Chris & Stammering

“My stammer was not something I had really addressed until I went to university. A combination of not wanting to talk about it and the required support network being absent during my time at school meant I went into University not expecting much to change.

How wrong I was.

At university, I was introduced to the campus welfare officer during fresher’s week. I wasn’t aware of the support and funding available to students with disabilities; I was offered the opportunity to speak to a speech language therapist (SLT), as well as get in touch with other students who also had speaking difficulties. It took some time to warm to the idea of taking up these offers but my only regret is not doing it sooner!

Over time, the network I established gave me the confidence to eventually join the student radio setup, and during my final year, I took the step to co-host a weekly show which was broadcast throughout the campus. It was also thanks to a colleague from the support network that I first heard about visiting employers who hosted open events on campus; attending one of these led me to apply for a summer internship and I am now working at the same employer, EY, 4 years later! My plus is resourcefulness; “my university experience has equipped me with the confidence to manage my disability and not let it hold me back.”