David Myatt

Autism Light #185 is David Myatt.

David Myatt is from Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, United Kingdom. This is about 100 miles North West of London, 25 miles south of Birmingham and 10 miles east of Stratford upon Avon. David formed the Halo Driving School in Leamington Spa in November, 2011. David Myatt has Asperger's and one of the specialties of his business is teaching individuals with autism how to drive a motor vehicle. David Myatt is an Autism Light for being the visionary behind a program that can help people with autism gain greater independence through driving independently. 

Prior to starting his Halo Driving School (Leamington Spa), David Myatt worked as a Print Production Manager at Cranfield University. David describes the challenges he faced of being on the Autism Spectrum and learning to be a driving instructor this way:

The training was painful and near impossible for me at first, it wasn't until I was introduced to a trainer who is also on the spectrum that I really began to truly understand what was required of me as an instructor. I think this experience made me realise just how difficult a task learning to drive could be for some young people, and led me to specialise in teaching others on the spectrum. 

While neuro-typical individuals can benefit from the Halo Driving School also, there is a niche for autism under David Myatt's leadership.You can find information on Halo Driving School, enrollment, contact, and fees a their website at www.halodrivingschool.co.uk.

Because of the specialization in training people with autism Halo Driving School and David Myatt receive referrals from a variety of autism organizations, including the National Autistic Society, Warwickshire County Council Service Directory, and the support groups "Special People" and "Autism West Midlands" based in Birmingham.

David Myatt offers this advice for people with autism that are seeking to learn to drive.

Many driving instructors here in the UK use "one size fits all" training systems for their pupils, the only variable being the speed at which the training is delivered. Clearly this can cause problems for many pupils on the spectrum, who often require the transfer of the necessary skills presented in a way that they can easily relate to. Try to find an instructor who has specific experience of teaching pupils on the spectrum, and get feedback from those pupils if possible. Specialist training is easier to come by now for instructors, one course of training in particular is "Revolutions" developed by Julia Malkin MBE which aims to give instructors a good understanding of the issues people with autism face when learning to drive.

Social Media: You can follow Halo Driving School (Leamington Spa) on Facebook.

David Myatt finds his work at Halo Driving School to be very rewarding and satisfying. He described his experience this way:

I think the most rewarding part of my work comes from finding a tailored learning path that works for each individual pupil, developing their skills, and then seeing them progress towards becoming a safe, confident, independent driver. So much is said about the struggles and difficulties people on the spectrum face, so seeing them show what they CAN achieve, with the right help and support, never fails to give me a buzz.

Special thanks to David Myatt for helping individuals with autism learn to drive. Although we know that each individual must put forth their own effort to achieve this goal in their life, it is truly a blessing that people with autism can turn to someone who can relate to their struggles as they learn this skill.

Other Articles: For other online articles on David Myatt consult these news stories.

• Aspiring Drivers with Autism Taught By Lemington Man (BBC)
• Teaching Autism Sufferers To Drive (Lemington Observer)

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.


Photos: The photos in this post were used with permission of David Myatt.