The Navigating Neurodiversity programme is specifically developed to meet neurodivergent student need. It is a programme that will grow and develop with your university to address mental health needs, and will provide support for students transitioning to university life, and at all stages of their university journey. The training programme for staff represents a big step forward in developing and promoting neurodivergent mental health needs at university. Together, we can create a community that values and understands the authentic neurodivergent student experience and actively strives to address barriers and promote reasonable adjustments. Neurodivergent students are clear about their needs, and that they are facing considerable additional barriers to university life, which impacts both their mental health, and non-completion rates at university (Shaw et al. 2023). The need for specific neurodivergent support is clear, and this programme can help meet that need.

Navigating Neurodiversity

60% of Autistic students do not complete their degrees (Gurbuz et al. 2019).

1 in 7 adults with a diagnosis of ADHD have attempted to take their own life, with this figure rising to 1 in 4 women diagnosed with ADHD (Fuller-Thomson et al 2022).

9.1% of students with ADHD in the USA did not enrol for a second year, compared with 3.3% of non-ADHD students (DuPaul et al. 2018)

What’s included in the Navigating Neurodiversity programme

1.

Training and clinical licence to run the programme:

One and a half In-person training days for programme facilitators.

2.

Programme resources:

Detailed session plans

A facilitator handbook available in electronic format and with all necessary materials for programme delivery.

Student handouts available in electronic format

3.

Promotional narrative:

A narrative description of the programme to be used for promoting the service to students and wider university.

4.

Feedback mechanism:

A feedback questionnaire designed to evaluate student experience and the impact of the programme.

A brief overview of the 8 sessions that make up the Navigating Neurodiversity programme

Introduction Session

To explain the programme, answer any questions and start working together to build a safe and comfortable environment.

Energy Session 1

Understand and explain the neurodivergent energy system and how energy levels are fluid and ever changing.

Energy Session 2

Understand and identify energy drainers and rechargers

Values Session

Understand values, identify values and ways to bring them into daily life.

Assessment Session

Understand the challenges neurodivergent students face at assessment time and explore different techniques and how to look after yourself during this time.

Executive Function Session

Understand an overview of executive function, the impact on someone with executive function differences and explore different strategies to support executive function.

A practical session ensuring that students are supported in understanding self advocacy and ensuring that they are aware of the reasonable adjustments that they can access, based on individual need.

Self-Advocacy/ Reasonable Adjustments Session

Closing Session

To bring the programme to a close and provide students with information about the possible ongoing support available to them.

Group Development

The Living well with Autism group was originally co-developed in 2015 by Abbie and an Assistant psychologist in the NHS with service users and their family supporters. It was a 12 week programme and was continually driven and developed with people who attended the group and Multidisciplinary team members. The group was popular and had the highest completion rate of all the groups that were run in the Community Mental Health Team.

In 2018 Abbie moved to the University of Portsmouth and the students and she began developing the group there. The student need was very different and they worked together to shape the group to reflect student need. It offered a safe space for students to unmask, learn about themselves and share experiences. The group sessions were set around a theme, and all skills and strategies taught are specific for Autistic and neurodivergent students. It is run in a very different way to other groups to reflect student preference and need. The focus is on listening to and valuing the student voice.

The Navigating Neurodiversity programme development has centered on student voice and using all the data from the Living well groups to ensure that the topics covered are key to neurodivergent students building an understanding of themselves, their energy levels and their needs at university. The neurodivergent student experience is different and can have many more barriers to address and it is essential that the students are given tailored support to develop skills and understanding to ensure that they have an authentic University life and thrive on their chosen course.

The Autism Wellness Collective