Being Neurodiversity-Affirmative means changing how we perceive individuals who experience, engage with, learn from, and perceive the world differently. While all humans are neurodiverse, the neurodiversity movement originated through the lived-experience of individuals who are are Autistic (ASD), ADHD, Dyslexic, or have Dyscalculia, Tourette’s Syndrome, Down Syndrome or belong to other neurodivergent minorities. Historically, these groups have always faced systemic barriers in education and work cultures, that have traditionally been designed to fit the needs of the neuromajority.

In the past, psychological and educational sectors often classified these conditions as cognitive disorders, developmental delays, or even mental illnesses. The neurodiversity paradigm shifts this perspective, showing us that these conditions are simply part of the diverse ways individuals learn, experience, and engage with the world. In layman's terms, cognitively and psychologically, we are all essentially wired and designed a bit differently. Neurodiversity also intersects with mental health, disability and trauma-informed practises.

Neurodiversity as a movement emerged from the lived experiences of neurodivergent communities - initially through the Autism rights movement, but later also being adopted by other neurodivergent communities. What’s remarkable is that even though the movement, term, and idea originated from individuals and communities with lived experiences, they have now been adopted and endorsed by leading psychologists, researchers, and scientists worldwide. This approach is seen as the most appropriate way to not only refer to neurodivergent individuals and communities but also to frame, manage, and address these complexities in workplaces, schools, and communities.

Hence, neurodiversity is not merely a rights movement but also a psychological framework and educational pedagogy, making it an essential and incredibly exciting paradigm shift for all workplaces and communities.