Father Dan Harris created communication board for his autistic son.

Dan Harris, a 45-year-old entrepreneur from Peterborough, UK, is an advocate for neurodiversity and inclusive education. He is the founder of the charity "Neurodiversity in Business," which focuses on supporting individuals with neurological differences in the workplace and beyond. Dan's journey into advocacy began with his personal experiences as the father of Joshie, his 10-year-old son, who is autistic and non-speaking.

Dan's drive to create change was fueled by a profound moment when Joshie started using pictures on an electronic tablet to communicate. This breakthrough inspired Dan to explore how technology could be used to give a voice to non-speaking individuals like his son. Recognizing the potential of this tool, Dan embarked on a mission to make such technology accessible to more people.

In his efforts to promote this cause, Dan secured funding to provide 100 picture boards in Peterborough. These boards, which use images to facilitate communication, are designed to help non-speaking individuals express themselves. The funding was a significant achievement, enabling the distribution of these boards across the community at no cost. The initiative is part of Dan's broader vision to ensure that all children, regardless of their communication abilities, can fully participate in education and society.

Dan’s advocacy reached a global stage when he delivered a speech on autism acceptance at a UNESCO event on inclusive schooling in Paris. During the event, he emphasized the importance of making communication technology more accessible and advocated for it to be routinely funded as a matter of human rights. Dan's message was clear: investing in such technology could dramatically improve the lives of non-speaking individuals, unlocking their potential and opening up new worlds of opportunity.

The picture boards are available free of charge to those in Peterborough, and Dan hopes to expand this initiative internationally. He believes that with adequate funding and support, these tools could be implemented globally, providing a voice to countless individuals who have been previously unheard of.

Source of information: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3gmd8kl8gpo
Contact information: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danjharris/?originalSubdomain=uk | https://x.com/danieljharrisuk
https://youtu.be/5kJRIIiJR2Y?si=r4zlfqedKQzpZg3w