Neurodiversity Celebration Week
#NeurodiversityCelebrationWeek2023
From the 13th – 19th March 2023, people all over the UK are encouraged to embrace and learn about neurodiversity and challenge stereotypes about it.
Neurodiversity refers to the many different ways that the brain can work and highlights how people can have different talents, ways of thinking, interests, motivations and ways of engaging in the world.
According to the University of Edinburgh, ‘Most people are neurotypical, meaning the brain functions and processes information in the way society expects. However, it is estimated that around 1 in 7 people (more than 15% of people in the UK) are neurodivergent meaning that the brain functions, learns and processes information in ways that are different, more creative or less typical.²
Neurodiversity is an umbrella term – that sums up different conditions like autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia and tourette’s. All too often the focus is on the challenges associated with being neurodiverse, there are also many strengths so Neurodiversity Celebration Week is important to shine the light on the many talents and advantages of being neurodivergent.
In honour of Neurodiversity Celebration Week we share our ‘Celebrating me’ – helping children with difference and diversity programme to support schools in creating an inclusive culture that celebrates differences and empowers every child.
“When we feel we belong and recognise similarities in people we are with, we feel accepted and safe. But when we feel different, or that we don’t belong, we can feel confused, uncertain or mixed.”
Clare Williams, Author, Hamish & Milo
Celebrating differences and acknowledging similarities is powerful in allowing us to be true to ourselves and to value who we are.
Our difference and diversity programme helps children to understand the feelings that we may experience and begin to express these thoughts and feelings. It also allows them opportunities to celebrate the beauty of diversity. There are opportunities to understand prejudice and stereotyping, to know how to it may feel to be treated unfairly and how to challenge this. Celebrating difference and celebrating who we are form the core message for children to feel special and unique.
Through discussion and the activities with an empathic, trusted adult the children will:
