Aotearoa’s first Neurodiversity Celebration Week launch

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“The perception that Neurodiversity is a collection of ‘disorders’ is an outdated medical model based on deficits and harmful for the individual,” Jones says.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