Marion McLaughlin
Nominee Profile
Location: Aberdeen
Marion McLaughlin is the Managing Director and Founder of Aurora Autistic Consulting, following a career as a Primary School Teacher and serving as an award winning CEO of an Autistic led charity.
Since discovering they are Autistic in 2018, Marion has supported thousands of people to develop their knowledge and understanding of what it means to be Autistic and implement neuroaffirming techniques to improve the quality of the lives of Autistic people through 1:1 support, training, consultation, and community events.
Marion’s training sessions are filled with enthusiasm, practical knowledge, and real insights into Autistic lived experience. All their work focuses on Autistic self empowerment, and flipping the traditional narrative about Autistic people on its head. Marion challenges people to confront their internalised biases and gently supports them on their way to embracing neurodivergence. They have delivered training to universities, colleges, NHS, CAMHS, schools, Health Visitors, businesses, charities, and much more.
Marion founded Autistic Pride Aberdeen in 2018 and continues to chair the all-Autistic committee organising their events. Autistic Pride Aberdeen is dedicated to celebrating Autistic identity and culture and providing a safe space to socialise and meet other Autistic people of all ages.
Marion represents a collective of Autistic Disabled People’s Organisation on Scottish Parliament’s Cross Party Group for Autism, ensuring that Autistic people are given a platform to discuss issues facing the Autistic community.
Campaigning for Autistic rights is also a key priority for Marion. This includes raising awareness of what those rights are, and how to advocate for them. Marion collaborates with Autistic advocates and Autistic Disabled People’s Organisations to campaign for timely access to Autism assessments, for meaningful co-production with the Autistic community when decisions are being made about us, and campaign against the use of behaviourism.
Since discovering they are Autistic in 2018, Marion has supported thousands of people to develop their knowledge and understanding of what it means to be Autistic and implement neuroaffirming techniques to improve the quality of the lives of Autistic people through 1:1 support, training, consultation, and community events.
Marion’s training sessions are filled with enthusiasm, practical knowledge, and real insights into Autistic lived experience. All their work focuses on Autistic self empowerment, and flipping the traditional narrative about Autistic people on its head. Marion challenges people to confront their internalised biases and gently supports them on their way to embracing neurodivergence. They have delivered training to universities, colleges, NHS, CAMHS, schools, Health Visitors, businesses, charities, and much more.
Marion founded Autistic Pride Aberdeen in 2018 and continues to chair the all-Autistic committee organising their events. Autistic Pride Aberdeen is dedicated to celebrating Autistic identity and culture and providing a safe space to socialise and meet other Autistic people of all ages.
Marion represents a collective of Autistic Disabled People’s Organisation on Scottish Parliament’s Cross Party Group for Autism, ensuring that Autistic people are given a platform to discuss issues facing the Autistic community.
Campaigning for Autistic rights is also a key priority for Marion. This includes raising awareness of what those rights are, and how to advocate for them. Marion collaborates with Autistic advocates and Autistic Disabled People’s Organisations to campaign for timely access to Autism assessments, for meaningful co-production with the Autistic community when decisions are being made about us, and campaign against the use of behaviourism.