HE Enabled

HE Enabled
  • 5.0 (2)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE

HE Enabled is a podcast dedicated to sharing the experiences of disabled and neurodivergent people, as well as those with long-term health conditions within the UK Higher Education sector. Follow the show on socials, Patreon, and get in touch at https://linktr.ee/HE_Enabled.

  1. 1 DAY AGO

    45. Diagnosed with ADHD Twice, Internships With Variable Health Conditions, and Looking Outside Your Uni for Opportunity: Thea’s Story

    CW: This episode contains passing references to the COVID pandemic. About the episode: Thea is a student at the University of Bristol, where she is studying for a BSc in Social Policy and Politics. She is currently taking part in the Change 100 internship programme, and is preparing to start a master’s in evidence-based social intervention and policy evaluation at Oxford. In this episode of HE Enabled, Thea shares her experience of university with both ADHD and arthritis. We explore how shared care agreements necessitated a second ADHD diagnosis for Thea, how she balances her work with fluctuating health conditions, and the safeguards that she puts in place to protect her wellbeing. There is also plenty of nerding out about social policy, and a confused rant from Cath about why people don't register with their uni GP! Thanks so much to Thea for coming on the show. Enjoy this episode? You can listen to the next episode of HE Enbled right now via the Patreon link below. HE Enabled links: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the HE Enabled Patreon for £1 a month!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy me a coffee and help to keep HE Enabled Running :)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow HE Enabled on social media and listen on other platforms via the Linktree.⁠

    49 min

  2. 10 MAY

    44. Attending Uni as a Blind International Student, Extracurricular Access Barriers, and Choosing the Academy Over the City: Abhishek’s Story

    Abhishek is a student at Queen Mary, University of London, where he is currently studying for an MRes in Human Rights Law. He also received his LLB and LLM degrees from QMUL. I had the pleasure of meeting Abhishek late last year, and spoke alongside him at the Disability History Month event hosted by Dan (a previous guest and friend of the show). We spent this episode discussing Abhishek's experience as an international disabled student. Hailing from India, Abhishek arrived at QMUL in 2021 to read for an LLB. He quickly learned the cultural differences in our physical landscapes as a blind student (security carded doors are less common in India, for example), as well the differences in provision between him and home students with DSA access. Cath also learns about how extracurriculars and societies have been difficult to access for Abhishek, owing to them being managed by different departments within his university. We also find out why Abhishek is choosing to stay in academia to read human rights law! Listen to other guests who also spoke at the QMUL Disability History Month Event (Spotify links): 17. Managing Diabetes, Student Voice, and Researching Safe AI use for Insulin Pumps: Tom’s Story 25. Researching Autistic Experiences, Accessible Train Stations, and Bringing Disabled Students Together: Daniel’s Story 26. Disabled Representation in Architecture School, Late Diagnoses, and the Ideal Student Fallacy: Sarah's Story 28. Depression in the Neurodivergent Global Majority, Five Degrees, and the Transformative Nature of Adjustments: Emma’s Story Cath's story (in two parts) Episode 1- My Story 22. HEnabled: One Year On. My Story (Finale), Show Updates, and a Call to Action. HE Enabled links: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the HE Enabled Patreon for £1 a month!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy me a coffee and help to keep HE Enabled Running :)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow HE Enabled on social media and listen on other platforms via the Linktree.⁠

