Blogs and Interviews

This year, Neurodiversity Celebration Week celebrates the brilliance of different minds. The fact that people process, explore, and understand concepts in their own unique ways in itself is astounding. We all process our emotions differently, have our own revision techniques, some of us our graphic learners whilst others will happily listen back on their notes to revise.

Neurodiversity Week reminds us that every brain works differently, and that this should be treated as a strength, not a weakness. Our world thrives on this variety and diversity, with each person bringing creativity, innovation, and fresh perspectives. And so its about time we embrace that.

What does Neurodiversity actually mean?

Neurodiversity is the idea that people experience and interact with the world in different ways due to natural variations in the brain. It includes conditions such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and dyspraxia - not as deficits, but as differences. There is no single "right" way to think, learn, or process information. Instead of trying to "fix" these differences, we should create environments where all minds can thrive while helping people build the skills they need to succeed.

Around 15-20% of the global population is estimated to be neurodivergent in some way, this includes people like Vincent van Gogh, Albert Einstein, Greta Thunberg, Simone Biles and Agatha Christie, who are all examples of people who experienced some form of neurodiversity, and still become household names we all know and love by embracing their differences to achieve greatness.

Embracing neurodiversity isn’t just about inclusion; it’s about recognising that individuality makes us stronger. More importantly, it’s about understanding ourselves - why we think, feel, and react differently from others.

For neurodiverse individuals to truly thrive, we need to change our mindsets and adjust our environments. When we foster inclusivity, we empower more people to feel comfortable and confident in society. After all, neurodiversity strengthens communities by bringing unique skills, perspectives, and problem-solving abilities - so why not celebrate that and change things so that everyone has the opportunity to flourish?

It’s ok to have different experiences

We’ve both had very different experiences in understanding and exploring our own neurodivergences, and so we wanted to use this time to share some of those experiences with you.

Helena: for as long as I can remember I’ve hated reading. The idea of having to read an extract outload in a lesson quite literally made me panic, as I stumble over myself and mispronounce long words. Even preparing to talk in Prayers today, has meant I’ve memorised most of what the script says so that I’m less likely to stumble over my words and lose my place in the script.

Whilst reading aloud has always been challenging, being dyslexic has also given me the gift of being a great problem solver, I’m quick to notice patterns, and solve puzzles, and I’m extremely good at staying on task, organised and managing my time.

Riana: I have never been able to sit still for too long, I’m almost constantly fidgeting or fiddling with something, and I can find it very difficult to stay focused on just one thing without getting sidetracked.

However, I also have the amazing ability to hyperfocus, where I am highly productive and efficient, and my creativity and adaptability make me a great problem solver. I am a yapper at heart, and although my impulsivity can make me more likely to speak before I think or interrupt people, I’m good at breaking the ice, and I’m open and willing to try something new.

It’s so important that more of us are aware of what neurodiversity means so that society can begin to benefit from the immense diversity of mindsets and perspectives present in our communities.