What Ollie and Robbie taught us about growth

What does independence mean when you're navigating the world with autism? In our latest People at the Heart podcast, we explore this question with two young learners whose thoughtful reflections offer a fresh perspective on everyday life.

The episode features a conversation between RiskSTOP Group’s Natalie Joyce and Abbie Davis and two learners from Autism Unlimited: Oliver Hart and Robbie Piper. Ollie is currently in sixth form at Portfield School, while Robbie is part of the charity’s Futures programme for young adults.

Together, they share what day-to-day life looks like, the progress they’ve made, and the small wins that have helped shape their confidence and independence.

“If I were to go back in time and talk to my 10-year-old self and tell them one thing I’ve learned so far,” says Ollie, “I’d say — you’re going to make it far.”

It’s a small moment in the episode, but one that sums up the theme perfectly.

A meaningful partnership

Over the past year, RiskSTOP Group has worked closely with Autism Unlimited — running mock interviews, CV-building sessions and hosting joint events that support learners in preparing for life beyond education.

This episode continues that collaboration, offering listeners a chance to hear directly from Ollie and Robbie, in their own words, about the experiences that have helped shape their paths.

Listen to the full audio podcast

Hear Ollie and Robbie’s stories in full — and learn more about the work of Autism Unlimited. The transcript for this episode is below.

For the best experience, watch the video podcast to see Ollie and Robbie’s expressions, interactions, and the full conversation come to life.

Prefer to listen on the go? The audio podcast is also available for you to listen.

Learn more about our work with Autism Unlimited

Explore how we’re supporting neurodiversity, inclusive learning, and community engagement. Read more here.

Transcript

SPEAKERS

Natalie Joyce, Oliver Hart, Robbie Piper, Abbie Davis

Natalie Joyce  00:10

I'm Natalie Joyce, and I'm responsible for people and social responsibility at RiskSTOP Group. Hi everyone, and welcome to another episode of our people at the heart podcast. Where we like to chat about all kinds of things, both serious and light hearted, connected with our team and our work here at RiskSTOP Group. Today, myself and Abbie are delighted to welcome Oliver Hart and Robbie Piper to RiskSTOP Group. So, Ollie and Robbie are learners at Autism Unlimited and RiskSTOP Group has an ongoing partnership with them. Autism Unlimited exists to support and empower autistic children, adults and their families. They partner with them to find solutions and provide educational and life skills training. Now we're dedicated to continuing our partnership, and we'd like to thank Ollie and Robbie for being with us today to talk about their time as learners with Autism Unlimited.

Abbie Davis  01:02

So my name's Abbie. I'm a Team Leader here at Rebuild Cost Assessment and I also run the Neurodiversity Support Group. So can you tell me a little bit about yourself and what are your interests?

Robbie Piper  01:14

Yeah and I'm autistic and I'm also Robbie. I'm into films. I like Star Wars. I like James Bond. I like Marvel movies. I like animated movies and I like the band Green Day. My favourite Green Day song is one of the original song, American Idiot. And I know how it goes. Don't want to be an American Idiot.

Natalie Joyce  01:49

Love it.

Abbie Davis  01:50

Amazing. Perfect rendition.

Oliver Hart  01:52

One of the main interests I have is human biology. I wish to be a disability ambassador. Because of my past experiences with mainstream school, BCP has actually hired me to do a talk for them. I don't remember where it was. It was about my journey from primary, I believe it was. My school journey basically. I've done the young enterprise talk. Gonna be in front of judges talking about the product that I've made, funny enough, it was just tie dye socks. We almost sold out in like a day. And then, obviously, I've done the tour with you guys, haven't I?

Natalie Joyce  02:35

Yeah, I mean, you were brilliant.

Oliver Hart  02:37

And I've done many other tours before that as well. I've done the bronze Duke of Edinburgh walk so far. I'm actually really excited to do silver as well. What about you, Robbie, the Duke of Edinburgh?

Robbie Piper  02:51

I only did bronze and silver, but I couldn't be bothered to do gold.

Oliver Hart  02:57

That's like, what? A total of 11 weeks with a certain budget.

Abbie Davis  03:01

Yeah, there's a lot. I looked at doing my gold, and it was a lot of work.

