‘Without 1-on-1 funding, kids fall through the net’: Leeds record-breaker Matthew Akpan on SEND support

Across West Yorkshire and beyond, many know Matthew Akpan as the unstoppable marathon runner who captured a Guinness World Record dressed as WWE icon John Cena.

But behind the colourful costume, local accolades, and relentless fundraising lies a man whose greatest impact is being felt far away from the finish line - inside a Leeds classroom.

Now 37, Matthew has embarked on a transformative new chapter as a Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Teaching Assistant.

To mark ADHD Awareness Month, the Leeds-born advocate is speaking out about how his own neurodiversity has become his greatest asset in education, while warning that vulnerable children risk falling through the cracks without vital government support.

For 15 years, Matthew worked in retail - a sector where he often felt unsupported and underutilised.

Only through extensive community volunteering, including over 100 Parkruns and stints at the Commonwealth Games and European Championships, did he begin to recognise his true calling.

"In retail, what was I doing? Making profit for someone else," Matthew reflects. "Through my volunteering, I realised I had developed a side of me that could truly give back. I never originally planned to be a teaching assistant, but over the last couple of years, life led me into it.

“I thought, if I was already doing this kind of work unpaid, why not do it as a career?"

Using shared experience to connect

In the classroom, Matthew’s approach to supporting neurodivergent pupils relies heavily on empathy and shared experience.

Rather than seeing special interests or hyperfixations as potential disruptions, he reframes them as essential tools for engagement and trust-building.

"Interest - that’s the main word," Matthew explains. "Showing genuine interest in what a student loves, not just pretending. One of my pupils and I watch a show together every day, and I’ll ask him questions about it.

“Because I’m genuinely interested and he knows I’m on the spectrum too, it builds a relationship that few other TAs can get."

Crucially, Matthew understands the complex sensory and emotional landscapes his students navigate daily, emphasising the importance of giving children the space they need.

"It’s about reading the room," he says. "If a student is down or quiet for an hour, you don't always need to fill the void. That doesn't mean they’re in a crisis - it just means they need time to regulate.

“Giving them that space rather than pushing them prevents things from blowing up."

To manage the physical and emotional demands of the classroom, Matthew relies on the rigorous discipline of long-distance running. Training four to six times a week - and preparing for local events like the upcoming Abbey Dash 10k - serves as his own personal regulation tool.

"Running is installed in me now," Matthew says. "Without it, I feel slouchy. It gives me clarity, keeps me alert, and gives me the energy to be completely focused on my students the next day."

'Without 1-on-1 funding, kids fall through the net'

Matthew's personal journey fuels a broader campaign for systemic reform.

Statistics show that only 10 to 15% of neurodivergent adults in the UK are currently in full-time employment - a staggering figure that Matthew attributes to a lack of early intervention and workplace understanding.

"In my old retail jobs, I saw neurodivergent colleagues leave after a few months because they felt unsupported," Matthew recalls. "When you don't get support early on, you enter a cycle: you start a job, feel unsupported, leave, and get stuck.

“You can never move forward."

This issue sits at the heart of Matthew’s message as he prepares to take his advocacy to national platforms, including appointments to the ITV Diversity & Inclusion Panel and speaking engagements at the National Running Show, the Disability Awards, and the upcoming Leaders Award in Leeds.

At a time when local authority budgets face unprecedented pressure, Matthew is making an urgent plea to decision-makers and MPs to protect dedicated 1-on-1 SEND funding in schools.

"My role specifically is one-on-one," Matthew says. "We are training students to go out into the world and become independent. If you take away that one-on-one element and shove them into a mainstream classroom, teachers simply won't have the time to see if they’re struggling.

“Without that funding, kids fall through the net."

Despite the challenges facing special education, Matthew remains determined to use his growing profile to drive lasting change - hoping his journey from retail worker to record-breaker and educator inspires the next generation.

"I used to be scared of public speaking," Matthew admits. "But my voice is a powerful one now. Things change when I speak - in my school, in my community, and beyond. That’s why I’m not scared anymore.

“It needs to be said, and if I can help one student realise they can achieve anything regardless of their diagnosis, that will be my ultimate legacy."