Hosting neurodiverse students

Introduction

This resource shows the benefits to employers of hosting neurodiverse students on industry placements and how to make the placements work well for the employer and the student.

Who it’s for

It will be useful for any employer who:

• • Isn’t sure what neurodiversity means
  • Is thinking about hosting an industry placement for a neurodiverse student
  • Has already started planning the placement for a neurodiverse student
  • Wants to know more about how to support a neurodiverse student
  • Wants to offer placements to a full range of students 

It is relevant to employers of all sizes and in all sectors.

What’s in it

• • What is neurodiversity?
  • What neurodiversity means
  • Case study – Amazon UK
  • How to create a neurodiversity friendly workplace
  • Practical tips to support a neurodiverse student
  • Raising awareness and training staff

What is neurodiversity?

• • Neurodiversity refers to the different ways people’s brains process information
  • 1 in 7 seven people in the UK have some kind of neurodiversity
  • People who are neurodiverse often think about and see the world differently
  • Every workplace is full of people whose brains work in many ways, which means they have different ways of thinking and communicating
  • They are an asset to any team that wants to improve how they do things

What neurodiversity means

The diagram below shows some of the main types of neurodiversity that you may see in students and other employees:

The downloadable explanation shows what each type means, and how students with these neurodiverse conditions can benefit the teams they work with during their placement (see end of article for document).

Neurodiversity should never be a barrier to hosting a student on an industry placement. The great majority of young people with any type of neurodiversity learn and work successfully, make a valuable contribution to their placement teams, and go on to have a successful career.

But when hosting a neurodiverse student, it’s important to remember that they may be prevented from achieving by barriers around them rather than by their difference. Reducing and preventing these barriers gives them more independence, choice and control, and helps to create the conditions for these young people to succeed.

And the most important thing of all is to ask the student what works for them, and what helps them to work best, feel included and get the support they need. 

Case study – Amazon UK

The video shows:

• • Why Amazon hosts neurodiverse students on T Level industry placements
  • How it plans, prepares and delivers the placements
  • What the students achieve

It features Jo Simovic, Senior Programme and Apprenticeships Manager at Amazon UK, and is in three parts:

• • Neurodiverse students at Amazon
  • Preparing to host a neurodiverse student
  • Making the necessary adjustments
  • What the students achieve

How to create a neurodiversity friendly workplace

1. Make sure the space the student has a suitable space to work in – consider temperature, light, noise, and room to move around
2. Vary the format and style of meetings and personal interactions – consider standing not sitting, suggesting cameras off in online meetings, or inviting the student to contribute in the chat rather than verbally
3. Share information in the ways that suit the student best – consider using visual methods such as displays, infographics and diagrams, or verbal methods such as recordings
4. Encourage team members to interact with the student in different ways – consider inviting them into projects, or involving them in non-work activities
5. Create spaces for the student to work without being interrupted – consider quiet work areas, periods of time with no meetings or calls, or the use of noise-cancelling headphones
6. Create a familiar space for the student to work in – provide a dedicated workspace rather than an unfamiliar hot-desk setting

Practical tips to support a neurodiverse student

These practical tips will help line managers and mentors to support the student in various situations.

Raising awareness and training staff

There are many simple and straightforward ways of helping staff in the organisation to be more aware of neurodiversity and better prepared to support a neurodiverse student.

For example, you could:

• • Include neurodivergent awareness training in existing courses
  • Hold neurodiversity awareness weeks
  • Set up informal networking meetings or online networking groups
  • Include items on neurodiversity in newsletters

You could also encourage staff to talk with the student about:

• • How the placement is going
  • Whether they can help to make it go better, e.g. by making small adjustments to how they work with and support the student