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Make Your Training Work for Neuro Spicy Brains

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Introduction

I’m an organiser and a trainer who is also the parent of two Neurodivergent children and on my own journey of discovery about my own brain. I want to share a few ideas and general supports to encourage people to set up training spaces that are supportive of neurodivergent brains.

These measures don’t take a lot to put in place but they can make a big difference to a person who has probably spent a lot of their life masking to fit into neurotypical worlds. It is by no means a full list of what works for all people and I am by no means an expert in all the best supports a neurodivergent person may need, but there are lots of resources out there if you want to find out more.

The best place is to start by asking someone what would support them in the situation.

Setting up training spaces that are affirming of neurodivergent people, allows everyone to show up as themselves, rather than expecting them to fit into a space that treats neurotypical as the ‘norm’. Many people have spent a lifetime masking and working out how to fit in. This can go on until they hit a breaking point (burnout) or start to discover why things have always been a struggle.

So be patient.

Someone might be unpacking and uncovering what they are both great at and struggling with and deciding what they need, so they can do the things they find tough.

Making these changes can be helpful for everyone regardless of neuro differences.

In the same way as having an automatic door helps everyone get into a supermarket, but is essential to the person with a physical disability who may struggle to open a regular door. Building in basic accommodations means everyone can join in no matter their barriers.  

Neurodivergence and Social Change

If you are working on social change projects and campaigns you are bound to be working with people who have a neurodivergent profile. Some people will be attracted to your organisation or campaign because with a neurodivergent brain often comes a high sense of injustice and empathy.

Some neurodivergent brains (ADHD for example) love urgency and thrive in high energy environments (while for others it’s their worst nightmare). The cause you are campaigning on may be someone’s special interest or hyper focus. Or they might want to be involved because they love to problem solve and there is space to be creative. 

Because of all these reasons, social change work is a magnet to a neurodivergent brain. So the more you can design inclusive spaces the more powerful your movements will be.  

Understanding Neurodiversity

Neurodiversity comes in many forms:

  • ADHD 
  • Autism 
  • AuDHD (a combination of Autism and ADHD) 
  • Dyslexia and other learning differences 
  • OCD – Obsessive Compulsive Disorder [Anxiety disorder] ( tip.. it’s not what you think) 
  • PDA – Pathological demand avoidance


Diagram created by Mary Colley & Joseph Aquilina

The Overlapping Skills and Strengths of Neurodiversity Credit: Created by Nancy Doyle, based on work by Mary Colley

Neurodivergence and Learning

Some of the things that may impact learning and participation 

  • Pace of the learning 
  • Confusing tasks or unclear instructions that make it hard to work out where to start
  • Not offering space to ask questions and clarify
  • Not giving enough time for people to keep up with the program 
  • Loud spaces when many groups are workshopping together or break times 
  • Anxiety around agenda and what’s coming next
  • Executive functioning 
  • Intrusive thoughts

Ways neurodivergence might present 

  • Confusion, overwhelm: looking lost, worried or needing to step out
  • Frustration: worried or agitated by something that is happening
  • Time Blindness: run late, miscalculate how long something might take
  • Stimming: tapping, fidgeting or repetitive movements
  • Anxiety: looking worried or reacting strongly
  • Not engaging: might not feel confident to engage or seem quiet
  • Strong feelings: might not be able to easily find agreement, might hold to an idea of how something should be done
  • Sensitive to feedback: rejection sensitivity means feedback can trigger shame and be received more harshly then you’d expect
  • Not wanting to read aloud or be a scribe when workshopping: especially for dyslexia
  • Tangents may occur: people with ADHD especially will relate to a situation with their own reflections or experience
  • Jumping in: people may be excited to add something because it’s relevant then and they will lose the thought later if not shared or just be excited to be involved in the conversation. 
  • Exhaustion from being on all the day: either from the people’s interactions (autism) or the thinking and processing (ADHD)  and reading and comprehending (dyslexia). 
  • Disorganised: might lose things or misplace items or lose track of activities

Creating a Neuro Affirming Space

Before the Event

  • Preload with participants by asking them what will help them engage with the training better in registration forms or follow up one on ones. 
  • Let them know they can bring things to help them such as fidgets, ear plugs etc. 
  • Explain that if they need to take an unscheduled break they can. 
  • Designate quiet spaces people can go to if they need to. Make sure these are part of the norms you announce at the start of a session to set the scene that it’s ok to do what you need to without judgment. 
  • Food can be an issue for some people. If there is catering, be clear about this, or let people know if they need to B.Y.O. or find their own lunch. Be mindful that heading out in a new area can be a challenge. 
  • Start your event with an inclusion statement: here is an example.

