Broadcast: News items

World Autism Acceptance Week 2024 logo

2 - 8 April 2024 is World Autism Acceptance Week. Autism is a lifelong developmental disability which affects how people communicate and interact with the world. More than one in 100 people are on the autism spectrum and there are around 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK. You can find out more about autism and how it affects people in different ways.

World Autism Acceptance Week aims to contribute towards creating a more inclusive world where autistic people are accepted in society and can live a life of choice and opportunity. For 2024 the National Autistic Society invite fundraising for Autism Acceptance Week.  You could do your own 5k Spectrum Colour Walk or join one of their organised walks. More information and how to get involved can be found here World Autism Acceptance Week 2024.

Resources

• Introduction to Neurodiversity eLearning: University staff have access to a 30-minute video-based course that explores strategies and inclusive practices to create the best possible conditions for neurodivergent thinkers to thrive in the workplace. This training is recommended for managers and supervisors, but open to all Sussex staff. Complete the Introduction to Neurodiversity training on Learn upon. 

• For International Women’s Day the University of Sussex hosted a webinar which was delivered by The WomanHood, the topic was “Uncovering and Celebrating ADHD & Autism in Women”. The event was co-sponsored by Athena Swan teams from Life Sciences, BSMS, Engineering and Informatics, LPS and Organizational Development.
  
  
• You can view the recording of the Uncovering and Celebrating ADHD and Autism in Women event and view The WomanHood slides. Jess Rad, who facilitated the webinar, has also shared a collection of Women’s Stories.

Support for staff

The Neurodiversity Staff Support Network aims to support staff who identify with neurodivergence or are curious about neurodivergence. Neurodivergence sits across social identity and medical conditions that includes but is not limited to ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and Dyscalculia. The Network operates and meets predominantly through Microsoft Teams where staff can connect with each other, share helpful resources, and provide peer support. The resource page includes a reading list which includes links to examples of reasonable adjustments.

The next Teams meeting is 11th April at 12pm focusing on Imposter Syndrome. If you would like to join the staff network or would like further information about the network, please e-mail co-chairs at ndstaffnetwork_admin@sussex.ac.uk.

Support for students

Students can also find out more about reasonable adjustments, assistive technology and health, support and wellbeing services available at Sussex.

Neurodivergent Researchers and Supervisors Canvas page, previously developed by members of the student Neurodiversity Society and the Doctoral School. On this page, you’ll find a range of resources and information related to understanding and supporting neurodiversity in academia.

Further information

• National Autistic Society (autism.org.uk) 

• About ACoRNS - ACoRNS Sussex (acorns-sussex.org.uk) ACoRNS is a collaboration between Psychology and Education researchers at the University of Sussex and local autism stakeholders involved in education, health and social care services, who are interested in developing, researching, understanding, and sharing good practice in services used by autistic children and their families.

• A recent study published in the journal Neurodiversity, by Dr Lisa Quadt, autistic Research Fellow in Clinical Neuroscience at BSMS, and Palwasha Najeeb, a fifth-year medical student at BSMS, challenge the traditional deficit-based perspective by adopting a ‘neurodiversity-affirming’ approach:  ‘Unlocking autistic wellbeing: A new perspective emerges from research’