Joseph Marshall from One-to-One Enfield on how charity’s Enfield Autism Hub is helping neurodivergent people find their ‘tribe’

Formed in 1991, the year I was born, One-to-One Enfield has spent the last 33 years offering a vital service to adults with learning disabilities and autism in the borough.

In September last year, I was delighted to become a peer support worker in the charity’s Enfield Autism Hub. A big part of what I do is appointments with people who have been diagnosed, or suspect they might be autistic. Some self-refer, whereas others come to us through another service or family member.

I work closely with a second peer support worker in the back room of our modest office in Winchmore Hill – an environment adjusted to those overwhelmed by sensory input like sound and lighting.

As an autistic adult, I offer personal experience and signpost them to local services, be it diagnostic, housing, work, education, finance or wellbeing. We’ve amassed an array of resources, and I’m constantly building on a working knowledge of what it means to be autistic.

Peer support philosophy means I practice active listening. I’m not a counsellor or medical professional, but I’m well positioned to help my peers by sharing anecdotes and information. Many have felt like outsiders their whole lives, without knowing why. Others have been left in the lurch, with more questions than answers, not knowing where to turn since being diagnosed.

There’s no single type of autistic person, and the same goes for those who pass through the hub. Since its inception, we’re proud to have seen over 90 individuals from all walks of life, with their own needs, experience and perspective.

They’re often relieved to discover their ‘tribe’ through One-to-One’s busy calendar of activities, encompassing drama, art, gardening, and the irrepressibly entertaining Sing Out! Choir.

We’re now expanding the hub to include, among other things, an autistic parents’ group. I also co-facilitate a peer support group at Firs Farm. This is a friendly space where we discuss issues such as coping mechanisms and whether it’s a good idea to disclose your diagnosis at work.

I’ve worked on two conferences, on the themes of empowerment and inclusion. This involved a programme of autistic speakers, alongside stalls where local organisations promoted their work. For a small charity it was a mammoth task, but we had resoundingly positive feedback, with some commenting that the day was of a national standard, on par with the Excel Centre’s Autism Show or a Chris Packham documentary.

I’m helping to fill a gap, so that people on the spectrum can make friends and engage with life. The next 33 years must surely feature some iteration of the autism hub.

For more information on One-to-One and Enfield Autism Hub:
Visit one-to-one-enfield.co.uk

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