Cambian Wing College have been taking time to mark Autism Awareness Week / Acceptance Month with a real focus on acceptance.
Huge thanks must go to Natea and Phoebe from our well-being team who have done a wonderful job creating awareness, supporting students and creating materials and activities to ensure we mark this time well.
On Monday and Tuesday our students used their learning time and tutor periods to discuss their own experiences of Autism focusing on ‘Why Acceptance Matters’, celebrating their strengths and differences and the importance of supporting one another.
On Wednesday, the staff and students marked the day through the ‘Wear it Blue’ initiative, enjoyed group and individual activities including creating collages entitled ‘All about me’. Over the lunch break, we were treated to a rousing speech by one of our students, Ahmet Polat, who spoke to our staff and his peers about the true essence of Autism awareness month as below.
Ahmet and Kimmy
Acceptance in Autism
Autism is a spectrum — one that is diverse and varied, encompassing a wide range of experiences, strengths, and challenges. For too long, however, our society has often viewed autism through a narrow lens, emphasizing what is "different" or "difficult" rather than what is unique, valuable, and worth celebrating.
Today, I want to talk about acceptance — the kind of acceptance that goes beyond tolerance, beyond mere acknowledgment, to true understanding, empathy, and respect for the experiences of those with autism. When we speak of acceptance, we are not just talking about recognizing that people with autism exist, nor are we suggesting that we "tolerate" those who may have different ways of interacting with the world. Acceptance is deeper.
It is about seeing the person for who they truly are — a person with their own thoughts, emotions, experiences, and potential. It is about recognizing that autism, like any other aspect of human diversity, does not diminish a person's value. In fact, it often enhances it. Acceptance means understanding that every person with autism experiences the world differently. Some may struggle with communication, social interactions, or sensory processing.
Others may excel in areas of deep focus, creativity, and problem-solving. Yet, all of them are deserving of respect, opportunities, and love. Unfortunately, acceptance is often hindered by misconceptions and stereotypes. People with autism are sometimes misunderstood as being cold, distant, or unfeeling. But these assumptions are simply not true.
Many individuals with autism may find social interactions challenging, but that doesn't mean they lack empathy or care. It simply means that their way of connecting with others might be different from what society expects.
True acceptance requires us to move past these surface-level judgments and be willing to understand the complexities of the autistic experience. It asks us to listen deeply and to try to understand the world through the eyes of someone whose brain processes information in a unique way. Acceptance also means acknowledging the strengths of individuals with autism. We must celebrate the talents and abilities that may not always fit into traditional moulds.
Whether it’s in technology, art, mathematics, or music, people with autism often bring extraordinary gifts to the world — gifts that deserve to be recognized, nurtured, and shared. And this acceptance doesn’t only need to exist in theory. It must manifest in our actions.
