Welcome to My Brain: Creating a Language for Conversations About Neurodivergence
Tracks
Jacaranda - In Person Only
| Tuesday, August 12, 2025 |
| 11:25 AM - 11:55 AM |
| Jacaranda Room |
Overview
Madelaine Armstrong Willcocks & Justine Munro - Neurodiversity In Education Project | Kartini Clarke - YNC
Speaker
Madelaine Armstrong Willcocks
Head Of Programmes
Neurodiversity In Education Project
Welcome to My Brain: Creating a Language for Conversations About Neurodivergence
Presentation Overview
Three Key Learnings:
1. The Importance of Shared, Affirming Language: A lack of positive, inclusive, and non-stigmatising language makes it difficult to discuss neurodivergence effectively. Creating a shared language fosters understanding and inclusion across different contexts.
2. Practical Tools for Neuro-Affirming Conversations: The Welcome to My Brain tool provides an interactive and accessible way to explore neurodivergence, empowering individuals to engage in safe, meaningful discussions about brain-based differences.
3. Actionable Strategies for Educators and Communities: Participants will leave with practical steps to create their own neuro-affirming resources, ensuring they can initiate and support constructive conversations about neurodiversity in schools, workplaces, and beyond.
A challenge in talking about neurodivergence is the lack of a shared, affirming language to talk about neurodiversity—one that is positive, inclusive, and non-stigmatising. The Neurodiversity in Education Project, a New Zealand-based not-for-profit organisation, identified this challenge through our work with neurodivergent students, teachers, and supporters.
Recognising the need for an accessible way to discuss brain-based differences across various contexts—classroom, home, workplace—we co-designed a tool with neurodivergent young people to spark meaningful, safe, and empowering conversations. Welcome to My Brain offers a dynamic, interactive way to explore neurodivergence through user experience.
In this hands-on session, participants will:
- Learn the step-by-step process we used to develop and test this tool
- Engage hands-on with the tool to experience its impact
- Explore real-world case studies demonstrating its use in different contexts
- Gain practical strategies to develop their own resources for neuro-affirming conversations
By the end of this session, attendees will leave with concrete ways to foster deeper understanding and appreciation of neurodivergence in their own communities.
1. The Importance of Shared, Affirming Language: A lack of positive, inclusive, and non-stigmatising language makes it difficult to discuss neurodivergence effectively. Creating a shared language fosters understanding and inclusion across different contexts.
2. Practical Tools for Neuro-Affirming Conversations: The Welcome to My Brain tool provides an interactive and accessible way to explore neurodivergence, empowering individuals to engage in safe, meaningful discussions about brain-based differences.
3. Actionable Strategies for Educators and Communities: Participants will leave with practical steps to create their own neuro-affirming resources, ensuring they can initiate and support constructive conversations about neurodiversity in schools, workplaces, and beyond.
A challenge in talking about neurodivergence is the lack of a shared, affirming language to talk about neurodiversity—one that is positive, inclusive, and non-stigmatising. The Neurodiversity in Education Project, a New Zealand-based not-for-profit organisation, identified this challenge through our work with neurodivergent students, teachers, and supporters.
Recognising the need for an accessible way to discuss brain-based differences across various contexts—classroom, home, workplace—we co-designed a tool with neurodivergent young people to spark meaningful, safe, and empowering conversations. Welcome to My Brain offers a dynamic, interactive way to explore neurodivergence through user experience.
In this hands-on session, participants will:
- Learn the step-by-step process we used to develop and test this tool
- Engage hands-on with the tool to experience its impact
- Explore real-world case studies demonstrating its use in different contexts
- Gain practical strategies to develop their own resources for neuro-affirming conversations
By the end of this session, attendees will leave with concrete ways to foster deeper understanding and appreciation of neurodivergence in their own communities.
Biography
Madelaine Armstrong Willcocks is a highly experienced education innovator whose work bridges academic insights and practical application. Her signature strength is the ability to turn complex concepts - particularly from neuroscience and inclusive education - into simple, practical strategies that busy educators, mental health professionals and families can and do put into action right away. Her work is grounded in continual engagement with teachers, students, and families.
