Why Celebrating Different Minds Matters

Why Celebrating Different Minds Matters – Mollie Pittaway

Did you know one in seven people are thought to be neurodivergent? Before Neurodiversity Celebration Week was founded five years ago, there was a huge lack of awareness about what it means to be neurodivergent. These days, it’s slowly improving. In the last 12 months, there’s been a 120% increase in Google searches for ‘neurodiversity at work’ which shows that people want to understand more. One of the best ways to understand our experience is through listening to lived experience. ??

Throughout my education and the first few years of my career, I feel as though I have had to adapt in some way to fit in. Growing up autistic, and only being officially diagnosed last year at 25, it wasn’t easy to understand why I felt an invisible barrier between myself and other people. In education, I often felt as though my ideas were shot down in class while other student’s ideas were celebrated as being the ‘right answer’. My self-esteem was affected as my experiences conditioned me to feel like being myself or thinking differently wasn’t ‘good enough’.?

That was until last year when I started talking about my experiences on LinkedIn. After I opened up about my experiences starting out in my career to break down barriers, I unexpectedly gained a big following. Seeing the response I would get to my posts helped me to completely reframe my ‘flaws’ into my strengths and gave me the confidence to recognise I can be myself and succeed. At the same time, I started working at Hampshire SENDIASS, a service provided by Polaris Children's Services , where I’ve found an inclusive and understanding culture, not to mention lovely team members.

I still remember when I first joined a year ago, my manager introduced me to the team virtually. I was asked to share a bit about who I am, and what motivated me to join. When I was explaining what inspired me to join, I blurted out that I’m autistic. I didn’t know what my team thought when I said that! After the call, my manager privately followed up with me and asked me if there was anything I needed support-wise in order to get started in my role. That was so thoughtful and made me feel as though I had chosen the right organisation to work in.

Being able to be open about my identity has made me feel much more comfortable at work, and that I’m not expected to mask and hide my neurodivergent traits. I think that’s what Neurodiversity Celebration Week is all about: feeling as though you can be your true, authentic self, and being valued for that! I truly believe that when you work in a neurodiversity-affirming workplace which appreciates you and your strengths, it doesn’t just help neurodivergent people to thrive, but everyone else too. That’s why it’s wonderful to see our differences being celebrated this week.

If you’re interested to learn more about Neurodiversity Celebration Week, and what events are happening, click here: https://www.neurodiversityweek.com/