Our Neurodivergent Experience: Exhibition Booklet

OurNeurodivergent Experience

Exhibition booklet June 2024

Introduction

About the project

A groundbreaking initiative, the ʻOur Neurodivergent Experienceʼ project, has emerged from a collaborative effort of people working in Devon, aiming to challenge negative beliefs about neurodiversity and tackle the pervasive stigma and isolation among neurodivergent young people. This unique venture not only highlights the voices of neurodivergent youth but also underscores the dire consequences of policy-makers' inaction on these critical issues.

"Taking

part in this makes me feel like I am part of a community. This feels really good as I usually feel a lot like I am on my own as a neurodivergent teenager." -

Malila-Zuri, Participant

Acknowledging and Valuing Different Perspectives

The project, driven by neurodivergent adults who have navigated similar challenges, emphasises the necessity for greater engagement from local leaders. Strengths-based support can significantly help neurodivergent young people break free from societal constraints and realise their full potential. The project advocates for support, awareness, and conversation about recognising and leveraging neurodivergent strengths.

The Context and Methodology

Set in a rural community, where neurodivergent young people often feel isolated, this project brought together participants aged 7-25. With diverse educational backgrounds—some in formal education, others home-educated or isolated—the project sought to capture how these young people see the world. The result is a rich tapestry of experiences and perspectives that challenge traditional notions of what it is to be neurodivergent and highlight the possibilities beyond conventional boxes.

Varied Experiences, Common Goals

Participants in the project included those comfortable talking about their neurodivergence and those discussing it for the first time. Despite their varied experiences, all participants were wellsupported and showcased the potential for neurodivergent individuals to flourish in the right environment. This diverse group, with different interests and backgrounds, has brought invaluable insights to the project.

"My eye drawing reflects the focus for ND people about how others see them. This perception has negatively impacted on me in the past. I have been seen and judged by others for my neurodivergence and excluded from so much because of their views. This has affected how I see myself. Being seen as

'weird', as different, as difficult, can be negative for neurodivergent children and teenagers. But it's not black and white. I am different, I now see that as good, it doesn't matter what others see and think. I see myself for who I am, even if others can't." - Sophia Riley-Hill, Participant

A Collaborative Effort

The project was a result of a collaboration between the Esteem Team, Devon County Councilʼs SEND participation team, Well Image CIC, and researchers at the University of Exeter, supported by local creative arts professionals. Neurodivergent young people worked with the team to devise the prompt, “What being neurodivergent means to me,” and to create template art sessions to support a greater diversity of participants, particularly those not in school or who prefer non-verbal communication.

The Impact

The artworks created were showcased in an exhibition illustrating young neurodivergent identities, challenging negative beliefs, and tackling stigmatising stereotypes. The exhibition was launched on June 20, 2024 at Positive Light Projects, with senior local community leaders in attendance. This event featured contributions from young participants and members of the University of Exeterʼs Student Guild and Neurodivergent and Disabled Studentsʼ Society. In the spirit of this inclusivelydesigned project, the exhibition has a parallel online presence which is permanently available at this link: www.artsandcultureexeter.co.uk/ news/our-neurodivergentexperience A word cloud of the most frequently occurring words in the descriptions provided by the young people

Why this matters

Urgent Need for Policy Change

Neurodivergent young people, their families, teachers, and health professionals face significant challenges due to high thresholds for support in schools and services, leaving many young people with unmet needs and poor mental health, particularly during transitions to higher education or employment. The lack of teacher training and awareness about neurodivergent needs exacerbates these issues, leading to long waits and limited resources for families seeking support.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reports that only 22% of autistic adults are employed. The rise in referrals for autism assessments, which have doubled since 2019, highlights the increasing demand for support. Devon County Council estimates that nearly 8,000 young people in the county aged 5-24 have neurodevelopmental conditions, including autism and learning disabilities.

The Consequences of Inaction

Neurodivergent young people and their families are severely impacted by the lack of timely support. The result is a growing number of young people moving out of school into home education or alternative provisions, record levels of poor mental health, and increased school-induced anxiety and refusal. These issues are compounded by negative cultural and historical stigma around neurodiversity.

