ADVANCE: THE DISABILITY CONSULTANTS - Key Persons
My name is Oliver Fenghour and I am the Director and Founder of Advance: The Disability Consultants. I have a form of Autism known as Asperger's Syndrome. I was diagnosed by a Professor of Neurology at Great Ormond Street at the age of 10. Upon leaving school at 16 I struggled for many years to find employment and found there was often a distinct lack of awareness and understanding for those on the Autistic Spectrum such as myself.
Eventually I was helped by the disability charity Mencap into employment with J Sainsburys PLC. Mencap supported me successfully in the workplace for about three years, yet with the financial crash in 2008 and the consequent austerity that followed, meant that the support I had received in the workplace was subsequently removed. I was fortunate that by the time my support in the workplace was removed I was functioning well in the workplace due to the excellent awareness and understanding that my employers and colleagues had of my needs and requirements as an adult with autism.