Irvine, Brian; MacLeod, Andrea; (2025) Mobilising Specialist Autism Mentoring in UK universities. Journal of Inclusive Practice in Further and Higher Education , 17 (1) pp. 2-18.

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Abstract

Many autistic university students in the UK may meet a Specialist Mentor (Autism) for regular, funded sessions with professional mentors throughout their studies. As yet, very little research has considered this provision. Following research questions set by autistic mentees, half-termly diary entries were elicited from specialist autism mentors across the UK. An autistic majority group of ‘master mentors’ shaped a reflexive thematic analysis. Three framings of mentoring practice were apparent. Diaries recounted narratives of how mentees used a diagnostic frame pointed at university cultures, mentees and mentors made a prognosis of how workarounds to circumstances may unfold, and the mentors themselves had a pivotal role in sharing mentees' joy to frame it for enduring motivation. Not only does this diagnostic, prognostic, and motivational model of mentoring reflect social mobilisation theory writ small, but it provides a flexible conception of mentoring that supports the growth of self-advocacy and an affirming autistic identity.

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