THERE is a mantra that "very much informs" Damien Martin's life in working with young, neurodiverse people: be the person you never knew when you were young.
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It was not until as an adult and working with young people that Mr Martin started to see similarities, such as food sensitivities and obsessive behaviour, and booked himself in for an assessment.
Mr Martin was diagnosed as autistic aged 40.
At school in an era when teachers could give you the strap he was known as "just that kid" who was a bit intense and at times aggressive; bullied but one who also "responded poorly".
Mr Martin was expelled in high school in year 10 and this changed the trajectory of his life but ended up "getting there" in life after floundering a while from job-to-job.
His goal is to show children and parents an autism diagnosis, or for any neurodiversity, is to feel supported.
Mr Martin is one of six guest speakers to provide insights to living on the autism spectrum in Navigating Neurodiversity, a Ballarat Autism Network event on October 12.
While Mr Martin was not certain a diagnosis changed much for him in the past 15 years, other than a better understanding of what he is feeling and experiencing.
He said the government has run anti-discrimination advertising to raise awareness for autism but prejudice was still strong - he could see it in the distress and exclusion experienced by his students.
Mr Martin runs a martial arts school and said about 80 per cent of students were Autistic, some had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or both, or global development delays. Most carry trauma.
Students are of "all shapes and temperaments". For some, the instructor might be the only person they feel comfortable with outside their immediate family. Others find their first friend, someone who Mr Martin said "talks the same".
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Martial arts also has the structure most neurodiverse children crave.
"This is an individual activity done as a community - it's not like soccer where, for example, you have to meet team requirements, which a lot of kids don't understand," Mr Martin said.
"Belts are basically the same as levels in a game. Martial arts is an engagement tool...even if we link it to Jedi and light sabres, or Pokemon - whatever their interest."
Mr Martin said a lot of schools were under-resourced to best help neurodiverse children and, without the right supports, this could be a traumatic experience for the child, the teacher and other students in the class.
As a mature-age student, Mr Martin eventually found himself back studying a graduate certificate in autism studies and he has started work on a masters' degree only to face "inherent ableism" in the academic world bothering him.
He recognises his "rigidity of thinking", somewhat ironically, does not help his studies but he wants the qualification to help keeping make a difference.
Navigating Neurodiversity is at Lucas Community Centre on Thursday, October 12, from 7-9pm. Bookings essential: trybooking.com.
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