It’s capital H happening neurodivergent people of Aotearoa!

13 May 2024 marked a bittersweet milestone with regards to neurodiversity inclusion in New Zealand. It was the day that Dr Nina Hood and her colleague Dr Romy Hume released their report The Illusion of Inclusion describing the experience of neurodivergent learners in Aotearoa. This report evidences and gives voice to what all of us that are neurodivergent or who are neurodivergent allies in New Zealand already knew. And it gained the attention and interest of people outside the neurodivergent community - the problems outlined in the report are now the responsibility of all of Aotearoa, not just those experiencing it. 

At The Hyphen Project, what interested us most in the report was the Part 4: What needs to happen. Our mission is to be part of the solution for neurodivergent people and their whānau. Here’s how what we do relates to Hood and Hume’s recommendations to improve experiences for our neurodivergent community. 

• The issue of cost: The socioeconomic status of a neurodivergent person’s family shouldn’t impact whether their needs are met or not. This is why we are working with philanthropists and corporate sponsors to fund the costs of at least half of the cohorts in our future talent incubators for talented neurodivergent teens each intake. 

• Specialist support: Lack of educator understanding about neurodivergence was a key problem identified by Hood and Hume in their report. We’re proud that all of our team at The Hyphen Project will have specialist training and experience in relation to neurodivergence. And that we’re wanting to boost expertise in New Zealand by supporting our team members to get overseas training that doesn’t exist in New Zealand yet. 

• A holistic approach Hood and Hume’s report calls for a ‘one-stop shop’ for neurodivergent people where all of their needs can be met in an integrated and joined up way. At the Hyphen Project we provide academic support, social and emotional support and skill building, practical skills for living independently and participating in the workplace, and connections to career opportunities and networks. All in the one place. 

Hood and Hume also mention that there is a need for a strengths-based approach for neurodivergent people. We believe this needs an even stronger emphasis than they give in their report. That’s because we bring a psychological perspective to our work with neurodivergent people, not just an educational one. Strengths-based approaches have been driven by developments in the field of positive psychology. They have been shown to improve relationships and trust between the young person and the adult working with them (Schlecter et al., 2019) and to improve self-belief, attitudes to learning and optimism (Katajisto et al., 2023). Strengths-based approaches aren’t just about fixing problems, but about helping people to realise their potential. 

That’s what we wish for all talented neurodivergent teens in New Zealand - that they are able to realise their potential. We invite you to join us in our mission to grow awesome in Aotearoa. Together let’s provide a solution to the problems outlined in Hood and Hume’s report. Register to get involved as a mentor, workshop presenter or work placement host. We’d love to hear from you and keep things happening!    

References:

Hood, N., & Hume, R. (2024). The illusion of inclusion. The Education Hub. 

Katajisto, M., Uusiautti, S., & Hyvärinen, S. (2023). “The best thing was to realize that I am not a nobody. I am meaningful.” Students’ perceptions of a strengths-based approach to guidance. International Journal of Educational Psychology, 12(1), 92-118. http://dx.doi.org/10.17583/ijep.10467

Schlechter, A. D., O'Brien, K. H., & Stewart, C. (2019). The positive assessment: A model for integrating well-Being and strengths-based approaches into the child and adolescent psychiatry clinical evaluation. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 28(2), 157-169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chc.2018.11.009