‘People think I always need somebody with me’: Alex Robson on the assumptions disabled people face

Orpington-based actor, model and keynote speaker Alex Robson has spoken about the assumptions he faces as a disabled person, the planning involved in maintaining his independence and why people need to understand individual needs.

Robson, who lives with cerebral palsy, has built a career across acting, modelling and public speaking.

Speaking exclusively to the Diversity & Inclusion Speakers Agency, he described how people can form assumptions about him before taking the time to understand who he is.

He said he can sometimes see uncertainty in the way people respond to him.

“I can see the panic in their eyes, like, ‘Oh my God, what do I do?’” Robson said.

One of the assumptions he encounters is that he always requires somebody else to be with him.

“People think that I always need somebody with me all the time and actually I don't,” he said.

Robson said he does need support, but also spoke about wanting to be as independent as possible.

That independence requires planning in everyday life.

Asked what adaptability looks like for him, Robson described having to think ahead before going somewhere.

“The majority of the time, I need to plan my route,” he said.

He described this type of preparation as something he has to think about constantly when he is out.

Robson’s own experiences growing up are also part of his motivation for speaking publicly.

He said the world has changed since his childhood.

“I think the world is opening up now a lot more than what it was,” he said.

One of the messages he wants other people to hear is that they are not alone.

“Nobody is alone,” Robson said.

“I want to tell people it's okay.”

His experiences have also shaped the way he thinks about inclusion.

When discussing what businesses get wrong, Robson said what works for him will not necessarily work for somebody else.

For him, recognising those different needs matters when thinking about inclusion.

That same focus on making people think sits behind his approach to public speaking.

Asked what he wants audiences to take away from hearing his story, Robson said he wants his talks to have an effect beyond the room.

“I want people to be inspired to do better,” he said.

He also wants audiences to feel able to engage with him and the issues he discusses.

“I want to be engaging. I want to engage my audience,” Robson said.

His aim is to leave people thinking about life and what they can do differently after hearing him speak.

This exclusive interview with Alex Robson was conducted by Tabish Ali of the Motivational Speakers Agency.