Neurodiversity at Kent Wildlife Trust

Most importantly, it emphasised the importance of Kent Wildlife Trust's commitment to improving its understanding of neurodiversity. This will help us to improve our processes to make Kent Wildlife Trust more inclusive and accessible to those staff members and their families. 

Useful words and terms 

Neurodiverse/neurodiversity - refers to the diversity of all people and the many ways in which we experience and interact with the world. 

Neurodivergent - individuals whose cognitive functions and neurological development differ from the typical population, e.g. ADHD, Dyslexia. 

Neurotypical – the considered typical population 

Neurodiversity and neurodivergence 

In the UK it is estimated that between 15%-20% of people are diagnosed as neurodivergent. However, it’s important to note that this only includes those who have been formally diagnosed; there are currently large waiting lists to be diagnosed and it is estimated that the actual number of people that are neurodivergent could be closer to 46.5%.  

Neurodivergent conditions include the autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia (difficulty with math), dysgraphia (difficulty with writing), intellectual disabilities, mental health conditions like bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and more, sensory processing disorders, social anxiety (a specific type of anxiety disorder) and Tourette syndrome, plus other conditions. 

Every person is a complete individual, and everyone experiences the world in a different way. This is the same for neurodivergent conditions - every single person will be experiencing the world completely individually. This means that there is no real “normal” and, therefore, we should not think of neurotypical and neurodiverse people in a ‘them and us’ scenario. We are all different.  

You may have heard people use the phrase, “it’s like a superpower”. Although being neurodivergent can mean that you excel in some tasks, it does not equal having a superpower. Life can be challenging; some people with ADHD and autism, for example, use masking (a survival strategy used to conceal their genuine thoughts or behaviours) to be able to feel accepted every day in the workplace. Even with masking, and particularly for those unable or unwilling to mask, this can make them targets for isolation and bullying. According to a report published by the National Autistic Society in the UK, only 16% of autistic adults are in full-time employment, while 32% are in some kind of paid work. 

How can businesses like Kent Wildlife Trust improve for inclusivity and accessibility for neurodivergent staff? 

At Kent Wildlife Trust, and in any workplace, it is vital that we work to make an environment in which staff feel safe. The building blocks for creating this safe environment start with these four pillars: 

Awareness, education, acceptance, and inclusion 

Educating staff will remove the stigma that can surround neurodivergent conditions and traits. An example of this would be person with ADHD using stimming – a repetitive movement or noise used to manage their emotions and increase focus. This may involve a member of staff wanting to stand or move around more in a meeting, which in some work environments would be seen as unreasonable. But why should this be the case if this is creating an environment where someone can work at their best? 

Creating a safe space without stigma could be the key to a member of staff feeling safe enough to disclose their condition or even seek out a diagnosis. Currently in the UK the wait times for an ADHD diagnosis is 4-7 years. 

How do you make it feel safe to disclose?  

• Having EDI (equity, diversity, and inclusion) communities of different demographics, or a colleague supporter scheme to have informal safe conversations are great ways to start the conversation and provide the right environments to feel safe. 
• The presence of a Neurodiversity task force can be a fantastic way to raise awareness to staff and members through campaigns and events throughout the year. 
• Every manager should have an EDI objective for their team. 
• It is recommended that all Line managers and Senior Leadership Team members undergo Neurodiversity in the Workplace training. 

Reasonable adjustments  

Reasonable adjustments are changes to a working environment to prevent people with a disability being put at a disadvantage compared with others who are not disabled. Each individual will need specific adjustments to suit them best, so this should be an easy and open process for colleagues and should work for both parties. 

Some simple adjustments that workplaces can make for their neurodivergent staff are supplying hidden disability lanyards, loop earbuds for noise and distraction reduction, an accessibility page on the company website that is frequently updated with training and culture information, adding links to the accessibility page on all application forms, considering desk positions, having ‘do not disturb’ signage on desks and adding the UserWay plugin to the company website. Neurotypical people can often benefit from many of these tools and adjustments too - these considerations would work towards a more comfortable and considerate working space for everybody. 

It is important to have frequent review periods to check how adjustments are working for individuals. 

How can neurodivergent staff make their working life better? 

A member of staff looking to make their working day better should try to have open communication with their line manager if they feel comfortable doing so, or with HR to discuss what reasonable adjustments the workplace could make for them. Taking part in any EDI communities or joining the task force can also be good ways to create a feeling of belonging and finding your tribe within the workplace. Keeping up with regular feedback on your reasonable adjustment with your line manager will ensure that you are both on the same page and are aware of what is working and what isn’t. 

If colleagues and workplaces can instead work with individuals to understand how they experience a condition personally, they will find that actually, a member of staff with autism for example, will have their own attributes that are seen as valuable to colleagues. People with neurodivergences are not problems to be solved – workplaces should instead look to become cultures of enabling people to do their best.