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Speaking engagements

Excerpt from “Five lessons I wish I’d learned growing up autistic”, delivered at Sydney Opera House (subtitles available).

–

Chris Bonnello – autism and neurodiversity speaker

Shortlisted for the Speaker Awards

(Sustainability and Positive Impact Speaker of the Year 2023)

 

I am an autistic advocate, neurodiversity speaker and former teacher, also an author and the writer behind autisticnotweird.com. Since 2015 I have been providing speaking services, from keynote conference speeches to autism masterclasses to teacher training.

My approach to autism goes beyond the concept of merely ‘accepting’ those of us who think differently, and deeper into what I believe ‘diversity and inclusion’ truly means. I discuss the invaluable importance of neurodiversity and neurodivergence, and how human progress relies on diversity of thought. I share these insights when speaking for companies who want to get the best out of their employees, schools who want to support and build up their students, or other professionals who want to provide best practice for the neurodivergent people they work with.

 

Audiences served so far include (but are not even close to limited to):

Plus a wide range of schools, colleges, universities and education conferences.

 

Some examples of talks I offer include (but again, are not limited to):

  • Neurodiversity, and making the workplace work – Wondering why neurodivergent employees struggle so much in the workplace? I can assure you, it’s not because they have less potential than neurotypical employees. In this talk, I discuss the background surrounding neurodivergent struggles – in recruitment, retention and performance – and how to meaningfully and effectively address them. (Suitable for companies of all sizes, who have a genuine wish to get the best from their neurodivergent employees.)
  • The art of accommodation: improving autistic employees’ experiences – Life is made harder for autistic workers whose employers baulk at the mention of ‘accommodations’. After all, how do you actually do it? What will the impact be on your workplace, or even your finances? In this talk, I make incisive points about what “accommodations” actually are, why they’re usually less trouble than you’ve been led to believe, and what the consequences are of getting it right. (Again, suitable for companies of all sizes who have a genuine wish to get the best from their neurodivergent employees.)
  • Meeting the needs of your autistic clients and service users – After a century of malpractice, often acclaimed by non-autistic ‘experts’ and delivered by workers with honest good intentions, society is now demanding the highest quality provision for autistic service users under their care, including those with complex disabilities. But what does that actually look like? I use my experiences as an autistic special education teacher to talk about how to truly and meaningfully personalise care provision, and offer guidance on how to prioritise a client’s rights and dignity alongside their safety and wellbeing. (Suitable for those who work professionally with autistic people, especially those who feel conscientious about getting it right for those they care for.)
  • An autistic teacher’s Top 16 Tips for building up autistic students [more information on my school-based work can be found here] – Having worked as a mainstream primary teacher, an autism-specific special education teacher, and with teenagers outside of the education system altogether, I have a few things to say about how to build (and I use that verb very deliberately) your autistic students, and give them the best guidance to help them navigate through an education system that seems to have been built with ‘everyone else’ in mind. (Suitable for academic staff in all forms of education.)
  • Lessons I wish I’d learned growing up autistic – Being a former teacher, I try to focus on learning points that the audience can apply to their own lives. So rather than being too autobiographical (or perhaps auti-biographical?), this talk is loaded with insights I have gained from my experience of growing up autistic blended with hilariously awkward stories from my childhood, but all with applicable lessons attached to them. (Suitable for family groups, charities, or schools offering after-school events for parents.)

 

I’ve had the pleasure of speaking to a wide and deep range of audiences with varying needs and goals. Some of my audiences to date have included:

  • Corporate audiences
  • Education conferences (including SEND conferences)
  • CAMHS/NHS conferences and teams
  • School staff teams [more information here]
  • Students themselves (mainstream and specialist education)
  • National Autistic Society branches (also co-chaired the 2019 Autism and Mental Health Conference)
  • Professionals working in recruitment
  • Autism charities and parent groups
  • The UK Autism Shows, annually 2016 – present
  • The Boys’ Brigade National Conference in Belfast
  • India Autism Center conference, Kolkata
  • Six people in a leisure centre café, one of whom was there by accident
  • A sell-out audience at Sydney Opera House.

Feel free to get in touch if you think I may be your kind of speaker – I would be very happy to discuss the work we can do together and how best to meet your needs.

 

More details about my speaking work – including materials for bookers and my speaker one-sheet – can be found at my speaker site, https://chrisbonnello.com.

 

High-profile testimonials:

Chris’s story is amazing and he is an incredible speaker on neurodiversity. He delivers keynotes with humour, humility and with an incredible insight that goes way beyond inspiration. If you want a neurodiverse speaker who can hold an audience in the palm of his hand and take them on a journey that leaves them more connected than before, book him.

-Jaz Ampaw-Farr, Speaker of the Year 2022 and 2023

I really think you’ll soon be one of the most influential voices in the autism world.

-Travis Saunders, education consultant and autism advocate, following the Sydney Opera House event.

In terms of individual contributions to the autism world, you’re way up there.

-Dr Luke Beardon, Senior Lecturer in Autism at Sheffield Hallam University.

Can we have you back?

-Gareth Parry, CEO of Remploy UK (literally moments after I sat down at the end of my talk).

 

Testimonials from professionals:

When I came to the conference this morning, I was thinking ‘what am I doing here?’ – then I heard you speak, and thought ‘THAT’s what I’m doing here.

-Corporate conference delegate

The staff are all raving about your training this morning. The general consensus is that it’s the best training we’ve ever had.

-Teacher, primary school in Belfast

Chris quickly built credibility in the room, and clearly knows how to get the audience in the palm of his hand and made the room a safe space. He was the highest ranked speaker of the day (9.5 out of 10), and his talk has had a real ripple effect among our managers.

-Conference organiser, Liaise

Hearing Chris talk was the best hour of my Friday.

-Support worker (MacIntyre No Limits), Oxford

I’ve been teaching for 17 years and this was honestly the best training I’ve ever received, I wasn’t even counting down until break time!

-Teacher, primary school in Basingstoke

 

Testimonials from parents:

You may very well have saved my daughter’s life, and I say that with no exaggeration.

–Parent online

You have profoundly changed my attitude to how I take care of my autistic child. I was so negative before now.

–Parent in Milton Keynes

I don’t have to worry about my teenage son as much as I have been doing. Chris is very much like him.

-Parent in Cardiff

It’s an over-used word, but your talk was inspirational. I think our young people benefit greatly when they hear positive messages coming from someone like themselves (and, particularly, someone who isn’t their mum or dad!)

-Parent in Lewisham

 

Testimonials from young people:

Hearing your advice tonight has helped me get on the right path. Thank you.

-Rhys, 16

You are good at talking.

-Elijah, 8

 

Are you interested in having me to speak for you, or having a discussion about what I may be able to offer you and your staff? Feel free to get in touch in whichever way best suits you:

 

Chris Bonnello, BSc (hons) PGCE MA

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Chris Bonnello is a national and international autism speaker, available to lead talks and training sessions from the perspective of an autistic former teacher. For further information please click here (opens in new window).

Chris Bonnello on LinkedIn  
Autistic Not Weird on Facebook  
Autistic Not Weird on YouTube  
Autistic Not Weird on Instagram  

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Copyright © Chris Bonnello 2015-2024  

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