My first work with Not So Different was the digital showcase 2020. After that I did the Creative Arts and Media project in conjunction with Whakala between September 2020 and December of that year. While doing that I learned how to use Photoshop which was very interesting. I had done some before but didn’t understand it properly until working with the NSD team. For the project we were working on how to make the language around Covid-19 easier to understand for those on the spectrum. I did a huge research project on my own around the legislation of the virus. I also came up with a few sketches that were easier to understand than some of the images used to describe the restrictions in each level from level 1 to level 5. Lastly in the Covid-19 project, I also did a lot of administration such as note taking and taking minutes of meetings and sending emails to Barry and Shannon with attachments of each one of these.

The next project I worked on was the leadership programme with Barry Walsh and Shannon Baker

Then there was the STEPS to Success coordinated by Shannon Baker. This was very interesting. I learned that I used to talk down about myself and what I’m good at and I learned not to do that during this programme. Although I sometimes still catch my self doing so but I remind myself that I have a whole host of good qualities, skills and personality traits.

Finally, I did a lot of webinars around careers, mindfulness, interview skills and much more with Shannon, Barry, Edel and Tony. I also did some one to ones with Barry and Tony so they could help me with interviews. I’ve had a few interviews and I got a CE Scheme which has been on pause since the Covid-19 virus came into full swing. But starting in early September, I will be brought into the premises a few hours a day for three hours of the week and I am so happy about this. I’m one step closer to work now with special thanks to Deirdre Lynch and the Not So Different team.