Neurodiversity SPARK

Most managers want to support neurodivergent staff…

…but don’t feel confident doing it.

That gap shows up in real teams — in communication, decision-making, and retention.

This was a recent session with Carryduff Surgery, where we worked through practical, real-world scenarios with managers in the room.

Feedback like this matters:

⭐ 4.86/5 overall
⭐ 5/5 for use of time
⭐ 5/5 for recommendation

💭 “Really made us think”
💭 “Opportunity to reflect on practice”
💭 “Interactive approach”
💭 “Shared experience”

We keep these sessions small (15 places) so they stay practical, not theoretical.

The full-day workshop is £155, with breakfast and lunch included.

Individual workshop places are coming up:

📍 23 June – Health & Social Care, Charities & Community Organisations (Only a few spaces left)

📍 25 June – Managers, HR & Business Leaders (Some availability, but these tend to fill quickly in the final week)

❗️ The next sessions are already filling, so early booking is recommended.

If this is something your organisation is exploring, you can find details here: https://www.neurodiversityspark.com/whats-on-at-spark/

Have you completed our Neurodiversity Access & Inclusion Survey yet?

We’re still gathering experiences from neurodivergent people and families about what helps, and what makes it harder to attend community events and pop-up activities.

Sometimes it’s not one big barrier.

It’s the small things that add up:
🧠 Sensory environments
📍 Finding your way around
📢 Clear information before the event
🤝 Feeling welcome and included
⏰ Knowing what to expect

Your experiences can help us understand what works and what needs to change.

The survey:
✅ Takes around 10 minutes
✅ Is completely anonymous
✅ Will help create a practical guide for event organisers

This project is being delivered by Neurodiversity SPARK and Diverse Minds Events, with The Institute of Child Education and Psychology - ICEP Europe, supporting as our research partner.

If you’d like to take part, you can complete the survey here:

👇
https://www.neurodiversityspark.com/neurodiversity-accessibility-survey/

Please share with anyone who might be interested. Every response helps build a clearer picture of what truly inclusive community spaces look like.

Yesterday, Neurodiversity Spark was proud to be represented at the “Autism, Menstruation & Mental Health” event hosted by Bolster Community.

Our Director of NeuroInclusive Practice, Daria, and our Research and Academic Development Worker, Clare McClure, attended on behalf of Spark. Clare also joined the panel discussion, sharing her knowledge, professional insight, and lived experience on an issue that remains far too overlooked.

Conversations around autism, menstruation, hormones, mental health, and women’s health are often missing from mainstream discussions. Events like this help create the space needed for learning, understanding, and meaningful change.

A huge thank you to Bolster Community for creating and delivering such an important event. Bringing together community members, frontline practitioners, researchers, healthcare professionals, and sector leaders created a powerful opportunity to learn from one another and shine a spotlight on experiences that deserve greater recognition and understanding.

We would also like to thank Bolster Community for inviting Neurodiversity SPARK to be part of the day. We are grateful to contribute to conversations that place lived experience, inclusion, and collaboration at their heart.

Well done to everyone involved in making the event happen, and especially to all those who shared their experiences so openly and honestly.

We had a brilliant time last week delivering our Neuroinclusive Practice in General Practice workshop with Carryduff Surgery 🙌

🩺 Roy and Daria led the session together

📘 The workshop focused on practical tools for communication, access, and inclusive practice in GP settings

💬 We explored Double Empathy, GP pressure points, patient experience, and small realistic changes that can make support clearer and calmer

The feedback was fantastic:
⭐ 4.86/5 average across all scored feedback areas
⭐ 5/5 for good use of time
⭐ 5/5 for recommendation

A few comments we loved:
💭 “Great workshop. Really made us think.”
💭 “It was interesting to have the opportunity to reflect on practise.”
💭 “Interactive approach to the training is good.”
💭 “Shared experience.”

Huge thanks to Carryduff GP Surgery for having us in and for the honesty and engagement in the room 💜

Reminder: Max’s Movie Madness at Spark.......is today 🥳

A relaxed, low-pressure movie night designed for connection, comfort, and shared interests 🎥🍿

📍 Belfast Hub
💡 Voluntary contribution: £3
🥤 Bring your own drinks and snacks

This is a member-led event inside our private Spark Community on Skool, designed to offer a calmer, more accessible way to connect.

👉 Join the community for full details:
https://www.skool.com/neurodiversity-spark-community-4337/about