Neurodivergent Attribute Training cards

by Andrew Walsh in Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Redcar and Cleveland, United Kingdom

Neurodivergent Attribute Training cards
We did it
On 11th March 2024 we successfully raised £1,211 with 44 supporters in 28 days

A set of training cards and supporting materials for training neurotypicals, describing a wide range of common neurodivergent traits.

by Andrew Walsh in Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Redcar and Cleveland, United Kingdom

 New stretch target

Include a set of nicely printed training materials with each pledge, as well as the decks of cards themselves.


I've been frustrated with training around neurodiversity that I've experienced myself, particularly as someone who realised I'm neurodivergent in middle age.

It often feels like they focus on short summaries of what an autistic, dyspraxic, etc person is like and what they need as support - that I never feel captures the rich variety of us all! I'd see colleagues going away from training with a very narrow view of what it's like to be neurodivergent and an equally narrow view of what they could do to help.

I'm trying to flip that around in the training I do, particularly focussed on supporting workplace colleagues, by presenting lists of neurodiverse attributes along with scenarios, asking neurotypical groups to imagine they had these attributes and how they'd find managing such situations. Shifting away from "an autistic person is...", to "imagine that...", allowing neurotypical trainees to reflect on ways in which different situations are more difficult if you aren't neurotypical!

As such I've created a set of cards to use in training. The way I'll use them is to select a group of cards and present them with a scenario, then have a second round where I throw in extra attributes and ask them to reflect again... but you could use them however you see fit! People I've previously shown them to have had alternative ideas such as using them for meeting managers and discussing their needs.

BUT, properly printing nice feeling, robust cards is expensive! But the more decks I print, the lower the cost per deck... so this crowdfunder is so I can print an initial batch for as many people as possible and reduce that cost! To print 1 pack would cost over £40 - to print 50, more like £9 per deck. It'd be nice to get somewhere in between!

Hitting the target will mean I make a small loss (but less than if I just printed a couple of decks for myself!), £500 would be a tiny surplus (not counting what I've spent getting them to this stage). I'm not trying to make money from this, just reduce costs AND get the cards to other people who would find them useful.

Rewards

This project offers rewards in return for your donation. Please select a reward below.

£35 or more

Two decks of ND cards

Two decks of the ND attribute cards, including P&P within the UK, this should be enough for using in small training settings - 10 or 12 people.

£5 or more

Just support the project!

I'll send out updates, including a link to the attributes I'll be using on the cards and other information.

£20 or more

One deck of ND cards

One deck of the ND attribute cards, including P&P within the UK.

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