Last week, more than 300 community members converged on north-west London to talk about neurodiversity at the JC-partnered Belonging Matters conference, a joint initiative hosted by Norwood, the United Synagogue and Gesher School. Listening the speakers, many of whom had lived experience of being neurodivergent, was an audience comprising faith leaders, educators, and corporate professionals. We spoke to a handful of them to find out what brought them here.
Ben Horn
Ben runs a small accountancy practice and sustainability consultancy, and is also a new trustee at 2econd Chance, a charity which trains people with learning difficulties or mental health challenges to gain computer skills.
“The education system in this country has not been set up for a spectrum of brains that recognises that we’re all different. Instead, the neurodiverse community has always been othered and there’s not been a space for them in the workplace. Our responsibility is to enable and support young neurodiverse adults to do jobs that they’re amazing at.Historically, they’ve been seen as a burden on the workforce, but I see them as some of the most trustworthy and productive people to have in a business. There’s an important message to be put across that differences aren’t negative.”
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