I decided to reflect on the past 12 months. This time last year, I faced unemployment due to a non-renewed contract. The situation was beyond my control, as I had temporarily taken over someone else’s role and was expecting to continue in that position once they returned from leave. Despite the circumstances, it was a significant setback, as both myself and many others at the workplace had anticipated that the individual would move on from the role, allowing me to take over.

Soon after a few events unfolded, one of them was receiving a diagnosis for ADHD and Autism which I call AuDHD. While I initially welcomed the news with relief and saw it as an opportunity to learn about neurodivergence for both personal and professional development, I soon realized that I couldn’t always outsmart the challenges it presented. Despite excelling at securing interviews during my job search, I found that the interview environment was not accommodating for neurodivergent candidates. I felt compelled to mask my true self due to the social expectations of interviews, and I suspect that this may have hindered my chances of securing a role. However, this remains a mere suspicion, as prospective employers often cited lack of experience as the reason for not offering me a position. It’s difficult to determine whether they were justified in their assessment or not.

Meanwhile, the crisis of Innovation Youth Centre (IYC) losing its Bundoora centre, pushing Paul Papadatos, a close ally and mentor, to seek help from me. He revealed that the centre faced imminent closure as its funding period neared its end. In response, I took the initiative to establish a micro-business to pursue grants on behalf of IYC, advocate for the NDIA to grant full provider status, and forge connections with the La Trobe University School of Business to engage students in the effort to prevent downsizing. Additionally, I extended invitations to other individuals and organizations, hoping to broaden the business beyond having IYC as my client.

But discovering the Switch to Social Work program on LinkedIn felt incredibly promising. The opportunity for free tuition in a MSW, an allowance, and the chance to transition from youth work to child and family social work was simply too good to pass up. It does mean I’ll have to put my business on hold and pause my other master’s degree in social policy. Therefore, I’ve decided to take a break from the business until I can revisit it in late 2025 or early 2026.

Nevertheless, I’ve made the decision to maintain the website as a blogging and resource platform. I’ve revamped it for this purpose as I delve into the concept of lived experience practice within the context of a helping profession like social work or youth work, especially as someone who is neurodivergent. I aim for it to evolve into a valuable resource for others in similar situations, helping them educate themselves as they pursue this pathway.