A sought-after presenter in Aotearoa and internationally, Madelaine regularly delivers keynotes, workshops, and panel discussions. Her presentations are consistently insightful, accessible, and immediately useful—offering fresh thinking that enables meaningful, inclusive change.
Kartini Clarke
CEO
Young Neurodiversity Champions
Welcome to My Brain: Creating a Language for Conversations About Neurodivergence
Presentation Overview
Three Key Learnings:
1. The Importance of Shared, Affirming Language: A lack of positive, inclusive, and non-stigmatising language makes it difficult to discuss neurodivergence effectively. Creating a shared language fosters understanding and inclusion across different contexts.
2. Practical Tools for Neuro-Affirming Conversations: The Welcome to My Brain tool provides an interactive and accessible way to explore neurodivergence, empowering individuals to engage in safe, meaningful discussions about brain-based differences.
3. Actionable Strategies for Educators and Communities: Participants will leave with practical steps to create their own neuro-affirming resources, ensuring they can initiate and support constructive conversations about neurodiversity in schools, workplaces, and beyond.
A challenge in talking about neurodivergence is the lack of a shared, affirming language to talk about neurodiversity—one that is positive, inclusive, and non-stigmatising. The Neurodiversity in Education Project, a New Zealand-based not-for-profit organisation, identified this challenge through our work with neurodivergent students, teachers, and supporters.
Recognising the need for an accessible way to discuss brain-based differences across various contexts—classroom, home, workplace—we co-designed a tool with neurodivergent young people to spark meaningful, safe, and empowering conversations. Welcome to My Brain offers a dynamic, interactive way to explore neurodivergence through user experience.
In this hands-on session, participants will:
- Learn the step-by-step process we used to develop and test this tool
- Engage hands-on with the tool to experience its impact
- Explore real-world case studies demonstrating its use in different contexts
- Gain practical strategies to develop their own resources for neuro-affirming conversations
By the end of this session, attendees will leave with concrete ways to foster deeper understanding and appreciation of neurodivergence in their own communities.
1. The Importance of Shared, Affirming Language: A lack of positive, inclusive, and non-stigmatising language makes it difficult to discuss neurodivergence effectively. Creating a shared language fosters understanding and inclusion across different contexts.
2. Practical Tools for Neuro-Affirming Conversations: The Welcome to My Brain tool provides an interactive and accessible way to explore neurodivergence, empowering individuals to engage in safe, meaningful discussions about brain-based differences.
3. Actionable Strategies for Educators and Communities: Participants will leave with practical steps to create their own neuro-affirming resources, ensuring they can initiate and support constructive conversations about neurodiversity in schools, workplaces, and beyond.
A challenge in talking about neurodivergence is the lack of a shared, affirming language to talk about neurodiversity—one that is positive, inclusive, and non-stigmatising. The Neurodiversity in Education Project, a New Zealand-based not-for-profit organisation, identified this challenge through our work with neurodivergent students, teachers, and supporters.
Recognising the need for an accessible way to discuss brain-based differences across various contexts—classroom, home, workplace—we co-designed a tool with neurodivergent young people to spark meaningful, safe, and empowering conversations. Welcome to My Brain offers a dynamic, interactive way to explore neurodivergence through user experience.
In this hands-on session, participants will:
- Learn the step-by-step process we used to develop and test this tool
- Engage hands-on with the tool to experience its impact
- Explore real-world case studies demonstrating its use in different contexts
- Gain practical strategies to develop their own resources for neuro-affirming conversations
By the end of this session, attendees will leave with concrete ways to foster deeper understanding and appreciation of neurodivergence in their own communities.
Biography
Kartini Clarke is the CEO of the Young Neurodiversity Champions and a law student at the University of Auckland. Now in her penultimate year, she is passionate about the intersection of neurodiversity, the criminal justice system, and disabled workers' rights. Kartini began her advocacy journey after being diagnosed with ADHD just before her second year of university. Since then, she has worked to amplify the voices of neurodivergent youth, champion inclusive policies, and raise awareness through public speaking, research, and leadership.
