Neurodiversity toolkit

Supporting neurodiverse students and those from minoritised groups in achieving their education and employment goals
Illustration of a head with colourful cogs rising from the brain
 

Learn about neurodiversity

Neurodiversity refers to the natural differences in the way our brains work. (Source: Healthier Together)
The term 'neurodivergent' was coined by the neurodiversity movement as meaning the opposite of neurotypical (a term used to describe people whose brain functions, ways of processing information and behaviours are seen to be standard).
The terms 'neurodivergent' and 'neurodivergence' are now used to describe all people whose neurological conditions mean they do not consider themselves neurotypical. (Source: The Brain Charity)
Being neurodiverse does not correlate with low intelligence; many people with neurodiverse traits are highly intelligent.
Neurodiverse people often think about and see the world differently, making them a huge asset to any team that wants to improve their processes and deliver excellent outcomes. (Source: NHS Cambridge University Hospitals)
The Equality Act 2010 is UK legislation to protect people with disabilities, including hidden disabilities like different forms of neurodiversity. (source) It states: A disabled person is defined as having a ‘physical or mental impairment, which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities’. Substantial is defined as ‘more than trivial’. (source)
The most common types of neurodiversity include:
  • autism, or autism spectrum conditions
  • attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or attention deficit disorder (ADD)
  • dyscalculia
  • dyslexia
  • dyspraxia, or developmental coordination disorder (DCD)
According to the University of Plymouth's Disability Services Data for the 2023–2024 study year:
  • 19.5% of UK-domiciled undergraduate students at the University of Plymouth are neurodivergent or have a disability
  • 19.4% of UK-domiciled undergraduate students at the School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics are neurodivergent or have a disability.

Self-screening

If you think that you might have ADHD or autism you may find these screening tools helpful:
Important: These self-assessment checklists can give you an idea as to whether you might have signs/symptoms of ADHD and/or autism and that you may benefit from exploring this further, but they do not provide a formal diagnosis. To seek a formal diagnosis, please get in touch with your GP.
Some of the characteristics can also apply to mental health difficulties or dyslexia.
If you think you might have a neurological condition, the University offers additional support for students with an impairment, health condition or disability , including advising on getting a medical diagnosis.

This neurodiversity toolkit aims to:

  • ?Provide training materials for the students to improve their confidence while preparing to enter the job market

  • ?Set a list of recommendations for teaching staff who strive to create a more diverse and inclusive learning environment

 

Employability skills

Our project partners, EqualEngineers, have developed a series of webcasts covering topics such as confidence-building and influencing skills that can help students prepare to enter the job market and seek employment opportunities.
Their Pathways Programme offers mentoring opportunities with industry-leading companies for students with engineering backgrounds. The programme aims to ensure greater employability outcomes for engineering students by 2025.

Corporate readiness

This course helps explore how students can prepare to demonstrate corporate readiness to employers and be able to apply it to all aspects of the recruitment process.

Employer Expectations & Your Motivations

This video covers:
  • what employers are looking for in a candidate,
  • how to determine what motivates you when applying for a job
  • how to develop a rounded answer that can convey your motivation to employers.

Self-Awareness & Your Thoughts

This video covers workbook exercises to help you answer typical questions during recruitment.

First Impressions & Elevator Pitch

This video covers linking with employers and grabbing their attention with an elevator pitch.
 
 

Interviews

This course explains the different interview methods employers use and discusses what the employer is looking for in a candidate; it helps find the best ways to answer their questions.
 

Assessment centres

This course covers group assessments and presentations.

Group Assessments

This video covers how to showcase your capabilities and teamwork during group assessments

Presentations

This video covers:
  • preparing presentations and tips to engage your audience
  • neurodiversity and reasonable adjustments for presentations.
 

Micro-internships

Targeted micro-internships with industry help raise the confidence of our minoritised students from non-traditional routes and encourage long-term placement opportunities.

I’m personally grateful to a number of mentors over the years that have supported me and given me opportunities to grow in my career. To put something back, I became a STEM ambassador within my company and have been in active partnerships with schools, colleges, universities and the manufacturing sector for several years. Diversity and inclusion are very important to our business and things I’ve always valued through my life. This was my motivation for offering micro-internships to neurodivergent and disabled university students in the School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics.

