DCIS Year 12 Students Leading the Way for Neurodiversity and Inclusion

During the first term of the 2024-2025 academic year, 38 of our Year 12 students volunteered for a four-hour intensive training course on neurodiversity. Led by our Educational Psychologist, Angie Wigford, and our Lead Therapist, Fatima Ionescu, the course explored a range of topics including inclusion, neurodiversity, and disability from multiple perspectives. The students who completed this valuable training have become ambassadors for neurodiversity and inclusion at our school, with the mission to lead and inspire younger students. We had the opportunity to speak with two of our inclusion ambassadors, Jocelyn and Juliet, to gain insight into their experiences and their plans for fostering a more inclusive school environment.

Jocelyn highlighted the significance of understanding the lived experiences of neurodivergent students, stating, “The neurodiversity training allowed me to hear firsthand experiences from students in our pathway provisions. It was very insightful, as it’s not something many people are aware of. For me, it emphasised the importance of implementing as many changes and measures as possible to ensure that Dover Court is as inclusive as possible, ensuring that all students have the best school experience.” Additionally, Jocelyn mentioned the importance of using inclusive language when discussing neurodiversity. She remarked, “It was a good opportunity for me to learn the right terminology to avoid unintentionally offending neurodivergent individuals.”

Juliet expressed a similar sentiment, highlighting the importance of language in promoting inclusion. “The most important thing I learned from the training was the types of language I should and shouldn't use,” she said. “Now, I am more aware of what may be seen as offensive, and I can use the correct language to avoid unintentionally offending anyone.”

Both ambassadors are eager to implement their training by launching initiatives that raise awareness and promote inclusivity. Jocelyn shared the plans to establish an inclusion committee within the school community. “Our committee is a platform for proposing and implementing ideas,” she explained. “We’ve already discussed creating a whole-school mural in the shape of an infinity sign to symbolise neurodiversity. We are also looking to extend the pathway reading programme as an initial step, as this has been a great success and a beneficial opportunity for all participants.”

Juliet is also enthusiastic about upcoming activities, mentioning, “We’re planning to create the infinity symbol on the field. We’ve also talked about having days dedicated to neurodiversity with different activities including sports and in-class events that can help unite everyone and do more twinning classes.”

When asked how they plan to support and inspire younger students about inclusion and neurodiversity, both ambassadors expressed their commitment to sharing their learning in the training. Jocelyn hopes to strengthen her understanding of neurodiversity and inclusion and apply this through her role in the committee. “I hope that by making changes to improve inclusivity in the school and opening up opportunities for students to assist in these acts, we will inspire others to see the importance of this and take further action.”

Juliet added, “Now that I have this knowledge, I can pass it on to other students who may not be aware of these issues. I feel motivated to learn even more about neurodiversity so that I can share more with others.”

We are incredibly proud of our Year 12 inclusion ambassadors for their dedication to inspiring younger students and fostering a more inclusive school community.