Ways to make the Learning Space Accessible

  • Ask participants what accommodations they might need so you can pre plan and work with them to support their learning and participation. This can be done in registration forms and followed up in 1:1 conversations. 
  • Have clear agendas and offer them in both verbal and visual signposts – share these up front before the event where possible so people who need it have time to review ahead of time and mentally prepare. 
  • Make sure instructions for getting to the venue are clear and easy to follow.  Give other helpful journey advice like parking options or public transport.
  • Provide advance access to materials that will be needed for the event. 
  • Use calendar invites with venue details to make it easy to find any relevant information. Online calendar invites can remind people on the day of the event, and/or you could send reminder texts or emails with the information. 
  • Allow participants to step out if they need a little bit of time to regroup but check on them or have a designated person to check in so they are comfortable to return to the space. 
  • When they do step out catch them up  with minimal fuss on what’s happening in the training so they can join back in. 
  • Give space for people to think and refine, it may take more time for someone to process their thoughts. 
  • Dyslexic people need to understand the big picture – theories, concepts, examples and reasons why they are learning something.
  • Allow for verbal processing – talking outloud to process thoughts might be critical to someone.
  • Before moving to the next topic ask if anyone else wants to contribute. This is great for people who aren’t always sure when to jump in to get a cue to come in.  
  • Ask people who have not contributed if they want to add anything, if it seems like the right thing to do.
  • Check for understanding of instructions and allow time to clarification. 
  • Summarise what has been talked about and/or the actions people should take before moving on.
  • Body doubling – if doing something is hard, it can help to pair people up. Each person can work on their own thing, but being together can help them stay on track.

Workplace Accommodations that can be used in Training Spaces

These tips are taken from the website Understood which has some great resources for understanding neurodivergent brains. Here are some examples of workplace accommodations:

  • Visual Communication Supports:
    • Written instructions with clear steps
    • Pictures or videos showing how to do tasks
    • Visual reminders and checklists
  • Language and Communication Supports:
    • Daily or weekly team huddles
    • Written agendas before meetings
    • Clear expectations and ample response time
    • Some people can benefit from captions especially in online meetings 
  • Environmental Supports:
    • Noise-canceling headphones encourage people to bring and use where needed
    • Ergonomic workstations
    • Flexible lighting options
    • Fidgets on tables to give busy hands something to do
  • Structural Supports:
    • Flexible break times
    • Clear goals and metrics
    • Breaking down large tasks into smaller steps

These accommodations are designed to help everyone, not just those with disabilities. For more detailed examples, you can explore the following articles:

Language

Be careful about throw away lines like ‘I’m a bit OCD’ or ‘maybe I’m on the spectrum’ or ‘everyone’s a bit ADHD’. When someone has these conditions it can be very debilitating and make their everyday functioning really tough. A neurodivergent person has a condition for life, but for neurotypical people what they experience may be fleeting or it is easier for them to find strategies to navigate their temporary challenges. 

Remember 

Building your awareness of neurodiversity and making these simple accommodations can make training more effective and enjoyable for everyone.

Adjusting your training can flow into building strong and engaging groups, campaigns and communities. It’s also a great way to act on your values of justice and inclusion!

About the Author

Eleisha has 20+ years experience as a community organiser, campaigner, trainer and activist. She has worked in the union movement in Australia, United Kingdom and United States. Recent work in disability spaces has helped Eleisha realise that we don’t just have to put up with things anymore and it doesn’t take much to create spaces where everyone can be themselves! As a mum of two neuro spicy kids she is driven by making future workplaces, education spaces and community activism open to a whole range of people. This led to writing this guide to help others start to consider small changes that can make a big difference. Eleisha is making an exciting move into coaching and supporting leadership development in social movement spaces.

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