Paul Pady, Manufacturing Engineering Manager, Schneider Electric, Plymouth

Babcock have a neurodiverse network and we are advocates for having a diverse and inclusive workforce. When the idea of micro-internships for neurodivergent students was proposed to us, we jumped at the chance to support it. It raised awareness of neurodiverse conditions, especially in our Early Careers area. We support STEM and UEI so to be able to provide experience to university students is something we are always actively looking to do.

Leanne Davies, Early Careers Adviser, Babcock International Group, Plymouth

We were happy to work with the University on this project. As we continue our work to being a more inclusive and diverse employer, we recognise that getting involved in opportunities such as these can help to raise aspirations and create a more inclusive learning experience for neurodivergent students.

Diversity is valuable

Elena, BEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering , took up a micro-internship opportunity with Babcock. There she saw how valued diversity is in engineering, and the importance of the perspectives of neurodivergent and disabled people – such as in identifying and preventing design problems.
"I felt like I had found my place within engineering... I'd found that I could not only just get a job 'because I'm disabled' (I was worried about that) but I could get a job where I make a difference and my insight is useful."
 

Embedding inclusion in teaching and learning for neurodiverse and disabled students

In the current state in which information is typically presented, neurodiverse people may find it harder to process facts and may need more training time or different approaches because their brains are wired differently.
Neurodiverse students can face significant challenges in a learning environment, some of which may include:
  • Difficulty retaining information presented by auditory means alone
  • Difficulty processing written information
  • Problems with processing multisensory information presented simultaneously (source)
We aim to address some of these challenges, and focus group discussions with our neurodiverse and disabled students have helped us formulate the suggestions below for teaching staff.
Video: Watch feedback and suggestions from one of our students on how particular teaching practices can remove barriers to students' learning.

Early disclosure
Disclosure of a neurodiverse condition, disability or health issue is optional. However, it can help to make students aware of the benefits of disclosing during the applicant journey. For example, this could be explicitly mentioned during Open and Applicant Days by admissions tutors in the subject group, who could signpost students to support with the process.

Early integration
Finding ways of integrating students before the degree programme starts can help to alleviate the fear of walking into a room full of new people.

Neurodiversity/disability network
A network for students can help students find a community, while providing peer support, coping strategies and links to additional support. The network could be set up by student peers in higher year cohorts.

Supportive and informed staff
Staff have awareness and understanding of the many ‘invisible’ disabilities and neurodiverse conditions and how these might affect students’ ability to concentrate and to learn.

Assume diversity
Start from the assumption you will have neurodivergent and disabled students in your classes.

Interaction
Creating opportunities for interaction during classes can help build familiarity and friendships between students.

Teaching spaces
Where possible, use less formal seating arrangements, avoid harsh lighting and minimise noise levels. This will help reduce stress and anxiety for those students who struggle in large groups and/or experience sensitivity to light and noise.

Hybrid teaching delivery
For example, live broadcast and/or recorded lectures provide an additional learning resource and allow those who have difficulty attending in person to catch up.

Proactive personal tutoring
Students who find it difficult to build relationships will benefit from tutors who reach out to them, rather than waiting for the student to get in touch.

Consistent use of DLE
When staff use the DLE in a consistent way across modules, it provides a structure that is easier for students to navigate and interpret.

Inclusive teaching materials
Dyslexia-friendly, uncluttered slideshows, concise notes and assignment briefings, leaving plenty of space between small chunks of text are easier for everyone to read.

Teaching materials in advance
Providing lecture notes and slides in advance of the session allows the student more time to absorb material and know what to expect. It also reduces the need to take notes during class and frees up space for listening.

Providing clear instructions
Instructions should be clear, explicit, concise and unambiguous.

Regular breaks
Breaks in longer teaching sessions will allow students to manage their condition. It shouldn’t be assumed that sitting at the back of class indicates lack of interest or disengagement. Many students need to know they can leave the room easily for a variety of reasons related to their condition(s).

Structured group work
Students who experience anxiety when meeting new people can prefer tutor allocation to groups, as opposed to having to try and join a group themselves, or wait to be chosen by others. The tutor could also assign specific roles and tasks within the group, which will help students know what is expected of them