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An action research partnership between York St John and Spectrum First Education, funded by an Institute for Social Justice Communities Grant 

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If you would like to:

share any thoughts you have about the project

be informed about our continued work, i.e. academic papers, talks, resources, podcasts, website

discuss how we may share our findings, resource packs or training with you and your institution

collaborate on implementing our approach at your organisation

share if this project is making a difference to you, your work or the work of others

Let us know using the below contacts:

Lorna Hamilton l.hamilton1@yorksj.ac.uk

Stephanie Petty s.petty@yorksj.ac.uk

James Williams j.williams@spectrumfirst.co.uk

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Data collection is now closed and new posts cannot be added to the Padlet

Please contact the research team if you'd like to tell us something though!

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· Undertake authentic participatory and co-produced action research to demonstrate and influence positive practices along the way through the actions we take, and playfully ignore some of the barriers that come with traditional research designs.

· Share responsibility for neurodivergent students’ success across Higher Education systems and wider contexts, minimising the need for reactive or crisis-led support.

· Improve educational outcomes, employment rates, prevalence rates of mental ill health and social belonging for neurodivergent young adults by better understanding the interconnected systems individuals navigate on and off campus throughout their day.

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+ the Project INC Participatory Advisory Group, an incredible neurodiverse group of students, former students and professionals who shaped very stage of the project 

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https://spectrumfirst.org

https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/our-staff/staff-profiles/lorna-hamilton.php

https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/our-staff/staff-profiles/stephanie-petty.php

https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/research/institute-for-social-justice/

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Christian-Hanser-2

https://www.kaylouisealdred.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/darcy-neilson-phd/?originalSubdomain=uk

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We were proud to the second NDinHE2 conference at York St John, in conjunction with the Institute for Social Justice and Spectrum First Education in September 2024

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We were proud to the second NDinHE2 conference at York St John, in conjunction with the Institute for Social Justice and Spectrum First Education in September 2024

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Please find slides from our keynote speech and recently published paper

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Citation for Neurodiversity in Higher Eduction 2 Keynote

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Citation for Neurodiversity in Higher Eduction 2 Keynote

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Hamilton, L. G., Williams, J. A., & Petty, S. Inclusive Neurodiverse Campuses. Neurodiversity in Higher Education 2. York St John University, York. 13 September 2024.

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Sharing an example of neurodiversity affirmative hiring

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Sharing an example of neurodiversity affirmative hiring

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Petty, Stephanie ORCID logo, Hanser, C. H., Williams, J. and Hamilton, Lorna G. ORCID logo (2024) Sharing an example of neurodiversity affirmative hiring. Autism in Adulthood.

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Petty, Stephanie Hamilton, Lorna G. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1453-3313 , Hanser, C. H. , Williams, J. and Autism in Adulthood. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0526-8252 (2024) Sharing an example of neurodiversity affirmative hiring.

Abstract

Hiring processes often unintentionally disadvantage neurodivergent candidates by expecting neuro-normative performances without due scrutiny of their merits. We offer reflections as a neurodiverse research group on our experiences of hiring a researcher colleague, while aligning with compassionate and neurodiversity affirmative frameworks. We make recommendations informed by our learning through this process. Ultimately, we are motivated to enable every candidate to demonstrate their abilities to perform the essential tasks of the job, whilst minimising nonessential, and often unspoken, social, sensory, and thinking performances. Our hiring decisions differed from default practices by sharing responsibility for the interview process, making explicit the value of personal and professional experiences of neurodivergence, providing choice of interview format, allowing the uncertainty of an encounter, providing honest feedback, and minimising an expectation of neurodivergent disclosure or aesthetic diversity. We readdressed these details to enable each candidate to best represent themselves and minimise learnt and ableist conventions. This Perspective offers a novel, critical reflection on recruitment, occupying both the hiring employer and candidate perspectives. We invite further scrutiny from researchers and hiring organisations on decisions that can unintentionally marginalise and stigmatise neurodivergent candidates, and on actions that can enable genuine equal opportunity for employment to all.

University Staff: Request a correction | RaY Editors: Update this record

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Sharing an example of neurodiversity affirmative hiring

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Petty, Stephanie Hamilton, Lorna G. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1453-3313 , Hanser, C. H. , Williams, J. and Autism in Adulthood.ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0526-8252 (2024) Sharing an example of neurodiversity affirmative hiring. Hiring processes often unintentionally disadvantage neurodivergent candidates by expecting neuro-normative performances without due scrutiny of their merits.