Allyship

Building neuroinclusive workplaces requires everyone to enhance their own understanding of neurodiversity and  consider the potential impact of their actions on neurodivergent individuals.

Allyship involves recognising and using your own privilege to support and uplift those who are marginalised or do not have the same privileges. By being an ally to your neurodivergent colleagues, you can help foster an inclusive culture where everyone can be themselves and thrive at work.

Here are some simple examples of how you can be a supportive ally to your neurodivergent colleagues.–

• Recognise the barriers – neurodivergent colleagues may face obstacles in the workplace that those who are neurotypical will not. Recognising this and being understanding will go a long way in helping those colleagues feel seen and heard. The barriers they face may be unique to their specific neurotype (see previous sections for more information).
• Remember that allyship is not a ‘badge’ – remember that allyship is a process. It’s great to consider yourself an ally, but supporting neurodivergent colleagues effectively will require you to keep learning from and listening to them, and to build positive and trusting relationships over time. It’s also a good idea to hold awareness sessions, or encourage your workplace to do so. This will help raise general awareness, prompt open conversations and dispel misinformation around neurodivergence.
• Be accountable – it’s great to listen to your neurodivergent colleagues, but it’s not their job to educate you. Consider doing your own research around neurodiversity and pass your learnings on to other colleagues, particularly if you hear something that’s incorrect or ignorant. And if it’s you who gets it wrong, don’t be hard on yourself – apologise when you can and take note of how you would approach the same situation or interaction more positively next time. Reading this toolkit is an excellent place to start, but you might also like to take a look at our Neurodiversity resources page for more great sources of information.
• Treat neurodivergent colleagues like adults – although neurodivergent individuals may face barriers that you might not, they bring unique strengths to the workplace and are as capable and valuable as their peers. When offering support, avoid being condescending in your approach and always treat neurodivergent individuals like adults. More information on how to support specific neurotypes can be found within the relevant sections of this toolkit.