Donna's Digest

March Digest #1 - Neurodiversity Celebration Week

I have been a part of the neurodivergent community for quite some time now and when awareness times come around, I am always very aware of the same conversations that occur.?

Folks will quite rightly say that it should be Neurodiversity awareness time all the time and not just for a special week in the year… I have heard awareness times called ‘gimmicky’ and ‘box-ticking’ exercises and a form of ‘inclusion-wash’ whereby organisations are virtue-signalling their commitment to neuro-inclusion but beyond the superficial messaging, there is nothing of substance beneath.? There is of course an element of truth to this, yes it should be awareness time all the time and yes, these special times can be unfortunately used by some to create a veneer of fake inclusivity.?

However, I guess what we must ponder is, if we didn’t have awareness times, would we be any better off?? I would suggest not, and for those who are at the beginning of their Neurodiverse Friendly journey, at least that special day, week or month of the year shines a spotlight on what is good practice and gives a platform to those who are often ignored and disenfranchised by society.? ?At the very least an awareness time can increase understanding in those who have not considered the issues before.? ?

At most we hope that the awareness time can have a positive and profound impact on the lives of those with lived experience, helping to remove the barriers they may face and also giving them a sense of community.? I have seen first-hand the power of an awareness times like Neurodiversity Celebration Week, acting as an agent of change; ?challenging bias, both unconscious and otherwise and discriminatory practices within organisations.?

Knowledge is power and by providing that knowledge we can smash through the barriers that we know are still out there.?

I also believe that an awareness time can really create a sense of community for those with lived experiences and help solidify connections and create new alliances as the community comes together, even if sometimes key organisations disagree over some of the details, these conversations can be so useful to move on the debate.

In an ideal world it should indeed be Neurodiversity Celebration Week every week, but I truly believe that for some organisations it really is and one of the key factors in helping them to get to that place was a celebration of an awareness time.?

So, we should carry on the conversations about whether we need awareness times, as healthy debate is good thing!? But, whilst we discuss the nuances, we should continue to celebrate our wonderful Neurodivergent community for that special week in March, with the hope that it lays the foundations for every week to be Neurodiversity Celebration Week for us all.

Neurodiversity Celebration Week takes place 18 - 24 March 2024. Keep an eye on our channels as we share resources, events and spotlight on some incredible individuals!

Written by Donna Stevenson , Expert Training and Development Lead.