17 Mar 2021
By Evelyn M Walker, Walker Gordon Associates Ltd
Anyone from any background should get the opportunity to learn, study and work in roles that they can develop and grow, so we should all work together, in order to champion neurodiversity in education and in the workplace. This week is Neurodiversity Celebration Week, and it is one way of reminding everyone of the importance of being kind and accepting of each other and to have the understanding that everyone’s brain works differently and that we don’t all learn the same way.”
Most people are neurotypical but around 1 in 10 people in Scotland are Neurodivergent, which means that their brain functions differently and they learn and process information differently. There are different ways that people can be neurodivergent and these are form example, Autism, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and ADHD.
Due to the brain functioning differently and learning and processing information differently. this leads to cognitive strengths and cognitive abilities, for example, excellent problem-solving skills, creativity; attention to detail, strategic thinking; focused approach, high provision memory and pattern recognition.
And if you think about the digital technology environment, these are strong skill sets which are suited to roles, for example software development; software testing; cyber security; ethical hacking; data analytics and quality assurance.
So, with this in mind, with these additional strong skill sets, by championing neurodiversity, in education and the workplace, it has proven benefits to educational advancement; business innovation, resilience and profitability. From an employer perspective, the benefit of having a neurodiverse workforce is:
And for neurodivergent individuals, it is a satisfying educational experience; job and career progression opportunities aswell as potentially reducing social isolation and increased confidence and physical and mental wellbeing.
As we celebrate and champion neurodiversity this week and going forward, let us continue to be kind and accept that it takes all kinds of different minds to bring ideas; energy; focus and innovation into a team.