A Call for Immediate Action

There is an urgent need for more neurodivergent-friendly social spaces, increased funding, and engagement with harder-to-reach groups. Early intervention and support can save money and resources in the long run. Investing in supportive environments where neurodivergent young people feel heard and empowered can lead to significant improvements in their mental health and educational outcomes.

Table to show number of exclusions (both fixed and permanent) for those pupils with EHCP or coded SEN Support in Devon County Council.

Permanent exclusions

Oneor morefixed period exclusions

Twoor more fixedperiod exclusions

Persistent absentees(absent for10%)

Absent for12% (25+ days)

Absent for 50% (98+ days)

est. offrolled in yr11

est. in home education

Source: Team Square Peg www.teamsquarepeg.org/ attendance (statistics on absence and exclusion are from official Department for Education data (2017/18 academic year). The estimates for off-rolling are from an Education Policy Institute report, with those on home education from an Association of Directors of Children's Services report.)

The ʻOur Neurodivergent Experienceʼ project demonstrates the profound impact of community-led research and the importance of listening to neurodivergent voices. It calls for policy-makers to recognise the value of neurodivergent minds and the urgent need for systemic change to support these individuals in reaching their full potential.

Our next steps

We are a group of people passionate about improving the lives of neurodivergent people across Devon. We come to this from professional experience working across a diverse range of organisations, and also as individuals with lived experience of neurodivergence. We would love for you to join us. Please sign up to hear more about our plans and to help shape what we do in the future: https://forms.office.com/e/ 4vW6aK6eSG

“There has been a spotlight on exclusions, off rolling and home education for some time, with figures rising year on year. Yet these are dwarfed by absence statistics.” (Team Square Peg)

numbers

Key Policy Points/Actions

1. Collaborate with researchers to use up to date research

2. Develop neurodivergent policies and strategies with neurodivergent staff/ academics or consultants to inform from a neurodivergent and neurodiversity-affirming perspective

3. Liaise with community/ family support groups

4. Letʼs start a county wide conference about what does it mean to be educated and what it means to belong in education

Pupil

Evolution of the project

One of the young people who has been part of the project from its inception is Oakley Stratford. He tried out ideas and prompts, and worked with his mentor to put together a series of lesson plans for others to follow. To find the lessons plans, please visit our online exhibit by scanning the QR code below.

He also was keen to share his process pictures documenting the creation of his artwork that forms the main image for the exhibition.

The

Bus Adam Guyers

I really like public transport.

My Neurodivergence

Amelia Moore

I enjoy drawing mouths because they're all so different. I like using pencil to smudge so that it makes texture.

"When I don't know what to say"

Anna Monk

Anna 13 years old withdrew herself away from life 2 years ago only staying within the safety of home. No longer able to sustain her former self she shedded and grew a fresh perspective. Forwards or backwards Anna is still spelt the same.

Hotdog Anonymous

I am proud of this drawing and feel it shows my ability.

The pieces of me

Anya Challingsworth

This represents the different parts of me in relation to my Autism.

The Scenery

I really love sketching and I like this because I've used perspective so you can see the foreground and the distance.

Chloe Langler

At The Heart Of Nature

Edie Stratford

My artwork represents my love of nature and biology. My neurodivergence allows me to notice things that others wouldn't and gives me a deep passion for the natural world. I have particular special interests in fungi and bees hence the use of these in my artwork.

Neurodivergency

Ellis Lovett

This represents my brain and all the things that I think about and all the things that happen around me.

Hollywood image

Ellis Meldrum

Having an autistic mind can be isolating. I see monotropism as a strength sometimes. This art project was difficult to do as I donʼt think there is a way to present my mind. Typing in a few things about my physical appearance, my interests and my views, we used AI to create an image despite my hatred of it – I think it is lazy and lacks the human element, even with some manipulation. We added details, glitched it, organised the text and played with the colour. So, is this ʻHollywoodʼ image of me even art? In my view, no.

This is me

Eva Dudley Patterson

I chose to write the good things about autism on the light colours and the bad things about autism on the dark colours.

My autism is a gift and a curse but I live life to the fullest.

Emily Wright

(From left to right, top to bottom)

1. Water – I like the water splashing up, the ripples in the water and the fact that you cannot really tell what it is. I like that the water has made a perfect circle. I feel calm when I look at it.

