Championing and supporting Neurodiversity in the workplace

Our first Neurodiversity Index Report found that employers are currently failing to support neurodivergent employees, and there is currently a lack of training available and awareness in most workplaces.

This year’s second edition delves deeper into the evolving landscape of neurodiversity at work, offering more insights, comparative data and actionable recommendations for organisations committed to fostering an inclusive environment.

Read the
2024 Index report

Advocate and claim a digital credential

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Why is this work important?

City & Guilds is all about helping people, organisations and societies develop skills for growth, and the City & Guilds Foundation is dedicated to delivering and amplifying City & Guilds’ purpose – through supporting individuals who face significant barriers to accessing skills and opportunities.

In recent years we have helped hundreds of people with significant and urgent needs to develop their capabilities and find work, including Prisoners, ex-offenders, care leavers, refugees and young people at risk. What was becoming more and more obvious when we were talking to our charity partners was that many of those we were supporting had neurodivergence characteristics, which hugely exacerbated the scale of the challenge.

This was something we were noticing at societies extremes, but also coming up more and more in our work awarding organisations, in the design of programmes, making sure we aren’t leaving anyone behind. As we finally wake up to the moral case for creating a fairer and more equitable society there is also and always has been, a very strong business case attached to supporting more diverse and inclusive workplaces and communities.

“The findings in this year’s Neurodiversity Index reinforce the message that many employers could go much further in taking neurodiversity seriously and providing adequate workplace support for those who need it. As an organisation committed to skills development, we really want to see employers look at these findings and do more to support their neurodiverse employees. By incorporating more training, staff can become better educated and use those learnings to listen to neurodiverse employees and make reasonable workplace adjustments.”

Kirstie Donnelly MBE

CEO, City & Guilds

2024 Neurodiversity Index report

We are excited to now be launching, for a second year in a row, the 2024 Neurodiversity Index Report in partnership with Do-IT Solutions – Championing and supporting neurodiversity in the workplace. The report marks another significant stride towards understanding and embracing the full spectrum of human cognition in our workplaces.

A new question we asked this year was relating to parental support of neurodivergent children, with 39% of respondents saying they have a neurodivergent child. Other key findings from the 2024 report include:

%

of organisations reported having adapted recruitment practices in 2023

%

of organisations have had one or more senior leaders sharing they were neurodivergent

%

of people had been off work during the last year because of neurodivergent related challenges

%

of organisations reported not having any accommodations for parents/care givers of neurodiverse children

“This Neurodiversity Index is not only about focusing on employers. It is also very important we hear the lived experiences from employees working in all sizes of organisations. This can provide us with nuggets of understanding so we can learn first-hand what can work well and what barriers remain.”

Professor Amanda Kirby MBBS MRCGP PhD

CEO, Do-IT Solutions

Be an advocate and receive a digital credential

“I’m committed to learning more about neurodiversity, being open to others’ experiences and being an ally to ND individuals and organisations by advocating for and with them.”
“I will continue to share my experience of being a neurodivergent person in the workplace to improve understanding and work towards acceptance of difference.”
“Everybody has a right to succeed and to contribute, to feel valued at work and to have support and help to be their best selves.
I am committed to helping everyone succeed, and to fostering an inclusive, equitable workplace where we can all make an impact.”
Different types of minds digital credential

We want to help everyone raise awareness of inclusion and diversity in the workplace. We are giving you the opportunity to make a pledge to building equity, claim a digital credential and share with your networks. Fill in the form below with your pledge and we will send you a digital credential. You can find out more about this digital credential on the Credly website: credly.com/org/city-guilds/badge/different-types-of-minds.1. Additionally you can opt-in to hear more from the City & Guilds Foundation and receive an email alert when the Neurodiversity Index report is launched. Please sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date with latest Foundation news and events.

Other resources

Following our first and inspiring ‘Train the Trainer’ event which championed neurodiversity, wellbeing and inclusion, work began on creating the trailblazing Neurodiversity Index Report.

Our first Neurodiversity Index Report in 2023 aimed to increase neurodiversity in the workplace and was the first of its kind to set a benchmark for employers in the UK.

In October 2022 we hosted a Neurodiversity Index Lunch and Learn with Professor Amanda Kirby which discusses the Neurodiversity Index and why it is vital to employers and employees alike.

We also held an event in July 2023 where we explored how to attract and retain neurodiverse talent which featured Professor Amand Kirby, Roberts Watts from Labcorb, and Charmain Bucho from City & Guilds. This roundtable was aimed at employers, training providers, HR professionals and managers to empower you with the knowledge and tools needed to create inclusive work environments that embrace the strengths of neurodivergent individuals.

Do-IT Train the Trainer
Participants at the ‘Train the Trainer’ event with their certificates.
Neurodiversity Index 2023

Our first Neurodiversity Index Report from 2023

At the City & Guilds Foundation, we are passionate about enabling each person to achieve their potential. By partnering with Do-IT Solutions on this, we aim to encourage and highlight best practice for enabling everyone to be successful in the workplace.

Neuroinclusive workplaces don’t just benefit neurodivergent individuals, they benefit all employees.

Learn about the latest findings on Neurodiversity at work in our latest report

At City & Guilds we are all connected by our common purpose: to help people develop their skills. And our City & Guilds Foundation was established back in 2019 to really amplify our purpose and particularly with a focus on supporting individuals who face...

Neurodiversity Index 2024

Did you know that in the workplace, 40% of neurodivergent employees say they are impacted most days in the workplace by their condition and only 32% of employees felt that they can disclose their neurodivergent condition? These are some of the key findings from our...

Launching our Neurodiversity Index report

Back in 2019 the City & Guilds Foundation was established to really amplify City & Guilds’ purpose and particularly focus on supporting individuals who face significant barriers in developing their skills. Over the past 3 years we have supported a range of...
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