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Breaking down the barriers and stigma to celebrate
neurodiverse Kiwis is at the heart of the inaugural
Neurodiversity Celebration Week running Monday, 13 March and
Friday, 17 March.
The globally recognised awareness
week is being launched in Aotearoa by DivergenThinking to
build greater diversity, equity, and inclusion across
communities. DivergenThinking is an organisation supporting
schools, universities, and organisations by giving them the
tools to recognise the many advantages and talents of being
neurodiverse.
An estimated 40 percent of the workforce
may be Neurodiverse and unaware of it, says DivergenThinking
co-founder, Natasya Jones. While the remaining 60 percent
will also have neurodiverse traits to varying
degrees.
“A key
reason for bringing this initiative to New Zealand is that
we want to break down the barriers of ignorance and stigma
that dictate how Neurodiverse individuals are perceived and
supported,” Jones says.
“Research and anecdotally
we know that being ignorant and judgemental of
Neurodiversity impacts on Neurodiverse individuals’ mental
health as Neurodiverse individuals are expected to
‘mask’ to fit in which increases risk of anxiety,
depression, burnout, and suicide all too often from the age
of seven (7) to eight (8) years old. We must build a
Neurodiverse, equitable and inclusive New Zealand in which
brain wiring differences are celebrated and individuals feel
empowered and belong.”
DivergenThinking is hosting a
series of panel events during the week with topics including
neurodiversity and recruitment, neurodiversity and business,
neurodiversity in tech, neurodiversity in the classroom and
neurodiversity for parents and carers.
“We are
absolutely thrilled to have Sir Peter Leitch joining us for
our first event Why it’s important to Celebrate
Neurodiversity Celebration Week panel discussion on
Monday, March 13 from 9am – 10am,” Jones
says.
“His own experiences of life with dyslexia
will highlight how building a more Neurodiverse workforce
can provide organisations with a unique, competitive
edge.”
Leitch will be joined by Jones, co-founder
psychologist Anton Ashcroft, Lotto presenter and
Neurodiversity advocate Sonya Gray, Tony Pownall from
Cultivate Recruitment, Justine Davies strategic partner
Youthline, Victoria McArthur CEO Mates In Construction and
Katherine Hall Executive Director ConCOVE Tūhura, Lisa
Boltman Airways and Brian Ferris CEO Loyalty NZ throughout
the week.
“The perception that Neurodiversity is a
collection of ‘disorders’ is an outdated medical model
based on deficits and harmful for the individual,” Jones
says.
“Neurodiversity Celebration Week is about
embracing the strengths that are the hallmark of
Neurodiversity – the so-called ‘superpowers’ that come
from thinking and perceiving the world differently. In doing
so, we are creating a seismic shift in the way that
Neurodiverse individuals are perceived and supported,
empowering them and organisations to achieve their full
potential.”
DivergenThinking challenges the notion
that New Zealand is experiencing a skills shortage and
offers a solution for organisations to expand their talent
pool through innovative recruitment and onboarding
practices. The neurodiversity Recruitment accreditation
program, developed by DivergenThinking, utilises a brain
profiling tool card sort deck to help organisations identify
the best candidates for the role while creating a
neurodiverse sensitive workplace. DivergenThinking is also
launching the nQTick (neurodiversity Tick) to assist
organisations to build neurodiverse sensitive workplaces.
Both programmes will be launched for the
week.
Neurodiversity Celebration Week was founded by
sixteen-year-old Siena Castellon in 2018 in response to the
challenges and prejudices she experienced as a Neurodiverse
teenager in the United Kingdom. The initiative has become a
worldwide movement that aims to start changing the narrative
for neurodiverse individuals through a series of free online
and face-to-face discussions. DivergenThinking are looking
for sponsors who would like to support the inaugural
event.
For more information and to view the events
programme visit www.divergenthinking.co.nz
© Scoop Media
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