Neurodivergence is my strength

Connor is a review agent for Universal Credit (UC). He talks about how being neurodivergent does not stop him achieving his potential.

Connor explained: “I have been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, which is part of the autistic spectrum, and suffered badly in the past as this affects my communication with others. When I was in school this was particularly bad until I got my diagnosis.

“I went through intense therapy to help with this. In previous jobs, this has been a slight hinderance on how I communicate with others, but in this role it helps.”

Many strengths

Universal Credit review agents check claims to ensure people are receiving the payments they are entitled to. For Connor this means:

“I analyse with a lot of detail, so I think this has helped me to pick up the job pretty quickly. I’m able to store knowledge and experiences and recall them. At work I get told that I’m a walking library!

“Since joining DWP, I’ve been pushed out of my comfort zone. I can be quite shy, but visiting other office sites has built my confidence in speaking to others. I’ve also deputised for my manager as a result of my increased confidence.

Achieving potential through excellent support

Connor said: “My line managers have never seen my diagnosis as a hinderance to my job. Their patience has made me feel comfortable allowing me to ask as many questions as I needed to.

Connor summed up the benefits of working for DWP:

 “The best thing about working here is not only the job progression opportunities but how welcome I feel as a neurodivergent person. I hope, through my involvement in our recent Universal Credit review agent’s recruitment campaign, I can encourage others to join and experience this for themselves.”