What is Neurodiversity?

Let's Start The Conversation

Neurodiversity is the acceptance that everybody’s brain works differently. Diversity ensures that as a species we evolve and grow.

Throughout history, there have always been those who were considered ‘different’. It’s often been the case that difference has not been embraced and that individuals should strive towards ‘fitting in’ if they want to be part of a social group.

This is easily done if it means wearing the same piece of clothing or doing the same activity, but what if it involves an internal process – like a nervous system – like a brain?

The thing about Neurodiversity is that it is a way of being which is unseen, hidden. If someone is autistic or ADHD, unless they expressly share their neuro-profile, you might never know.

There are huge risks to not having an open discussion about the diversity of thought and processing information. If we deny that variances exist, then we not only miss huge opportunities to understand ourselves better, but to understand others. This means we don’t understand our client base, how to keep our employees mentally well or how to keep neurodivergent service users engaged. We waste the opportunity to develop sustainable products and services fit for global audiences, and we fail our children’s education.

The passion for knowledge and understanding of Neurodiversity has increased exponentially in recent years. Organisations are home growing their own knowledge base with Employee Resource Groups, advocates, and internal ‘screening’ processes. We are seeing, more than ever, the stigma of being Autistic or Dyslexic being lifted, and disclosure (or sharing) rates are the highest they have ever been.

What hasn’t kept up with this rapidly growing movement, is our knowledge to know how to implement it. Organisations are quickly creating policy and procedure around reasonable adjustments, Occupational Health provision, and Neurodiversity training.

This is where we come in.

We understand that every organisation, person, service, and process is different. We work with you to understand what your difference is and then suggest ways of making it more neuro-inclusive. We encourage a blended approach with stakeholders from the medical model, legal, ED&I, Academia, and lived experience. By doing this, it not only provides a holistic and bespoke approach to policy and process, but it makes sure that everyone has a voice and perspectives are heard.

Neurodiversity is about minds of all kinds and how to get the best from each other in every context. It's often easy, positive, and rewarding; sometimes it's hard, confusing, and difficult. Either way, we have the chance to learn something about how we create and support workforces of the future.

To see if we're a good fit for you or your organisation, you can book an intro call or send us an email using the buttons below.