Ms Justine Munro
CEO
Neurodiversity In Education Project
Welcome to My Brain: Creating a Language for Conversations About Neurodivergence
Presentation Overview
Three Key Learnings:
1. The Importance of Shared, Affirming Language: A lack of positive, inclusive, and non-stigmatising language makes it difficult to discuss neurodivergence effectively. Creating a shared language fosters understanding and inclusion across different contexts.
2. Practical Tools for Neuro-Affirming Conversations: The Welcome to My Brain tool provides an interactive and accessible way to explore neurodivergence, empowering individuals to engage in safe, meaningful discussions about brain-based differences.
3. Actionable Strategies for Educators and Communities: Participants will leave with practical steps to create their own neuro-affirming resources, ensuring they can initiate and support constructive conversations about neurodiversity in schools, workplaces, and beyond.
A challenge in talking about neurodivergence is the lack of a shared, affirming language to talk about neurodiversity—one that is positive, inclusive, and non-stigmatising. The Neurodiversity in Education Project, a New Zealand-based not-for-profit organisation, identified this challenge through our work with neurodivergent students, teachers, and supporters.
Recognising the need for an accessible way to discuss brain-based differences across various contexts—classroom, home, workplace—we co-designed a tool with neurodivergent young people to spark meaningful, safe, and empowering conversations. Welcome to My Brain offers a dynamic, interactive way to explore neurodivergence through user experience.
In this hands-on session, participants will:
- Learn the step-by-step process we used to develop and test this tool
- Engage hands-on with the tool to experience its impact
- Explore real-world case studies demonstrating its use in different contexts
- Gain practical strategies to develop their own resources for neuro-affirming conversations
By the end of this session, attendees will leave with concrete ways to foster deeper understanding and appreciation of neurodivergence in their own communities.
1. The Importance of Shared, Affirming Language: A lack of positive, inclusive, and non-stigmatising language makes it difficult to discuss neurodivergence effectively. Creating a shared language fosters understanding and inclusion across different contexts.
2. Practical Tools for Neuro-Affirming Conversations: The Welcome to My Brain tool provides an interactive and accessible way to explore neurodivergence, empowering individuals to engage in safe, meaningful discussions about brain-based differences.
3. Actionable Strategies for Educators and Communities: Participants will leave with practical steps to create their own neuro-affirming resources, ensuring they can initiate and support constructive conversations about neurodiversity in schools, workplaces, and beyond.
A challenge in talking about neurodivergence is the lack of a shared, affirming language to talk about neurodiversity—one that is positive, inclusive, and non-stigmatising. The Neurodiversity in Education Project, a New Zealand-based not-for-profit organisation, identified this challenge through our work with neurodivergent students, teachers, and supporters.
Recognising the need for an accessible way to discuss brain-based differences across various contexts—classroom, home, workplace—we co-designed a tool with neurodivergent young people to spark meaningful, safe, and empowering conversations. Welcome to My Brain offers a dynamic, interactive way to explore neurodivergence through user experience.
In this hands-on session, participants will:
- Learn the step-by-step process we used to develop and test this tool
- Engage hands-on with the tool to experience its impact
- Explore real-world case studies demonstrating its use in different contexts
- Gain practical strategies to develop their own resources for neuro-affirming conversations
By the end of this session, attendees will leave with concrete ways to foster deeper understanding and appreciation of neurodivergence in their own communities.
Biography
Justine is a skilled strategic thinker and sleeves-rolled up leader with a passion for young people, education and innovation. She led the development of the Neurodiversity in Education Project, the Neurodiversity in Education Coalition and the Young Neurodiversity Champions from an earlier organisation, and has led or co-led the development of many other innovative organisations and projects including the 21C Skills Lab, TupuToa, Champions for Change, BrightSpots and the Starpath Project together with leading organisations such as NZ Global Women, Social Ventures Australia, the University of Auckland, the Knowledge Wave Trust and the NZ Institute.