Oliver Hart  03:05

Oh you've done gold?

Abbie Davis  03:06

No I looked at it, looked at it, and was like, too much work!

Oliver Hart  03:11

I've been told like what it is, and I'm like, no, no, no, I'm not doing that. Recently, we have done Romeo and Juliet at the Tivoli in Wimborne. It was great fun, but I felt like my heart was about to jump out every time I was up on stage. Like ahhh! Surprised I wasn't shaking after.

Natalie Joyce  03:33

But you really enjoyed it?

Oliver Hart  03:34

Oh, yeah, it was great. Yeah, it's great.

Natalie Joyce  03:36

And were you involved in that, Robbie?

Robbie Piper  03:38

I played Montague, but I wasn't apart of sixth form anymore, as I was at futures.

Abbie Davis  03:44

Did you enjoy it?

Robbie Piper  03:46

Pretty much.

Natalie Joyce  03:47

Thank you. So Ollie, you're in sixth form at Portfield School and Robbie, you're a futures learner. So I mean, Ollie, what does a typical day at Autism Unlimted or at school look like for you?

Oliver Hart  03:58

Well, you've got your normal lessons. We've got english, maths. We've got drama. I sometimes do science by myself. Trying to think what else there is. We've got RSHE, PSHE, sports as well. I think that's all I can think of at the moment.

Natalie Joyce  04:15

So, go on, Robbie.

Robbie Piper  04:17

What about educational visits?

Oliver Hart  04:19

Yeah, visits, yes, the trips.

Natalie Joyce  04:22

So Futures, Robbie, is a programme that empowers 18 to 25 year olds. Tell me what an average day looks like for you.

Robbie Piper  04:29

So three days a week, I do. Futures is all about adult life and to get experience like getting a job such thing, community days, like going to the gym and cooking, and also the Sacred Hearts in Bournemouth. Also being independent, travel training. So to be independent, things I want to do after I've left Futures is learn to drive, because that's something I'm hopefully doing, but I'm not doing at the moment because I'm still not ready. If I do more driving experiences and go karting, they'll make me be ready in the future, and I'll be ready as soon as I can. And, yeah, so that's what it's all about.

Natalie Joyce  05:24

That's a fantastic answer. Thank you very much.

Abbie Davis  05:29

Thank you. So Ollie, you spoke about your experience in mainstream school. So what was life like before Autism Unlimited and what challenges did you face?

Oliver Hart  05:40

Oh, I faced many challenges in primary. I was an oblivious child. I knew nothing was going on. I didn't get that much support that I thought I was originally getting. And then after that, when I went to secondary, I had to be taken out halfway through year eight, so I had, like, no support. It was getting really stressful and quick trigger warning for anyone I did attempt to cut myself. Thankfully, I had my blazer on so there was no actual damage done. And then as soon as I told my parents that, they were like, 'Okay, no, you don't belong there.' That was too stressful to you. We're taking you out to homeschool you. So I was homeschooled for two years, and then my friend told me about this school that they're in at the moment, which is Portfield.

Abbie Davis  06:40

Amazing. Wow. It sounds like you went through some really difficult stuff, but I'm glad you're doing a lot better now, and you're really enjoying Portfield, by the sound of it. So Robbie, so what was life like for you before Autism Unlimited? What challenges did you face?

Robbie Piper  06:54

I was part of Autism Unlimited for nearly four years now, since I did three years at Portfield, which is over at sixth form and now I'm at futures, because I moved on. And I'm going to be 20 next month, glad I'm going to not be a teenager anymore, which is I'm hoping for. And yeah, and hopefully I'll still learn new things in life. I like going to the cinema, and I like to see what films are on, and I like being independent, making friends, doing things in my local community. Still get around and then hopefully, yeah, like I said, that's what it's all about.

Abbie Davis  07:45

Thank you so much for that. So it sounds like Autism Unlimited have helped you a lot. Is there any challenges you faced before you had the support of Autism Unlimited?

Robbie Piper  07:54

Well, like I like to make it better, to be more independent and more experience and get freedom things I wanted to do in the future. I like music festivals. I like going to Thorpe Park, and I like to visit lots of places.

