Neurodiversity Celebration Week (17-23 March 2025) ‘aims to transform how neurodivergent individuals are perceived and supported by providing schools, universities, organisations, and others around the world with the opportunity to recognise the many skills and talents of neurodivergent individuals, while creating more inclusive and equitable cultures that celebrate differences and empower every individual.’

At Mates in Mind, we work in partnership with our community to create positive mental health in and through work, which means that work is accessible, inclusive, safe and supportive for every worker. We do this by working with organisations in higher risk sectors for mental health, to implement effective interventions, create cultures of prevention and to demonstrate how work can be good for their workers.

Please read on to access free resources to help you engage with Neurodiversity Celebration Week.

Why is Neurodiversity Celebration Week important?

• It is estimated that around 1 in 7 people (more than 15% of people in the UK) are neurodivergent.
• Just 22% of people with autism are in full-time employment in the UK, which is just over 1 in 5 autistic adults, despite 77%, a majority, stating that they want to work. [1]
• Of people with severe or specific learning difficulties only 26.2% are employed. [2]
• There are 6.2 million people with dyslexia or related specific learning difficulties (dyscalculia, dysgraphia) who are unemployed or economically inactive and this is largely due to barriers to employment. [3]
• Employees with ADHD are twice as likely to lose their job compared to employees without ADHD. [4]
• A recent survey found that 65% of neurodivergent employees believed that disclosing their neurodivergence would result in discrimination from management, and 55% worried about stigma from colleagues. [5]

Neurodiversity is ‘when someone processes information, learns, and/or behaves differently from what is considered typical’ (The Royal College of Nursing). As such, neurodiversity comes under one of the protected characteristics as defined by the Equality Act (2010) and therefore employers have a legal obligation to ensure that individuals are not discriminated against.

Through building cultures of prevention in the workplace (please read our blog), it is possible to create open and supportive cultures that remove the stigma, and give everyone the skills, clarity and confidence to build inclusive workplaces.

Resources

Please click on the links below to download a free A3 poster and an infographic. Please share them across your organisation.

Please also visit our Resources page where you can find additional materials to download, e.g., on spotting the signs of stress, supporting anxiety and much more.

Visit our Resources page

If the information on this page has resonated with you, and if you or someone you know needs help or support, you can speak to one of the many free, confidential support services below:

Support Services

Mates in Mind Supporters

We have additional materials available for our Supporters in the portal, please log in below to access them:

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If you are not a Supporter but would like to find out more about our Programme please read on.

How we can support you

Mates in Mind can support your organisation to build a mental health plan and to create a culture of prevention.

Our dedicated team of Support Managers work with organisations of any size to develop a tailored action plan, evaluating your organisation's priorities and gaps, and providing the tools and support you need.

This plan includes ongoing support with communication and delivery of your plan, as well as training opportunities, promotional materials, and a suite of tools (including Time to Talk Day packs) to enable you to drive long-lasting and meaningful change.

Find out more about how we can help your organisation build a culture of prevention when you become a Supporter by:

• Visiting our Become a Supporter page.
• Calling: 020 3510 5018.
• Using this contact form.

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References

[1] New shocking data highlights the autism employment gap

[2] Outcomes for disabled people in the UK - Office for National Statistics

[3] FJP0011 - Evidence on The future of Jobcentre Plus

[4] The Effects of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder on Employment and Household Income - PMC

[5] The Effects of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder on Employment and Household Income - PMC