Neurodiverse inclusion: how to get it right
✔️ Neurodiverse inclusion – how to get it right. 🙌 When you’re inclusive, you’re part of a culture that supports and celebrates those who are…
Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2022
I wrote 5 articles on neurodiversity for Neurodiversity Celebration Week. Here they all are. 6 mistakes you’re making when it comes to inclusion (and how…
Famous autistic women
In any list of famous autistic people, or autistic celebrities, most of the entries are men. Autistic women are less likely to be diagnosed, and…
Systemic inclusion – and how it helps everyone
Systemic inclusion is removing barriers that prevent people accessing what they need. That might be a service, a workplace, or even the job itself. I…
Am I autistic?
If you can relate to many of the things below, it’s likely. Click here to find out how to get diagnosed. You want to touch…
Do I have ADHD?
If you can relate to a lot of the things below, it’s pretty likely. Get a proper diagnosis by following the instructions here. “Where are…
How to get diagnosed with ADHD and/or autism
TLDR (too long, didn’t read): Go to your GP. Step 1: Work out why you want a diagnosis Most people find that getting a formal…
How I cope with rejection-sensitive dysphoria (and how you can too)
Rejection-sensitive dysphoria is ADHD’s dark secret. It lurks in pretty much everyone with ADHD (99% according to WebMD), unknown and unspoken. Some people who have…
![What is neurodiversity and why should you care about it? [Sketchnotes]](https://sparkleclass.files.wordpress.com/2020/09/scarvalli-sparkle-class-sketchnotes.jpg?w=1200&h=900&crop=1)
What is neurodiversity and why should you care about it? [Sketchnotes]
These are the sketchnotes that the very talented Antonella Scaravilli made at my neurodiversity workshop. Text description of the sketchnotes [images are described in square…
What is your neurotype?
Accessible text version The image is a diagram of a coffee cup, with ovals representing what can go in it. These are the levels from…
10 stupidly easy things you can do to be accessible
Tips that are quick, easy and cheap. From a neurodiversity expert who has ADHD, autism and prosopagnosia (face blindness). You can download a bite-size version…
COVID-19 help round-up
As things are getting better – fingers crossed – I’ve moved my COVID-19 help round-up off my homepage to here on the blog. I’m still…
Autistic? Here’s how you can help Black Lives Matter
If you’re autistic and white, you might want to get involved in Black Lives Matter but not really know how to. You might be afraid…
3 things that have NOT helped my mental health
I wrote a post on what has genuinely helped my mental health. This post is on what HASN’T helped. So why is it here? 2…
5 things that genuinely help my mental health (and might help you too)
Over the years, I’ve tried tons of things for my mental health. Some worked, some didn’t. Here’s a list of the things that DID work,…
How to make your online event amazing (and accessible)
TL:DR version. Full version is here – 11 minute read. 1. Run through it first 2. Train yourself on the platform you’ll be using 3.…
Hierarchy of needs: lockdown version
Accessible version: 1. Red layer (most important) Drink water, eat food, get some sleep, pay rent or mortgage, pay utilities, arrange payment holidays 2. Yellow…
How to work from home when you’ve got kids, ADHD, autism and a ****load of stuff to do
You’ve got the laundry on. You’ve made some coffee. You’ve sat down at your desk ready for the day and you’re all set. But then…
Neurotypical spectrum disorder: a factsheet
Key facts 159 in 160 children have a neurotypical spectrum disorder (NSD). NSD is a condition characterised by being normal and behaving in an ordinary…
How I, an autistic with ADHD, am coping (and how you can too)
The thing about neurodiverse people is: sometimes we cope really really well with stuff. And other times we don’t. I personally cope with the practical…
How to work from home when you feel like you can’t
If you have to work from home and it’s not your choice, you might feel like you can’t do it. But you can! Here’s how.…
“The loneliness was the worst thing” – taking a listening course with ADHD
Howard asked us all what the first couple in the video had said. “The guy in the rugby shirt talked about how he doesn’t really…
Eleven tips for public speaking
If you want to get into public speaking, or you want to improve your talks, here are ten tips to help you. 1. Get proper…
What I learnt from Led By Donkeys
Last night I went to a Q & A with the political campaign group Led By Donkeys [Twitter link, they don’t have a website]. They…
What is “Amish Time” and how can you implement it?
Did you know I’m descended from Mennonites? They are a similar community to the Amish, and live in the USA. Both communities are very religious…
How to prioritise everything you need to do
You’ve got a lot on, right? And you don’t know where to start. If you’re a regular reader (hi) you might have seen my posts…
Feeling powerless? Here’s what you can do now
Devasted. Depressed. Scared. Angry. These are the words I’ve been hearing from inside my middle-class, liberal bubble. The “depressed” one was actually my own, which…
How to actually help your mental friend
Lots of people claim to care about mental illness, but not everyone can or will do something about it. If you really want to help…
My weekend at Barcamp: an honest review
I spent all of last weekend at Barcamp Manchester 9. Now, I know you might have a couple of questions. What is a Barcamp Manchester…
![The Power of Change: learning to live as a “weirdo” [talk notes]](https://sparkleclass.files.wordpress.com/2019/09/tolstoy.png?w=800&h=600&crop=1)
The Power of Change: learning to live as a “weirdo” [talk notes]
Here you can find all the sources and resources I used to prepare my talk, along with mental health help, and the list of people…
What accessibility is and how you can be truly accessible
This is the talk I did for Upfront at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester. You can find all the sources I cite, plus further reading,…
Upping your star chart game
I wrote a post on here about star charts. If you haven’t read it yet, go and read it now, I’ll wait. Finished? OK, great.…
What does self care really mean, and how do you practice it effectively?
Spoiler: it’s not all bubble baths I read so much about self care these days. Taking care of yourself is a good thing, but sometimes…
![What I learnt from Upfront Conf 2019 [guest post]](https://sparkleclass.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/upfront.png?w=800&h=600&crop=1)
What I learnt from Upfront Conf 2019 [guest post]
This is a post that Alice Bailey of ECOM Recruitment posted on LinkedIn. She has given me permission to repost it here. Thanks Alice! ECOM…
Hack your life workshop
I recently hosted a “Hack your life” workshop for Manchester Girl Geeks. We were at Bworks in Manchester City Centre, a nice co-working space. The…
![What is accessibility and how you can be truly accessible [talk notes]](https://sparkleclass.files.wordpress.com/2019/03/dsc_0387_mov_9.png?w=200&h=150&crop=1)
What is accessibility and how you can be truly accessible [talk notes]
If you are came to my talk on accessibility, thank you! Here are the sources I used in my talk, some further reading, and a…
Sparkle Class 