Over the years I have worked with diverse people from all backgrounds. Treating people with kindness, respect and honesty has crossed all barriers.
However, I felt I wasn’t always connecting with people with neurodiversity as well as I could. Asking someone “what support do you need at work” isn’t useful when people honestly don’t know what would work for them.
I stumbled across a post on Linkedin from Leanne Maskell and had a ‘lightbulb’ moment. Her struggles through education and into work, with friends and social situations rang true for me looking back at some of the awesome people from this area who I’d worked with on both the Real Apprentice and Growing Talent.
Leanne’s experience of not only how difficult it was for her to ‘fit in’ but also for those around her to support her led to her forming ADHD Works and set about training employers and neurodiverse people to learn what’s really going on for them.
One of Leanne’s quotes on the course stood out to me – and I will be using it all the time going forward! – is ” if a flower isn’t flourishing, you change the environment not the flower” how true.
I know I will be able to work better with neurodiverse people on Growing Talent using the tools I learned with ADHD Works to ensure they have a smoother journey.
It’s shocking to discover it takes on average 7 years to secure an NHS assessment for ADHD meaning many children/young people going through the process of assessment won’t get a result until they are adults. The angst this will cause them, those around them and their employers will be stark and potentially impact mental health and wellbeing levels.
Questions on ADHD are being asked more and more in @I-Act training sessions I deliver. Out of all the mental health and wellbeing licenced products I’ve delivered over the years, @I-Act is the only one that touches on issues which might affect someone’s mental health and wellbeing but not be a mental health issues in themselves. This section includes ADHD. I’ll now be able to deliver this course more knowledgeably too from now on.
Everyone should do the ADHD Champion online course from @ADHDWorks – it really is priceless for inclusion and belonging.
