A Leeds man is championing equality for people with autism – after successfully setting up his own independent enterprise in the city.

Luke Aylward, 25 from Swarcliffe, struggled for three and a half years to find employment after graduating with a degree in journalism from the University of Lincoln in 2006.

Luke has Asperger’s Syndrome, a form of the psychological disorder autism which causes difficulties in social interaction. The condition meant he often struggled in high-pressure situations such as job interviews and was left with his self-esteem severely dented following years of rejection from potential employers.

Instead of giving up, Luke decided to look at other opportunities such as launching his own business. With the help of Sharing the Success, the Leeds Local Enterprise Growth Initiative (LEGI) Luke transformed his experience of being unemployed and into a social enterprise and launched a magazine called ‘Aspire’ which aimed to help others with the same condition.

via Leeds man gives autistic people a voice with magazine | Leeds | guardian.co.uk.