2. Colourful Joy – I love this picture. I love that it is close up and there are so many bright colours and that you can see all the texture of the feathers. I feel happy when I look at it and it makes me feel colourful. I also remember the excitement of the parrot landing on me to get food.

3. Window – I like that you can see through to below the pond surface and I like the way the green leaves are scattered across the image leaving a little window to look through.

4. Water Bubbles – I love this photo. I love that you can see under the water and that there are loads of bubbles. I find it really cool satisfying because I love water.

5. Cat Yawn – I just love this photo and it is one of my favourite photos in the world because animals are really important to me. I love the cat yawning and her mouth stretched so wide. I love the sun and the shadows of the cat and the leaves. It makes me smile and laugh every time I see it.

6. Miniature Forest – I like how this is close up and there is lots of repetition but with subtle changes. I also like that you can see through the cracks into the darkness beyond. It makes me think of a miniature forest.

7. Pink Puddle – I love how this is so close up and there is a pink puddle in the centre which reflects the light. I like the detail of the veins and the colour.

8. Lily Leaf – I like that you cannot tell what this is. It is like a tunnel that makes me want to explore and find out more about what it is and where it leads to. I like the freshness of the green against the brown leaf and the slender wisp hanging down and inviting you into the picture. The yellow and brown marks at the bottom of the tunnel make me think of footprints or stepping stones that I want to follow.

9. Dandelion Head – I like how this is close up and then there is a glimpse of green at the bottom which contrasts with the white. I love the delicate patterns.

10.Tree Trunk – I like the contrasting textures of the hard wood against the soft fresh grass. I love the circles within circles and the different shades of brown. It reminds me of any eye and I feel it is looking at me. I also like that you can see the age of the tree and the rings are like time spreading out.

11.Feather – I like the close-up of the soft feather so even though the feather is tiny you are made aware of how soft and detailed it is. I like the contrast of the hard brown wood against the soft white feather.

Me and My Neurodivergency

Felix Hicks-Frost

This is my brain showing wisdom and intelligence.

Not everything that should be scary is scary

George Newton

George didn't have a clear way of saying what this photo meant. It shows something that should cause fear creating fun. You'd think the pony would be scared of the RC car but she's not. So we suppose it shows that not everything that's different is scary, it's just different.

Shadow me through Neurodivergent

Gigi Richmond

This painting represents my shadow and what it means to me through Neurodivergence. My shadow is a piece of me. Knows me better than anyone. Never leaves me. It has no feelings, no taste, no sight, no hearing, but copies me and keeps me company. My shadow is the part of me that is hidden and kept a secret from the world and hides my true colours. My shadow is Neurodivergent, but blends in just like me.

My sculpture represents ʻsolitudeʼ and the importance of trusting oneʼs self, it also represents ʻenergeticʼ meaning you can have fun but you donʼt also need to have people do it for you.

Birdsaur

Isabella King

Masking

Isla Sharp

if your friend got bullied you might not want to react so as not to look weird but inside you just want to protect your friend so I did mine because not everyone feels ok even if they look it .

Brain of me

James Woolley

I love friends but people think I donʼt, my Communication isnʼt great but doesnʼt mean I donʼt like to talk.

I never like it when it's Monday morning especially when I am tired!

Monday Jasper Kay

Joseph Dodds

Lots of different colours representing lots of different feelings inside of people.

Colour Monster

Into the box

Lauren Shearer

This is how my mind is compared to a normal brain that is dull. The box is what society wants but my brain is colourful and spills out.

Adhd my busy brain

Malachi Burnett

Adhd allows me to think about and enjoy lots of things at once. My art (Lego dots) shows my creative and busy brain. I have lots of special interests I rotate around and also can be thinking about lots of cool things at once which is awesome.

The Unmasking of Me 1

Madelin Keen

The Unmasking of Me 2

Madelin Keen

I'm Madelin, a 14 year old Artist who's Autistic. In my artwork I've tried to express 'Masking'. Masking is where Autistic people may try and hide their 'autistic behaviours' or difficulties in social interaction to seem neurotypical. People with Autism may say their fine when in reality they're not, their mind is racing with thoughts and emotions just waiting to finally be in a comfortable enough space to be expressed.

