Hi, my name is Paul and I'm the founder of Viva Kai, a new social enterprise focused on building autism accessible spaces. This is a very personal mission. I spent 20 years in the NHS, from frontline emergency care to postgraduate medical education—yet I knew very little about autism until my son Kai was diagnosed at age three. Kai is now 9, and his journey led to mine: a very late autism diagnosis and a whole new reflection on being autistic. Central to my values is believing every autistic person and their family should have equal access to understanding, support, and inclusion —no matter their postcode.
Also important to Viva Kai is a balanced perspective. It is natural to be interested in the extremes of those with exceptional talents or profound disabilities. These extremes are real but they can obscure the everyday experiences of most autistic people, and shape limited or even divisive views. And while the neurodiversity movement empowers many of us by celebrating difference and challenging stigma, I believe it is equally important to recognise the unique medical and other professional support needs that many autistic people require. For if we are to create a genuinely accessible world for all autistics, I believe it is necessary to strike this balance—honouring both civil rights and healthcare needs.
And lastly, we want to focus on fun. There are many serious challenges to address but we want to start by addressing difficulties in accessing hospitality, travel and leisure services. From independent self-advocates, to those fully reliant on family or carers, our aim is to empower autistic people to build more accessible spaces they and their families can enjoy. And so with the creation of Viva Kai, It's exciting to now focus on learning and doing all I can to help other autistic people and their families get out more, relax and have fun.
So, whether you’re a service provider wanting to level up accessibility, a family seeking more autism friendly spaces, or an autistic adult looking for adventure or community—we are here to help.
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