Abbie Davis  08:17

Lovely. Would you say that Autism Unlimited has helped you be more independent then?

Robbie Piper  08:22

Yes, something I want to say is independent living at futures, Autism Unlimited, with learners, they get to stay for either one night, two nights and three nights and things, what they do is like cooking. They go to the shop at Lidls and then they come back and they cook. And then after they finished eating, they wash up, dry up, put away. Yeah, that's something I like doing.

Natalie Joyce  08:57

So that's brilliant, actually. Thank you for that, Robbie. So Ollie, how would you say Autism Unlimited has helped you grow and develop?

Oliver Hart  09:04

If you were to talk to me around about two, three years ago, I'd be quiet as a mouse right now. I have hypermobility as well, and where I've been sitting down for a lot of my life in the past, my muscles have just became really tight. I could walk for like, at most under an hour, and I'd be tired, I'd be in like pain and all that, but now I'd happily walk an hour or two without any pain.

Natalie Joyce  09:33

And you would say that's because of your time at Autism Unlimited?

Oliver Hart  09:37

100%, 100%.

Natalie Joyce  09:38

That's really interesting you say that if we'd met you a year or so ago you'd be quiet because Abbie and I came to sixth form, and you did our tour for us, and you were fantastic. So a year ago, had we met you, you'd be different Ollie?

Oliver Hart  09:51

Year or two, yeah.

Natalie Joyce  09:52

Yeah, thank you for that. What about you, Robbie? How do you think Autism Unlimited has helped you to grow and develop?

Robbie Piper  09:59

Well to grow and develop is learning how to be more independent, like, for example, when you feel like to get experience, get a paid job. I work at the Marsham Court Hotel at the moment every Friday, but I only volunteer. I do the restaurant, I put the dirty dishes away and put them in the kitchen, put them on the side, and then I also polish the glasses. And yeah, I really like it, and it's very interesting, and I like doing that job, and it's good for my experience. I really work hard. I get a good experience. I'll keep going until I get a paid job.

Abbie Davis  10:55

So from what both of you have said, your time at Autism Unlimited has been really important to the both of you. Can you share a favourite memory or moment from Autism Unlimited?

Oliver Hart  11:07

It's very difficult to pick from all of them. I've had a lot of great moments. My favourite has to be when I went to go do young enterprise. Well, the final, well not the final but, when it came to the judging of our products and how well we done, the judges loved it so much that one of them actually wanted to come to sixth form and give a talk on how to run a company. What they do that they can always help. If you want to set up an actual company outside of school, they're amazing, absolutely amazing people.

Abbie Davis  11:44

Sounds like a really incredible opportunity. How about you, Robbie? What would you say is your favourite moment or memory from Autism Unlimited.

Robbie Piper  11:53

Well, my favourite memory or moment is how I could understand with my feelings, if I feel a bit stressed or I feel worried and anxious, and I can write it down on a piece of paper or in my book or diary. Yeah, and then when I was little, I wasn't very good at sharing, but now I can. Because sometimes, when I was little, I find it hard how to communicate my brain, because sometimes everybody's different, and they make their own ways. And in life, I cope with things now more like being independent, like sometimes I cannot cope sitting in restaurants with my whole family, and sometimes I cannot cope being together. But now I can. It's just because sometimes life can easily change by the time as you get older. And that's what happens.

Abbie Davis  13:02

Very true. Well, thank you so much for that, Robbie.

Natalie Joyce  13:05

So Ollie, what support has helped you to feel more capable and confident?

Oliver Hart  13:10

I think just teachers and TAs being there, like with the young enterprise talk I had to do to showcase our product to the judges. I had one of the teachers from sixth form with me, but they didn't have to come up on stage and talk about the product while I have a break. I sat through the whole thing, even though there was like a five minutes of tech problem going on, I just stood there.

Natalie Joyce  13:42

That's fantastic. Thank you so much. And what about you, Robbie, what support has helped you to feel more capable and confident?

Robbie Piper  13:49

Well, I go to the village gym all by myself. I get the bus and yeah, I like to lift weights. I like to get stronger. I like to get big guns on my arms, but they're not going to kill anyone, are they? What support helps you?

