It’s Been a Topic For Over a Decade, But What’s Happened Since?

Going back a few years ago I openly spoke about my Autism and the struggles I have faced with it and still continue to face because of it. Now it’s not my Autism itself that’s the issue but rather the lack of support surrounding it.

According to a report around 30% of workforces actually have any protocols in place that are tailored to help support people with Neurodiversity. The term itself is an umbrella term for neurological disability which affects the brain and how it works, and is considered part of the Disability umbrella.

But what is Neurodiversity and what is classed as a Neurodiverse 

– Autism 

– ADHD 

– Tourettes 

– Dyslexia 

– Dyspraxia

These are all Disabilities which can affect how the brain works and affects functions such as communicatio, focus, coordination, sensory processing to name but a few things. I myself am Autistic so this definitely affects me 

According to some reports around 30% of organisations have any form of protocol in place in regards to supporting its Neurodiverse colleagues. When you consider just how many working sectors there are eg; Industrial, Education, Agriculture, Health and Social Care, Arts and Entertainment, Leisure and Hospitality, Travel and Tourism the questions that I would be asking are this;

– How do they do it?

– How do they make it work?

– How often, if ever, does it need updating?

I first started working in Health and Social Care in early 2018 and I was open about being Autistic, as well as the struggles I occasionally challenged as a result. I found that there was a lot of support which was thoroughly reassuring. But then again though a lot of the people we supported were Neurodiverse so they, and myself, had to learn how to be.

In my job prior to that though, in retail, it was something of a mixed story. I gradually come to accept my Autism diagnosis and what it meant to have a Learning Disability, so based on that I took the brave decision to be open about it. People were soon becoming aware of my Autism but it was whether they actually understood it was the main question. 

From what i remember because it was retail we had a variety of people coming in, some of whom where Neurodiverse and had various degrees of Autism. My general attitude towards it, and them, was ‘you’re not alone, I myself am Autistic so I have a fairly good idea of what you’re going through and what it’s like to be you’.

I’ve since gone to work for a much-loved British institution and yet still face the same issues 

Quite often this offered some form of relief to some of our customers. Unfortunately, not all colleagues were sympathetic or willing to understand so you can imagine how that went down.

In a report I saw in a local publication it stated that around a third of staff with Neurodiversity suffered discrimination in the workplace. I myself am not going to deny that this happens because I myself have been through it on numerous occasions and I can tell you now that it’s not great and neither is it great for morale in the workplace. 

A specialist group that focuses on obtaining information regarding Disabilities such as Autism, ADHD and Tourettes, the Neurodiversity Employers Index, NDEI for short, divulged from an employee survey that over twice as many neurodivergent people, 33%, replied they felt embarrassed asking for the necessary adjustments as compared to their non-neurodiverse colleagues, 14%.

In many ways you can use why, even I can, as there can be many moments in which we feel that we have to somehow match our colleagues. For some, it can feel anything from embarrassing to shaming and you could almost imagine yourself saying, as though it was Management saying to you, ‘so-and-so can do this without these adjustments so why can’t you?’. And that’s where the stigma lies.

In some ways, and as I’ve also discovered, that if Management assume that you can’t do a specific task or job role because of your Neurodiversity then they won’t let you. Why rather than think that let’s just assume that they can, just apply the necessary adjustments then give them time and watch them progress 

As with colleagues with Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Partially Sighted, Dear or Wheelchair Users, staff with Neurodiversity have a lot to offer the workforce. My opinion, like that of many others, it’s both sides that miss out. Non-neurodiverse staff miss the opportunity to have someone who can bring their own experiences to the working environment.

Neurodiverse staff have the opportunity have the feeling of fulfillment, self-worth and educating the working environment on their Disability and improving how it functions 

Unless the field is created fairly the workplace will miss out, as with those who are campaigning for it to be made better. I should know because I’m one of those offering to help bring better changes.

Source 

Gloucestershire Live