Bjorn Ng, 25

Final-year student, Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in History, Nanyang Technological University

To many, Bjorn seems like your average Joe. He is physically healthy, mentally sharp, and has no apparent issues interacting with others. What many people do not realise is that Bjorn, who has autism, had put in a lot of hard work learning social and communication skills so that he could interact with others.

“I feel like an alien not knowing how to interact with the neurotypical world around me.“

Social interactions, that come naturally for most neurotypical people, was a challenge for Bjorn. He was non-verbal till age four, and he relied on occupational and speech therapy to overcome the difficulties posed by his condition. Growing up, Bjorn’s struggles in understanding social norms and cues had led to several social faux pas.

“In school, there were many people who looked at me funny, which led to social isolation. I knew I needed to adapt to the world around me as it was a matter of ‘do or die’,” said the 25-year-old history undergraduate.

Bjorn was determined to look past his disability. As autism interferes with the intuitive learning of social norms, Bjorn sought alternative ways to learn social skills and knowledge.

“I thought if I wanted to find out how humans interact with one another, why not I study about humans and how they work?”. Bjorn went on to take up a diploma in psychology at Temasek Polytechnic to better understand the working of human mind and behaviour. He went on to study history, with a second major in public policy and global affairs at Nanyang Technological University, partly also to understand human behaviour from a multi-disciplinary point of view

“I am not as different from others as I thought I would be.”

In Bjorn’s quest to understand the world around him, he has developed competencies that he never thought he could as a child with autism.

He would be proactively participating in class activities and leading class discussions. His inquisitive mind also won him the Singapore Psychological Society’s Student Research Award in 2017. While serving National Service, Bjorn’s leadership stood out and he was promoted to the rank of commander. Bjorn is also happy where he is now on the personal front. “I am now able to maintain meaningful relationships with the people around me, such as my friends and family, and my lovely girlfriend.”

“Thanks, mum.”

Bjorn is quick to credit his achievements to his community, who journeyed along with him. This includes the professionals and teachers who provided the interventions he required, and his friends and family who supported him. “As a child growing up with autism, I thought my life would be bleak. But I was able to access good education and career options that I am proud of, and have a personal life that I can treasure. Even as a person with disabilities, I can live a life of dignity, just like a neurotypical person can. Special thanks to my mum who brought me around to receive all the help I needed, and speaking with the principals and educators at mainstream schools so that I could receive the necessary accommodations,” said Bjorn.

“The skills and knowledge I possess as a neurodivergent person can be used for greater good.”

On receiving the Asia Pacific Breweries (APB) Foundation Scholarship, Bjorn expressed happiness and gratitude for the recognition to the hard work that not only he had put in, but also that of his communities.

As he has had internship stints in various industries and fields, such as Singapore Children’s Society, Singapore Prison Services and most recently, Deutsche Bank, Bjorn wants to put his wide range of experiences to create a more inclusive society for persons with disabilities. He is currently working on a research project that centres on politics of disability in Singapore and hopes that his work could be used to advance pro-disability policies and corporate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) agenda in Singapore.

The APB Foundation Scholarship for Persons with Disabilities is a bond-free scholarship. It supports students with physical, sensory or developmental disabilities in their university studies at six local institutions with no restrictions in the discipline of studies. It is also the only pan-disability scholarship in Singapore. Since its launch in 2004, the APB Foundation has committed over $2.2 million to the programme and has since awarded 59 scholarships.