Why I am Standing for Re-election as an NAS Councillor

My name is Joshua Muggleton, and I am standing for re-election as a National councillor for the National Autistic Society. I am really passionate about ensuring the best for people on the spectrum, and I believe the NAS has a key role to play in this. This page sets out why I want to become an NAS councilor, and I would be very grateful if you would take the time to read it. 

Why are you standing again?
I am standing for re-election as over the past three years I have been serving, I have had the pleasure of seeing the NAS grow in leaps and bounds. It has been a truly exciting time, and I want to serve again so I can help ensure we keep building on the progress we have made. Membership has grown, campaigns have gone from strength to strength, and service provision remains at the top of the league.

Who exactly are you?
As a 21-year-old young person with Asperger’s Syndrome, I know I am young, but I believe that it’s crucial that the NAS Council includes the perspective of a young person on the spectrum. I believe my recent experience, as well as my knowledge of the youth has enabled me to contribute in unique ways.  I was failed by mainstream education. My primary school experience was not positive, but my time is secondary school was far worse. After just 6 weeks of secondary school, I was depressed, and by Christmas, I was suicidal. This was due in part due to bullying, but also due to teachers lack of understanding, and the systems unwillingness to change to accommodate even my most basic needs. This experience was so damaging, that after 4 years, I was signed off school by CAMHS because it had become too damaging, and I had had several nervous breakdowns.

 After that, I spent a year self studying at home, only going out for 4 hours a week. However, I realized I needed to get out, and do my A levels. I attended a specialist residential FE college, 100 miles away from home. This was hard, but because I got a little bit of the right support, I was able to achieve my full potential. I am now a Psychology student at St Andrews University, where I have thrived. It is my ambition to become a clinical psychologist.  I also have 2 brothers with more severe autism and so I can and will champion the issues facing all people on the spectrum, and their families – not just those at the more able end of the spectrum. Being able to bring together representation on all areas of the spectrum, insight into the problems facing young people, and a academic perspective is something I believe is valuable to the NAS.

What areas of the NAS are you particularly interested in?
I am particularly interested in 2 main areas of the NAS’s work. Firstly, Media and Campaigning. We have had huge success with campaigns such as Make School Make Sense, I Exist, and Don’t Write Me Off. The Autism Act was in no small part due to the campaigning of the NAS. Both in and outwit my role as a councilor, I am very familiar with the Policy and Campaigns team at the NAS, and I know how hard they work, and great credit must be paid to them. I am keen that the NAS keeps supporting the work they do, to ensure future success.

In the past few months, I have been astonished at the number of Autism TV programmes being shown; Autistic Driving School, Autistic Superstars and Young, Autistic, and Stagestruck (which I consulted on). The fact that the NAS has been involved in these and others, is a great credit to our press office, and has helped raise awareness in a positive way, which I believe is the key to ensuring a better world for people with autism. In my work outside of council, I was privileged to be filmed for a year by the channel 4 programme Year Dot. This has given me an insight into how the media works and responds to issues, and I believe it has given me a unique knowledge base to bring to council, which as the NAS grows, I believe will be increasingly important. 

I believe the services the NAS provides should be second to none. Full stop. While we excel in many areas of service provision, we can still do better. NAS services should be the market leaders, providing the highest quality care and education. I believe that the recession means we need to offer value for money, but not at the expense of quality. 

What is your past involvement with the NAS?
I have been an member of the NAS Surrey Branch for 5 years. In that time, I have helped with the Branch Conferences, as well as other events. I conducted a survey of membership, and compiled a 80 page report on the membership, and how to ensure the branch reaches everybody. I was also on the editorial board for the NAS 2010 Professionals Conference. I have spoken at events for the Autism Education Trust, as well as local branches and support groups, both inside and outside of the NAS.

What voluntary experience do you have?
I am an experienced public speaker. I spoke at the launch of the Make School Make Sense campaign in the House of Commons and also at Political Party Conferences.  I am also a full time student, which gives me an academic as well as personal perspective. I also have extensive experience of the media, and have been interviewed by numerous TV, Radio and Printed media outlets. I have also consulted for the channel 4 programme Young, Autistic and StageStruck. I am also volunteering with various clinical psychologists, which gives me a great insight into mental health and clinical issues surrounding people with autism, and other conditions.

What is your position on the US Eugenics agenda?

Finding the gene that gives a child a higher likelihood of developing an autistic spectrum disorder and then terminating foetuses that have that gene is appalling. Many people, have Aspergers syndrome or autism, and lead happy lives. We have people like Einstein, Newton, Darwin, Beethoven, Conan-Doyle, all now suspected of having Aspergers syndrome or high-functioning autism. Where would the world be if they were found to have the "autism gene" and terminated? Tony Attwood said that universities are "sheltered workshops" for Aspies and he is right. I believe that many university professors, lecturers, etc may meet the criteria for Aspergers Syndrome or similar. I think Temple Grandin said it best "if the autism gene was wiped out at the dawn of time, we would be sitting around in caves, without fire, and socialising".

However, I also recognise that some people have very low functioning autism, and that it is a completely different ‘ball park’ than people like me who are relatively able. I also recognise that many parents with low-functioning autism may have wished that their child had been born 'normal’.

I know a local family with a daughter who has very low-functioning autism. At the moment she is happy and has a good quality of life at a specialist residential placement. Would she be happier if she wasn’t autistic? Who really knows?

What is your opinion on the idea of "curing autism", if a cure was to be found?

My Aspergers is part of me. I wouldn’t be Joshua Muggleton without it. "Curing" me of my autism, would be like chopping off a leg, or removing a lung. Yes, sometimes I trip over my leg, and yes, sometimes my lung gets infected. But removing a lung because it is slightly infected seems a bit drastic to me. I admit, I know some aspies, who don’t like their Asperger's syndrome. However, I think given the choice of having it or changing themselves, they would rather have it.

I can see why some parents may want to give their child the "cure" if it was developed. And I know it can be incredibly difficult to raise a severely autistic child. If they were to give their child a "cure" I wouldn’t blame them. I am not in their situation, so who am I to judge? If they asked my opinion, I would tell them to seriously think about their options before they do anything. But I couldn’t judge them for making their decision, either way. But I myself would not want a "cure".

Much can be achieved by ensuring that there is sufficient good quality support for all people with ASD’s. I believe that this should be the focus of our research – not on finding a cure.

Can I ask you a question before I decide whether to vote for you?

Absolutely! Please use the contact form here on my website.

And finally...
Please do use your opportunity to vote. Naturally, I would be delighted if you voted for me, but, if nothing else, please do vote! It's important that the NAS has a membership that is actively involved.

Thanks for reading!