    45 min

  3. 3 MAY

    43. Diagnosed by TikTok, Rebuilding Self-Trust, and Bouncing Back from Systematic Failures: Kai’s Story

    CW: This episode contains passing references to the COVID pandemic and negative mental health episodes. Episode info: Kai is a student at the University of Manchester, reading for a PhD in Pure Mathematics. Their thesis focuses on density combinatorics of amenable groups using ergodic methods (which is explained briefly in the episode!). Kai is also the PGR co-chair of Manchester’s Neurodivergent Staff Network, the inclusion officer of the Disabled Students’ Society, and the PGR representative for the School of Natural Sciences. In this episode, we explore the missed opportunities for Kai to have been assessed for ADHD and the mental health struggles that resulted from their late diagnosis. Kai also shares the additional struggles they faced with attenuated symptoms of depressive psychosis, and the effort it has taken to rebuild self-trust in their experiences. Kai also discusses how they built a learning environment which works for their learning style. It includes the switch to part-time study! Thanks again to Kai for coming on the show :) Previous episodes with guests from the University of Manchester (Spotify links): 38. Lecturing Through Burnout, Staff Advocacy, and Thriving in the Right Environment: Katie's Story 34. Using Power for Positive Change, Taking the Unconventional Path, and Talking Disability at Manchester: Prof. Jackie Carter’s Story HE Enabled links: ⁠⁠⁠Join the HE Enabled Patreon for £1 a month!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy me a coffee and help to keep HE Enabled Running :)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow HE Enabled on social media and listen on other platforms via the Linktree.

    47 min

  4. 26 APR

    42. Breaking Internalised Beliefs, Rebellious Leadership, and the Importance of Contextualising Achievement: Kelly's Story

    CWs: Mentions of addiction (6:12-6:21), miscarriage (13:06-13:19), and eating disorders (22:46-22:53). Episode info: Kelly is on HE Enabled this week! Kelly is a programme manager at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), where she manages the Laidlaw Scholarship! Kelly works incredibly hard in developing inclusive experiences for the scholars, so that they turn into ethical leaders themselves. She also holds degrees from the University of Greenwich and Kingston University. In this episode, Kelly explores the deeply personal contexts which shaped her academic experience. After being adopted young, she went through life with undiagnosed ADHD until 2023. Before her diagnosis, Kelly had become a young parent and started her life with her husband while working as ahairdresser. She started university at 30 and eventually completed her BA while caring for a newborn. Kelly finished her MA after receiving her ADHD diagnosis; she now puts a frankly impressive amount of energy into developing inclusive practice in her work at LSE! Kelly is representing herself as an individual here; all views are her own. HE Enabled links: ⁠⁠Join the HE Enabled Patreon for £1 a month!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy me a coffee and help to keep HE Enabled Running :)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow HE Enabled on social media and listen on other platforms via the Linktree.

    52 min

  5. 20 APR

    41. Rethinking Narratives Around Sectioning, Developing Student Union Inclusion Policies, and Returning to the Same University After Over a Decade Away: Alicia’s Story

    CW: Indirect mentions of self-harm in relation to being sectioned under the Mental Health Act (35:26-35:52) Alicia is a student at the University of Lancashire (previously UCLan) studying for a BA in applied community and social care studies. They have returned to the same university after over 15 years away and are massively involved in student voice. In fact, they’ve just been elected as the student rep for governance at Lancashire SU (a part-time SU president). In this episode, Alicia shares how they use their lived experience of being sectioned under the Mental Health Act as a tool to change narratives around the people it impacts. We also discuss how Alicia's multiple neurodivergent and physical conditions inform their work in student voice, and the plans they have as the governance representative next academic year. There are also some great conversations around how to empower not just disabled students, but those from different intersections and backgrounds too. Thanks to Alicia for coming on the show! HE Enabled links: ⁠Join the HE Enabled Patreon for £1 a month!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy me a coffee and help to keep HE Enabled Running :)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow HE Enabled on social media and listen on other platforms via the Linktree.

