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Display this poster in your office, to encourage an open culture surrounding neurodivergence, and let employees know that you will support them.

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An "Access Statement" should be provided to all employees when they start work (regardless of whether you "perceive" them to have a disbaility). It should be made clear that it is entirely optional to complete and return the form.

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This is an example of what a company neuro-inclusion policy should include. If you're interested in a tailored neuro-inclusion policy or strategy for your organisation, get in touch with hello@neurojungle.co.uk

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TAP's guidelines for following the 5 As.

The 5 As outline how to include DDN employees in your organisation.

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The 5As provide guidelines for disability inclusion in UK television production, and can be applied to all areas of the industry. All members of the TV Access Project are signed up and committed to implementing the 5As.

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You can take the RAADS questionnaire for autism, and the ADHD assessment questionnaire on this site.

The site is run by British doctors, who are themselves neurodivergent

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I can EMBRACE who I am;
or I can REJECT who I am

I can see myself having SUPER POWERS;
or I can see myself having SYMPTOMS

I can TAME my Kryptonites;
or I can DROWN in my challenges

I can CHERISH my uniqueness;
or DISOWN my peculiarities

I can UTILIZE my cognitive abilities;
or let my sensitivities OVERPOWER me

I can see what is GREAT about who I am;
or I can LOATHE who I am

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Embrace Autism | The ultimate autism resource

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Embrace Autism is THE place to find research & experience-based autism content for personal elucidation & empowerment. By autistic people, for autistic people.

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ScreenSkills offer bursaries which can be used to fund training & courses. They are a cash grant to remove the obstacles to getting into the screen industries, or progressing your career once you’re in.

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Film & TV Charity "Whole Picture Toolkit"

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Film & TV Charity "Whole Picture Toolkit"

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The Film & TV Charity “Whole Picture Toolkit”. Not specifically ND, but good mental wellbeing is good for everyone!

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The Whole Picture Toolkit | The Film and TV Charity

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The Whole Picture Toolkit is an essential resource for promoting mental health during the production of films and television shows.

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Access to Work is a government funded scheme which provides equipment and support required for disabled people to work.

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Access to Work: get support if you have a disability or health condition

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Get help at work, including an Access to Work grant, if you have a disability or health condition - eligibility, how to apply.

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The Exceptional Minds guide includes very thorough guidelines to follow when including neurodivergent cast and crew in your production.

https://www.exceptional-minds.com/

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One-to-one coaching sessions are available with our very own Sam Margaritis. If you want to learn how to harness your neurodivergence at work, get in touch. There is the possibility for these sessions to be funded via Access To Work or Screenskills bursaries - contact Sam to discuss further.

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Read Sam's article for the Film & TV Charity

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4 practical ways to thrive as a neurodivergent in film, TV and cinema

Many neurodivergent professionals, across all industries, spend years masking (consciously or unconsciously), hiding their true selves to fit in, or to be seen as more ​'professional.' But masking is exhausting and unsustainable, and the real toll is often burnout, anxiety, unexplained pain, autoimmune conditions or other mental health difficulties.

So, the question is, how do you unmask? How can you feel safe enough to trust your instincts, ask for what you need, and set yourself up to thrive, not just survive?

Let's look at the ways you can do this:

1. Understand and embrace how your unique brain works

Neurodivergent brains often come with exceptional strengths, like:

Hyperfocus

Big-picture thinking

Emotional sensitivity

Lateral problem-solving

Authenticity

The key is to identify your strengths, own them, and build your workflow around them. The beauty of our industry is that there is a job to suit every brain.

Ask yourself:

What energises me?

When am I most creative or productive?

What kind of feedback do I consistently get from others?

2. Create systems that work for you, not against you

What works for one person, doesn't always work for another so it can be hard to know which tools might help you. A coach can help you read the map to your amazing neurodivergent brain and enable you to find solutions that work for you.

Executive functioning skills can be up to 30% developmentally delayed in neurodivergents. It is important to know which of these might be sabotaging your strengths so that you can select the right tool to help find balance.

Self-awareness

Problem-solving

Motivation

Impulsivity

Memory

Time-blindness

Emotional regulation

It's not about doing things the neurotypical way, it's about finding sustainable ways to support your focus, energy, and wellbeing.

