Co-production: Exploring interactions between neurodivergence, taking climate action and maintaining eco-hope
Through our work, we’ve observed that many people involved in sustainability identify as neurodivergent, often bringing with them important skills and characteristics such as profound empathy, creativity and systems thinking. However, working in the context of climate, ecological and social emergencies takes its toll and can lead to a loss of hope and paralysis around what to do and how to do it.
We were awarded funding by the Co-production Collective to explore this further using a co-production approach. Co-production brings together different forms of lived, living and learnt (personal and professional) knowledge, understanding, and experience, for better outcomes and mutual benefit (Co-production Collective). We were very excited about applying and evaluating co-production in a context where it is actively encouraged and resourced, and equally excited about the potential for learning in the context of neurodivergence!
Our Nifty project team included people with lived experience of neurodivergence and anxiety, and we engaged a further five individuals with lived experience as a co-production group. With this group we co-developed a series of workshops to explore and better understand lived experience of neurodivergence, taking climate action and maintaining eco-hope. As a group we worked out what enabled us to feel safe to contribute and made sure everyone was heard and we used online tools such as mural boards to good effect to support this. Our regular reflections were supplemented by 'deepening practice' sessions convened by the Co-Production Collective, where we discussed different aspects of the co-production process and what evaluating success looks like.
The project culminated in an interactive online showcase in September where we shared highlights of our discussions, our experiences of finding a safe space to explore the issues through the project and guidelines for organisations to make spaces more neurodivergent friendly. The event was very well attended with 100+ people signed up and we included a guest appearance from Chris Packham who also shared his experiences with the audience.
Read co-production squad member, Rebecca's reflections in her lovely blog.
We were awarded funding by the Co-production Collective to explore this further using a co-production approach. Co-production brings together different forms of lived, living and learnt (personal and professional) knowledge, understanding, and experience, for better outcomes and mutual benefit (Co-production Collective). We were very excited about applying and evaluating co-production in a context where it is actively encouraged and resourced, and equally excited about the potential for learning in the context of neurodivergence!
Our Nifty project team included people with lived experience of neurodivergence and anxiety, and we engaged a further five individuals with lived experience as a co-production group. With this group we co-developed a series of workshops to explore and better understand lived experience of neurodivergence, taking climate action and maintaining eco-hope. As a group we worked out what enabled us to feel safe to contribute and made sure everyone was heard and we used online tools such as mural boards to good effect to support this. Our regular reflections were supplemented by 'deepening practice' sessions convened by the Co-Production Collective, where we discussed different aspects of the co-production process and what evaluating success looks like.
The project culminated in an interactive online showcase in September where we shared highlights of our discussions, our experiences of finding a safe space to explore the issues through the project and guidelines for organisations to make spaces more neurodivergent friendly. The event was very well attended with 100+ people signed up and we included a guest appearance from Chris Packham who also shared his experiences with the audience.
Read co-production squad member, Rebecca's reflections in her lovely blog.
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