Kirstyn Oliver started Alma Autism in 2018, by raising awareness and acceptance of autism and neurodiversity in churches and community groups through pop-up sensory rooms, training seminars and workshops. Kirstyn has over 12 years experience of working with autistic people in a variety of settings. She is a Psychology graduate, has a Master’s degree in Autism Studies and did research on “Faith, Spirituality and autistic people”. Now she is doing a Doctorate in Practical Theology with her research on the engagement of neurodiverse children with sensory tray bible stories. Kirstyn is the author and creator of The Sensory Tray Bible which now has 8 editions. She has received many invitations to international conferences as a keynote speaker and workshop leader and spends most of her free time, advocating for neurodiverse people and people with special educational needs to be accepted and included in church communities. All of Kirstyn’s work through her ministry of Alma Autism is done in her free time. She loves supporting children with different needs and is a respite foster carer for a child with Angelman’s Syndrome as well as having a full-time job as a children and families minister in South London, where she loves being a part of a vibrant church journeying alongside many children and young people. Another fun fact about Kirstyn is that at the age of 9, she moved to Brazil with her missionary parents and lived there for 14 years, meaning Kirstyn is also fluent in Portuguese. Hence the word “Alma” which means “Soul”. Therefore, her ministry is called “The Soul of Autism”.
