For my second outing with Will, to my immense relief, no gym kit was required! Instead my task was to help Will do his homework on a sunny Saturday afternoon - a much less strenuous task! 

As I walked to Laguna, I questioned how much help I would actually be to Will. His conversation skills seem to be in a whole different league to mine! Any help I could offer in that department would be limited. However, upon seeing Will, he told me his plan for the day and my job became clear. He had seven different tasks which he needed to complete, all of which involved talking to strangers (no surprise there!) and engaging them in conversation.

However, he didn’t appear to be daunted at all by these tasks (unlike how I would be!) and sat opposite me at ease, with a big grin on his face. My task was to watch the reactions of those he interacted with and help him fill in his task sheet. Ready for the challenges ahead of us, Will decided we would need a clip board first (being very official!) for filling in the task forms.

As someone who is usually exuberating confidence, I was rather shocked when I noticed the butterflies in my stomach when walking through Cardiff city last week; unsure whether it was down to meeting Will or having to wear a swimsuit! I have done a lot of volunteering in the past, but none with homework quite as exciting as socialising with the boss! Walking through the city I found myself hastily coming up with questions to ask Will in my head; the usual questions; “how are you today?”, “cold weather outside!” 
It was at this point, when walking towards the Laguna Health Spa, that I realised I was being incredibly silly. This was an experience and my first step into the world of Living With Aspergers, and what better way to do it than spend two hours relaxing in a spa with the main man himself? After arriving in the reception of the hotel, I felt a little out of my depth; huge chandeliers and everyone in suits... I was beginning to think I had come to the wrong place! Soon after though, I saw someone strolling towards the door, as cool as a cucumber with a huge grin on their face. Of course, it was Will.

I met Will in 2016 when I was working for a not-for-profit organization. LWA was a client of the charity and occasionally there were meetings with Will to discuss potential business opportunities. Although LWA was a start-up back then, I could see the potential of the business. This is mainly because of Will and his passion to help other people in a similar situation to him. Having gone through a lot in his childhood and adult life, Will was very committed in fighting and advocating for the rights of people with Asperger's and helping them receive appropriate support. 

ASD (autistic spectrum disorder) is a condition that modifies the way people interact socially; how they communicate with one another, their interests and their behaviour. Common disorders on this scale are Asperger's syndrome and high functioning autism. ASD usually begins in childhood but the effects cannot be seen until a major change takes place, such as the changing of schools or moving to a different house.