussion that offers practical insight — and, most importantly, hope.

About Harrison

Harrison is a 19-year-old university student studying a practical, sport-based course with aspirations to become a physiotherapist. He has just finished his first year.He was diagnosed as autistic at age 9 and ADHD later in adolescence, following several years of rejecting his diagnosis, significant anxiety and sensory challenges from a very young age ending in overwhelm.

Harrison’s education journey has included both highly positive inclusive support at school and significant periods of misunderstanding within school years. Despite this, he went on to succeed in college, achieving top grades, and is now navigating university life — including independent living, self-regulation, and managing the demands of study and daily life. He is highly sociable, energetic, and driven, with a strong awareness of what helps him function at his best — including movement, routine and supportive relationships. Harrison is passionate about sharing his experiences to help families, young people and professionals better understand what neurodivergent children and young adults need to thrive. 

The Centre for Autism Wellbeing Hub

The Wellbeing Hub is a new initiative, funded by University of Reading Alumni. The aim of the Hub is to bring together autistic people, their families, practitioners and researchers to co-produce and deliver neurodiversity-affirming activities that support autistic young people and their families to thrive and flourish.

All previous talks given by the University of Reading’s Centre for Autism Wellbeing Hub public speakers can be found on the Wellbeing Hub’s YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtgVz5JDJxuksHWieeo9geg).

Please read the Wellbeing Hub Events Terms (https://research.reading.ac.uk/autism/wp-content/uploads/sites/241/2024/07/Wellbeing-Hub-Events-Terms.pdf).

The Centre for Autism Wellbeing Hub is very grateful for the support of our donors, whose funds make our work possible. If you would like to make a donation, please visit the following webpage: https://research.reading.ac.uk/autism/donate/

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