Neurodiversity Celebration Week - Thank You!
“Neurodiversity is not a trend, it’s a crucial part of the fabric of humanity.”
– Emily Bazelon, Journalist, The New York Times
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Neurodiverse network | Kanorau Ā-roro launch on Tuesday this week. We had almost 50 people log in from around the motu and over 40 join us in person.
It was wonderful hearing from all our speakers:
- Carmel Ali, ELN Champion
- AJ Burton, Rural Firefighter Waitaki Volunteer Fire Brigade
- David O’Sullivan, New Zealand Fire Brigade Institute and Senior Firefighter Luggate Volunteer Fire Brigade
- James Marks, Rural Firefighter Waikuku Beach Volunteer Fire Brigade
- Dr Sarah Buggins, Subject matter expert
- Scott Lindsay, Group Manager Southland District
And it was great to see the support of senior leaders from different parts of the organisation including our Chief Executive Kerry Gregory, Piki Thomas DCE Kaupapa Māori and Cultural Communities, Bryan Dunne DCE Office of the Chief Executive and Sarah Sinclair DCE Organisational Strategy and Capability Development.
Many of our speakers shared advice, insights and thoughts based on their own experiences:
- ‘There is no single, normal path of behaviour’
- ‘You may have more than one diagnoses. They party together. It’s a unique mix that you might be managing daily, sometimes even hourly.’
- ‘Spreading awareness is the first step we can do in the workplace’
- ‘Many of the skills I’ve learned for life have helped me as a volunteer Firefighter’
- ‘Vulnerability is not a weakness, it’s a catalyst for growth’
If you or someone you know would like to join us or have any questions, get in touch via our email address: neurodiversitynetwork@fireandemergency.nz. Our network is a safe space for everyone so whether you want to just sit quietly and listen to our kōrero or want to be part of our governance group, we look forward to welcoming you.