The lessons we learn

Malila-Zuri Darden-Croft

The image represents partly how I feel society sees neurodivergence and for me how it feels to be neurodivergent.

A walk in my shoes

Mia Robillard-Day

A defining characteristic of Live Art and Spacial Practices is the body's relationship to time and space. It calls upon us to question how we exist within our surroundings. Andra McCartney writes, "Soundwalks take the everyday action of walking, and everyday sounds, and bring the audience's attention to these often ignored events, practices and processes” (McCartney 2014:212). I am curious about how this practice utilises ʻeverydayʼ actions and expands the seemly mundane to highlight a larger message. For example, in Walking Holding by Rosana Cade, the action of walking and holding hands is used to explore “the experience of queer and marginalised identities in urban environments” (Cade 2019). This has led me to deeply consider my own experience of everyday walking and sound as a disabled person.

Listen to the soundscape here

Through my piece, I use the forms of walking and audio to explore two central questions:

1. How can one use the form of an audio walk to express their unique auditory experience of space?

2. How can the use of everyday actions within live art and spacial practices bridge gaps of understanding between disabled and non-disabled participants?

A walk in my shoes aims to capture and express how a mundane act of walking down the street may be vastly more challenging and overwhelming for me as an autistic person than the average person. Sounds for me are intense, and overwhelming, and I often hear things that others do not notice. This is a common experience in the autistic community.

Throughout my process into performance I collected data from my autistic peers by asking them a set of questions:

• What sounds are most prominent to you when you walk down the street?

• What sounds cause you distress when in a public space?

• Are there any sounds that you feel you notice that others donʼt?

These answers have been collected with my own experiences, recorded, and combined to create a sensory experience.

The location, Fore Street, has been specifically selected for its centrality, in hopes that most participants will have walked down it before and already have preconceived memories of how they experienced that public space, in hopes that my piece will offer an entirely different experience. It also has autobiographical significance as it is my route home every day. The motivation behind this work has become apparent to me throughout the process of the module. Interacting in drama spaces as a disabled person, it is common for me to try and mould my experience to match my neurotypical peers through sensory aids. As disabled people in society, we are taught that achieving ablebodied/neurotypical status is the ultimate goal. Robert McRuer calls this; “compulsory ablebodiedness” (McRuer 2006: 5). In almost every walk of life, we are encouraged to experience our surroundings in the most non-disabled way possible. Through my piece, I aim to turn this on its head and ask the audience to experience space from my perspective as a disabled person.

I hope through experiencing this work new understanding and discussion will be created between differently-abled individuals, and non-disabled people will take more time to consider what life is like for those who are disabled.

Bibliography

Cade, Rosana. Walking-Holding, accessed 6 2022, https://www.rosanacade.co.uk/walking-holding McCartney, Andra. “Soundwalking: creating moving environmental sound narratives”. The Oxford Handbook of Mobile Music Studies, Volume 2. 2014. Edited by Sumanth Gopinath and Jason Stanyek. 212-237.

McRuer, Robert. "Introduction: Compulsory Able-Bodiedness and Queer/Disabled Existence." In Crip Theory: Cultural Signs of Queerness and Disability. New York and London: New York University Press, 2006. 1–32.

My world

Nick Harwood

I love hyper focusing on what interests me.

Hyperphantasia

Oakley Stratford

Hyperphantasia is intrinsic to how I see the world. It runs through everywhere I am, and everything I do. Seeing things vividly brings a different light to my perspective. My hyperphantasia definitely influences my art work too. I hope to bring this into whatever career I do in the future.

My autistic brain

Olive Johnson

This is my autistic brain. The darker colours represent things that it finds tricky and the bright colours represent all the great things about it.

What I Think About

Oscar Harris

This is all the stuff that's in my brain and it's my land.

I exist/'No'

Ollie Hartin

This portrait was made by tracing a shadow of my head made by a spotlight on the wall whilst I was in a pose about the project.

World Differences

Reuben Howe

The idea behind my image is that I have lots of disabilities which I wanted to represent in my drawing as well as world diversity as everyone is different in the world.

Riley Miller

My neurodivergence means very little to me, and I believe artists should be free from categorisation. That being said, every piece of mine comes from being dedicated to creation. Art is the only thing I can focus on for hours at a time, sometimes to a detriment. As for this piece, iʼll let it speak for itself.