3. Ask for your what you need without an apology

You do not need a formal diagnosis to ask for support or adjustments.

In the UK, reasonable adjustments are a legal right under the Equality Act 2010 - including in the creative industries.

Whether it's more notice before meetings, a quiet space to decompress, or written instructions rather than verbal ones, being upfront helps everyone.

You might say one of the following:

"I process information better in writing. Could you follow up with an email after meetings?"

"I can concentrate more in meetings if I am able to doodle or fiddle with something, please know that I am not being rude or not listening if I do this."

Being clear and direct not only protects your energy, but it can also help shift the culture for others too.

4. Build your Neurodivergent-friendly network

The industry is full of other neurodivergent creatives - many of them hiding in plain sight. Seek them out. Connect. Share experiences and resources.

Seek out:

Your neurodivergence isn't something to ​"overcome." It's a different operating system with so many strengths and huge creative potential. By working with your brain instead of against it, you can carve out a way of working that not only sustains you but inspires others.

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and cinema industries can be exhilarating

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it is ideal for many neurodivergent professionals

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or dyspraxia.  fast-paced production schedules

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and the variety of roles available can be a constant source of dopamine.  at the same time

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someone feeds us at least two meals - every day! but these best parts can often also be the worst when we are unable to maintain balance.  notoriously fast-paced

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there is often not enough time for our neurodivergent brains to process and recover. even worse

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there are those dreaded ‘between job’ days

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where the risk to a neurodivergent’s mental health is extremely high.  however

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if you can learn to work with your brain rather than against it

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ultimately finding the all-important balance

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thriving in our wonderful industry can become much easier.  what does neurodivergent mean?  neurodivergence refers to a way of thinking

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and responding that differs from the majority. just as biodiversity includes all life forms

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with neurodivergence describing those who diverge from the typical neurological norm.   the term includes various diagnoses such as:   autism  adhd  audhd  pda  dyslexia  dyspraxia  dyscalculia  tourette's   understanding neurodivergence  while medical definitions exist for good reason

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they often overlap significantly. for instance:  50% - 70% of autistic individuals also are adhd 60% of neurodivergent people experience multiple (up to four) co-occurring conditions

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though most are only ever diagnosed with one  it is also important to note that not everyone is ‘a little bit on the spectrum’ or has traits of adhd to a diagnosable extent.  to be considered neurodivergent

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an individual must have significant differences across multiple traits. due to the high prevalence of multiple neurodivergences

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many individuals prefer the term ‘neurodivergent’ over 'neurotypical'

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as diagnostic categories can often feel too restrictive.   disability support  support and resources for disabled and neurodivergent professionals working behind-the-scenes in the film

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and cinema industry    please note  neurodivergence is not a mental health disorder. it’s a neurological difference

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like having a different operating system. it can be compared to mac vs windows.   4 practical ways to thrive as a neurodivergent in film

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tv and cinema  many neurodivergent professionals

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spend years masking (consciously or unconsciously)

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or to be seen as more 'professional.' but masking is exhausting and unsustainable

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autoimmune conditions or other mental health difficulties.  so

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how do you unmask? how can you feel safe enough to trust your instincts

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not just survive?  let’s look at the ways you can do this:  1. understand and embrace how your unique brain works  neurodivergent brains often come with exceptional strengths

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like:  hyperfocus big-picture thinking emotional sensitivity lateral problem-solving authenticity  the key is to identify your strengths

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and build your workflow around them. the beauty of our industry is that there is a job to suit every brain.  ask yourself:  what energises me? when am i most creative or productive? what kind of feedback do i consistently get from others?  2. create systems that work for you

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not against you  what works for one person

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doesn’t always work for another so it can be hard to know which tools might help you. a coach can help you read the map to your amazing neurodivergent brain and enable you to find solutions that work for you.  executive functioning skills can be up to 30% developmentally delayed in ne

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Thriving as a Neurodivergent Person in Film & TV | Industry Guide

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Discover how neurodivergent creatives can thrive in the film, TV, and cinema industry with practical tools, legal rights, and inclusive community support.

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This is a download from the Whole Picture toolkit, and is aimed at all crew, not just those whoa re neurodivergent.

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NeuroJungle's "Manual of me" for all team members, on how to work best with each other