    49 min

  6. 12 APR

    40. When Anticipatory Adjustments Work, Hybrid Learning After Surgery, and the Power of Individual Actions: Anna's Story

    CW: Mentions of skeletons used for archaeological research, including child skeletons and skeletons with tissue (26:40-26:52). Discussion of the COVID-19 lockdowns throughout. ⁠⁠⁠Anna is a graduate of Newnham College, Cambridge (BA Hons. Archaeology) and the University of East Anglia, where she graduated with an MA in the Arts of Africa, Oceania and the Americas. We learn about Anna's largely positive experience as a disabled student at both of these universities, including where anticipatory adjustments made her uni experience more positive. Anna also shares how her master's was moved to a hybrid format following major surgery, and how both the individual and collective actions of the staff around her meant that she finished her degrees on time. Cath and Anna also have a great time perpetuating their university rivalries, and compare their experiences at Oxford and Cambridge respectively. Read Anna's blog article about Mikel Utsi, Cambridge's first indigenous curator. Learn about Head Up!, an organisation aimed at helping disabled and disadvantaged groups access higher education. View an image of a Peruvian Moche ceramic: 'Portrait Vessel of a Man with a Cleft Lip and Tattoos'. If you want to see more Moche Ceramics, Anna has kindly provided reference numbers to input into the Museo Larco collection website. All numbers and relevant search terms are at the bottom of this episode description. HE Enabled links: Join the HE Enabled Patreon for £1 a month!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy me a coffee and help to keep HE Enabled Running :)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow HE Enabled on social media and listen on other platforms via the Linktree. Museo Larco reference numbers and search terms: The Museo Larco catalogue website is in Spanish, but if you search for disability terms, you’ll get all the pots. For example,ciego (blind), tuerto (one-eyed), prostesis (prosthetic), mutilado (mutilated, though probably actually showing leishmaniasis), sin pie (without foot). You can also search for patologias, though this has over 400+ results for it! Reference numbers for specific ceramics (to be pasted into the search bar): ML000428, ML002735, ML002724, ML010496, ML000471, ML002736, ML001389, ML001396, ML000426, ML002740, ML001484

    49 min

  7. 5 APR

    39. Returning to Practice, Embracing Neuroqueerness and Neuroaffirming Care in Speech and Language Therapy: Fliss' Story

    Fliss is the founder of the AuDHD Coach, a neurodiversity coaching service specialising in burnout, self-compassion and reconnecting with creativity.  They are also currently a postgraduate student at Coventry University, completing a return to practice programme after originally graduating from the University of East Anglia, where they trained as a speech and language therapist. Fliss is currently working with Coventry Uni to increase accessibility in their course. Fliss and Cath share a rich and engaging discussion about the applications of the social and medical models in clinical environments, how Fliss' late neurodivergent diagnoses are informing their return to practice, and our similar experiences at the intersection of disability and gender non-conformity. Visit Fliss' website ⁠⁠Join the HE Enabled Patreon for £1 a month!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy me a coffee and help to keep HE Enabled Running :)⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow HE Enabled on social media and listen on other platforms via the Linktree.

    46 min

  8. 29 MAR

    38. Lecturing Through Burnout, Staff Advocacy, and Thriving in the Right Environment: Katie's Story

    Katie is a lecturer in Language and Communicative Development at the University of Manchester, where she also researches at the Child Study Centre. Katie shares how she pursued a late autism diagnosis after struggling with burnout while transitioning into lecturing. Since then, she has worked tirelessly for neurodivergent justice in Manchester and beyond. She is currently working on projects with a previous guest and friend of the show, Prof. Jackie Carter! We also reflect on Katie's early days in higher education. She dropped out of two London universities before completing her education at Sussex. Sometimes the best university isn't the biggest one, but instead is the institution that works best for you! Learn about the Child Study Centre at the University of Manchester ⁠Join the HE Enabled Patreon for £1 a month!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠Buy me a coffee and help to keep HE Enabled Running :)⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow HE Enabled on social media and listen on other platforms via the Linktree.

    48 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

HE Enabled is a podcast dedicated to sharing the experiences of disabled and neurodivergent people, as well as those with long-term health conditions within the UK Higher Education sector. Follow the show on socials, Patreon, and get in touch at https://linktr.ee/HE_Enabled.

Information

  • Creator
    HE Enabled
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    50
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © HE Enabled
  • Show Website
    HE Enabled