Four years ago, mental illness meant Aurora Thompson was unable to leave the house - now she’s completed the first year of a Philosophy degree at the University of Winchester and has gained glowing reviews for her public speaking skills.
Earlier this month 19-year-old addressed an audience of 150 at a book launch in Birmingham to promote Drip by Drip, Day by Day: Finding Purpose Through the Pain, by Steven Russell founder of the youth mentoring organisation Elements.
Aurora’s talk The Power of Hope included a description of traumatic childhood and her subsequent journey through the care system and psychiatric hospitals in the Bristol area.
Aurora was diagnosed as autistic at 14 but received little support from her secondary school. Her mental health declined rapidly and at 16 she tried to end her life twice and spent time in and out of psychiatric hospitals.
Throughout her childhood Aurora said it was the love of her mother and her cat, Tinkerbell, which sustained her.
After contact with a more sympathetic social worker and being admitted to Ferngate, a children’s home run by Hexagon Care Services, Aurora began to get her life back on track.
“Ferngate and my Mum nurtured the sparks that have become the fire of hope inside of me. I just had to allow them to help me instead of pushing them away,” Aurora said in her speech. “This wasn’t easy to do, but it allowed me to love my autism and learn to cope with my mental illness.”
While at Ferngate Aurora studied for her A levels at a special school in North Somerset for young people with emotional and health problems where she started to fulfil her academic potential.
“I had always wanted to go to university from a very young age as I saw it was my opportunity for a better life,” said Aurora.
Last September she began her course at Winchester.
“The support I have received academically and emotionally has been amazing,” she said.
“Everything I have done over the past few years has been aimed at getting to university and it has lived up to my expectations.”
“I have spent so much time working with various different services and I think we need new ways of thinking about issues and philosophy can help you think in a different way,” said Aurora.
Associate Lecturer at the University of Winchester, Elizabeth Mackintosh said: “Aurora is a powerful advocate for the importance of philosophy for everyone, and it is something we need to do when things become dark and difficult.
“She has found studying philosophy to be necessary nourishment both intellectually and personally and the discipline is driving her ongoing career planning. She saw that this work was no lofty matter and understood that our concepts and ways of thinking can often become dangerously fixed and we must interrogate these ideas and then work for change.”
Over the last three years Aurora has worked as an assistant project worker for Barnardos to using her own experiences to advocate for changes needed across social care, health, and education.
Aurora also had input into research conducted on aftercare from tier 4 Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service and presented this to key stakeholders.
She says that her long-term ambition is to set up a support organisation for females of all ages who are autistic.
In 2024 Aurora won the Hexagon Care Above and Beyond Award for her voluntary work. Although she could not attend the awards ceremony, she sent an acceptance speech to be read by a friend.
Among the audience, was Steven Russell who was so impressed by Aurora’s words that he contacted her and asked her to come and speak at the launch of his new book. He has also given Aurora a role as a Hope Advisor.
Steven said: “Aurora’s talk on ‘The Power of Hope’ was nothing short of extraordinary. She spoke with such strength, courage, and eloquence, weaving her own story into a universal message about how hope can transform even the darkest moments. Her words inspired us all and left an indelible mark on everyone present.”
“Hope is far more than an emotion one feels. It is an action and energy source that is needed to overcome adversity,” said Aurora.
The four elements are:
Pictured: Aurora Thompson speaking at the launch of Drip by Drip, Day by Day: Finding Purpose Through the Pain, by Steven Russell
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