An award-winning ADHD advocate who has taken his message into schools, communities and Parliament is bringing his acclaimed You, Me & ADHD® talk to County Durham this Friday.
Presenter, speaker and neurodiversity advocate Ryan Swain will appear at The Witham in Barnard Castle on Friday, September 25, at 7pm, for an evening aimed at changing the conversation around ADHD and helping people understand the person behind the diagnosis.
The event will see Swain draw on his own lived experience of ADHD alongside years spent speaking with children, parents, teachers, SEND professionals and neurodivergent adults across the UK.
Rather than approaching ADHD purely through clinical terminology, You, Me & ADHD® explores what the condition can actually look and feel like in everyday life – from childhood and education to relationships, employment, mental health and adulthood.
The Witham describes the event as an “honest, engaging and inspiring evening” which will explore ADHD beyond the stereotypes, combining humour, emotion, practical insight and opportunities for audience questions and discussion.
Swain created You, Me & ADHD® to improve understanding of ADHD and wider neurodivergence, particularly among children, families and those working with young people.
His message is simple: understanding needs to happen before somebody reaches crisis point.
Ryan said: “For me, early intervention is prevention.
“Too often we wait until a child is struggling, being excluded, losing confidence or believing there is something wrong with them before we start asking what is actually happening underneath the behaviour.
“ADHD can affect far more than somebody’s ability to concentrate. It can impact organisation, impulsivity, emotional regulation, relationships, education, employment and self-esteem.
“And it doesn’t only affect the person with ADHD. When there is a lack of understanding, the frustrations can work both ways for parents, teachers, partners, employers and families.
“That is why I started You, Me & ADHD. I want to create conversations where people can ask questions without judgement and leave understanding ADHD and neurodivergence that little bit better.”
Swain’s work has increasingly taken him into educational and professional settings, delivering talks to pupils, parents, teachers and organisations.
A recommendation following his appearance at the York Maintained Headteachers’ Conference described his presentation as combining professional insight, personal experience and storytelling, with school leaders encouraged to reflect on how children with ADHD are understood and supported.
His advocacy has also reached Westminster, where he has contributed lived-experience perspectives to discussions around ADHD and education.
Despite the serious subjects explored, Swain says audiences should not expect a lecture.
The evening has been designed to be relatable and interactive, with humour and personal stories alongside practical discussion and a Q&A giving people the opportunity to raise the questions they may not normally get the chance to ask.
It is aimed not only at people diagnosed with ADHD, but also parents and carers, educators, employers, professionals, partners and anyone who simply wants to better understand neurodivergence.
Ryan added: “You don’t need to have ADHD to come along.
“In many ways, I want the people who don’t fully understand ADHD to be in the room just as much as those who live with it every day.
“This isn’t about making excuses for everything or putting everybody into a box. It is about recognising that sometimes there is a reason behind what we see on the surface.
“Understanding changes lives, and inclusion changes futures.”
You, Me & ADHD with Ryan Swain takes place at The Witham, 3 Horse Market, Barnard Castle, on Friday, September 25, from 7pm.
Tickets and further information are available from The Witham:
https://thewitham.org.uk/
More information about Ryan and You, Me & ADHD® can be found at:
https://youmeandadhd.uk/about-