Untitled

Good with words

Rohen McCrory

My art represents the two sides of being neurodivergent, the bad things are all things that have been said about me, but I like to think of myself in a positive way. The most important thing to me is my music and I like that my neurodivergence makes me creative and quick to come up with ideas. You should try and focus on the good parts, they are what really makes you you.

Beyond perspective

Rosie

My neurodivergence means difference that is not always clear to other people but sometimes it can be very clear. I chose this image because my eye is different to everyone elses like our fingerprints and it also shows that every neurodivergent person is different. I really struggle with school and sometimes feel like I want to give up but my motivation is my family and even if it's a really tough time, they are always there to help me back up.

The eye

Scarlett Parris

I have autism and Billie Eilish's music calms me and focuses my attention. The eye represents this.

Volcano of thoughts!

There are 8.1 billion people in the world and that how many thoughts I have in my head at any one time!!

Sevara Morrow

Rusty nails

Simone Metcalfe

Art process: keys were wrapped tightly in cotton fabric and soaked for several days in vinegar.

ʻeach key opens possibilitiesʼ. Each key can represent stages of life, challenges you might face. Some of the keys arenʼt fully developed in the process- a good metaphor for different brains.

I made a print from a detail of this fabric, using procreate on the ipad. The possibilities are amazing. Itʼs so easy to use.

Can't sleep at night

Simone Metcalfe

Art process: gathering fabric, layering together, sewing over the layers then cutting sections between sewn lines.

This is like my brain –craziness. Like at night time when you cant sleep, its like a Merry-go round. It never stops.

Mind's eye

Sophia Riley-Hill

My eye drawing reflects the focus for ND people about how others see them. This perception has negatively impacted on me in the past. I have been seen and judged by others for my neurodivergence and excluded from so much because of their views. This has affected how I see myself. Being seen as 'weird', as different, as difficult, can be negative for neurodivergent children and teenagers. But it's not black and white. I am different, I now see that as good, it doesn't matter what others see and think. I see myself for who I am, even if others can't.

The team

Amy Bickford

Amy Bickford has been a youth worker for over 25 years, championing the voices of young people as experts of their own experiences. She currently works for Devon County Council, leading a team of participation workers in co ordinating the Network for Change. This is a young person led network responsible for supporting neurodivergent and young people with SEND to get their voices heard about issues that matter to them, and to create meaningful change within the services they use. When she is not campaigning for change she is happiest in cold water, reading a book or hanging out with her friends and her children.

Cara Stratford

Cara Stratford is the Community and Family Support Manager for Esteem Team CIC, which is a not for profit organisation based in Exmouth. Many of the families that Esteem Team support are neurodivergent. When not working, Cara likes walking, reading (or listening to audio books) and going to the cinema. She has recently discovered she enjoys pottery. Cara and her family are all neurodivergent (including the dog)!

Joanna Merrett

Joanna Merrett is a dedicated researcher with over a decade of experience working closely with home education communities. Her extensive background in this field has driven her to explore various aspects of education beyond traditional schooling, with a primary focus on home education, alternative education approaches, pedagogies, educational policy, systematic disadvantage, equity in access to national qualifications, and pathways for home-educated young individuals to higher and further education. Joanna received the prestigious Hutton Prize for her research in 2022.

Rachel Griffiths

Rachel Griffiths is a senior educator developer at University of Exeter and leads their inclusive education project, supporting educators to develop more inclusive teaching practices through Universal Design for Learning principles.She is also a doctoral researcher in their School of Education, finding community-led and creative ways to explore neurodivergent identities in higher education. Rachel is neurodivergent and finds autistic joy in making and performing music with others.

Saffron O’Neill

Saffron OʼNeill is Professor in Climate and Society at the University of Exeter, UK. She is also Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for the Geography Department, where she brings lived experience of neurodiversity into her role. She is happiest walking on Dartmoor or pottering in her allotment.

Veronica White

Veronica White is a first year Human Geography PhD student at the University of Exeter, supervised by Saffron OʼNeill. Outside of academia, she is a graphic designer, photographer, and lover of outdoor adventures. Veronica was responsible for designing the project booklet.