Oliver Hart  14:07

What support helps you, Robbie?

Robbie Piper  14:09

Sometimes I need help on how I feel. Sometimes I have to talk to the counsellor or a social worker to make my worries get better.

Abbie Davis  14:23

Lovely. Thank you so much. You've both spoken about some really amazing things that Autism Unlimited has done for you. But have you noticed any changes in your happiness or self acceptance since starting at Autism Unlimited?

Oliver Hart  14:39

Yeah, 100% for me. Ever since I joined I thought I was subconsciously masking, and I didn't even know, but ever since I joined Portfield, I've just been releasing that mask slowly.

Abbie Davis  14:54

So just for our listener, what is masking, Ollie?

Oliver Hart  14:57

Basically a way of making yourself not... Putting yourself in a mindset where you think you're not autistic. I think that's probably the best way I can explain that.

Abbie Davis  15:06

Yeah, lovely and Robbie, so have you seen any changes in how you feel and your happiness since starting Autism Unlimited?

Robbie Piper  15:16

I used to get told off more often. I don't get told off very often now, because I'm growing up, and I learn and I understand, and then hopefully, I feel more like I understand more in life.

Abbie Davis  15:35

So would you say you're happier now that you're at Autism Unlimited?

Robbie Piper  15:39

Yes.

Natalie Joyce  15:41

So how has your view of the future changed since joining Autism Unlimited?

Oliver Hart  15:45

Before joining I didn't think I was gonna ever get a job. Just barely gonna make it by and all that. Now I'm thinking, oh, I want to be a scientist. Oh, I want to help people with disabilities in schools or businesses. I want to just help.

Natalie Joyce  16:01

That's pretty incredible, Ollie. Thank you very much. And what about you, Robbie, how has your view of your future changed since joining Autism Unlimited?

Robbie Piper  16:09

Well, I think the changes something to do with futures, is how to get more experience in my life, and sometimes it could help on it could help my experience. It'll help me be more independent. It'll help me get freedom. It'll help lots of things, yeah.

Abbie Davis  16:37

And so Ollie, what support has RiskSTOP Group, what support have we given you, and how has that helped?

Oliver Hart  16:44

Well, you guys came over to do the mock interview, didn't you. That actually really helped. Because that actually made my mind ready for when I go get a job. I know what an interview is going to be like, and now I know what a CV looks like as well, in person, so I can obviously do the interview, hand over my CV and all that, basically.

Natalie Joyce  17:05

So if you could describe your experience of Autism Unlimited in one word, what would it be?

Oliver Hart  17:11

Has to be, just change.

Natalie Joyce  17:14

I love that. Thank you, Ollie. And Robbie, if you could describe your experience with Autism Unlimited in one word, what would it be?

Robbie Piper  17:22

With one word? Oh, independence.

Natalie Joyce  17:26

Love it lovely. Thank you very much.

Abbie Davis  17:28

Amazing.

Natalie Joyce  17:30

Robbie, if you went back to your 10 year old self, what would you tell yourself?

Robbie Piper  17:34

What would I tell myself?

Oliver Hart  17:35

Yeah, what would you tell your 10 year old self?

Robbie Piper  17:38

Oh, that's a tough question. I think, as if I was 10 years old, my interests will be different

Oliver Hart  17:50

If I were to go back in time and talk to my 10 year old self and tell them one thing I've learned so far. Oh, you're gonna make it far, just gonna go big.

Natalie Joyce  18:02

What a brilliant answer. Thank you. You both smashed it, by the way, that was incredible. Thank you really, really great. Yes, you smashed it. So thank you to Ollie and Robbie for coming to see us today. We really appreciate your time and honesty. Now you can find out more about Autism Unlimited on their socials and at autism-unlimited.org. To find out more about what RiskSTOP Group does around neurodiversity, please visit our socials and riskstopgroup.co.uk. And that's all for this episode of our people at the heart podcast. Thank you to everyone for listening in. I, along with one or two other presenters, will be back soon with all kinds of things to talk about with different guests. So keep your eyes peeled for more episode announcements, and remember here at RiskSTOP Group, it's all about keeping people safe and secure and believing in social responsibility and sustainability, until the next time everyone goodbye for now you.