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Birmingham Instagram sisters champion neurodiversity through their training firm | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Iveta Pudilova founded National Neurodiversity Training with her sister | Iveta Pudilova founded National Neurodiversity Training with her sister |
Two sisters have been supporting people living with neurodiversity and helping educate others through their training company. | Two sisters have been supporting people living with neurodiversity and helping educate others through their training company. |
Iveta Pudilova, 24, discovered she was neurodivergent after sister Vera was diagnosed with autism. | Iveta Pudilova, 24, discovered she was neurodivergent after sister Vera was diagnosed with autism. |
"I grew up non-verbal. I couldn't speak until I was about five years old and even now I experience verbal shutdown. So verbal communication can be a really difficult challenge," Iveta said. | "I grew up non-verbal. I couldn't speak until I was about five years old and even now I experience verbal shutdown. So verbal communication can be a really difficult challenge," Iveta said. |
In 2019, Vera started documenting her experiences through drawings and reflections on Instagram. Iveta helped and the Birmingham sisters went on to found the National Neurodiversity Training company last year. | In 2019, Vera started documenting her experiences through drawings and reflections on Instagram. Iveta helped and the Birmingham sisters went on to found the National Neurodiversity Training company last year. |
By May, the company had delivered neurodiversity training to seven organisations and 350 people, helping them to understand how to better support employees. | By May, the company had delivered neurodiversity training to seven organisations and 350 people, helping them to understand how to better support employees. |
Neurodivergence is an umbrella term that includes a number of conditions including autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and dyslexia. | Neurodivergence is an umbrella term that includes a number of conditions including autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and dyslexia. |
Iveta said her sister Vera's Instagram reflections had not been intended to go viral, but her take on life gained unexpected traction. | Iveta said her sister Vera's Instagram reflections had not been intended to go viral, but her take on life gained unexpected traction. |
She explained her sister was "a very creative person" who made "content illustrations about her experience of being diagnosed... to connect with other autistic people". | She explained her sister was "a very creative person" who made "content illustrations about her experience of being diagnosed... to connect with other autistic people". |
Iveta joined her and added: "We started an e-commerce [initiative], selling communication products like badges and cards, because a lot of neurodivergent people are non verbal." | Iveta joined her and added: "We started an e-commerce [initiative], selling communication products like badges and cards, because a lot of neurodivergent people are non verbal." |
'More productive' | 'More productive' |
Badges and cards have helped neurodivergent people express themselves in public. | Badges and cards have helped neurodivergent people express themselves in public. |
One design reads: "I wear noise-cancelling headphones but I can still hear you." | One design reads: "I wear noise-cancelling headphones but I can still hear you." |
Iveta said they had started e-commerce work "to empower other neurodivergent people". | Iveta said they had started e-commerce work "to empower other neurodivergent people". |
However, she added "the lack of neurodiversity awareness and support is impacting everyone, including companies, and so we transitioned to delivering neurodiversity training". | However, she added "the lack of neurodiversity awareness and support is impacting everyone, including companies, and so we transitioned to delivering neurodiversity training". |
Their company now works with organisations including the NHS and is behind training delivered in tech firms, universities and local government. | Their company now works with organisations including the NHS and is behind training delivered in tech firms, universities and local government. |
One project, in partnership with Birmingham Newman University and the NHS, involved training psychological and wellbeing practitioners to better support autistic patients. | One project, in partnership with Birmingham Newman University and the NHS, involved training psychological and wellbeing practitioners to better support autistic patients. |
'Looking to leave' | 'Looking to leave' |
"What we found is that neurodiverse teams are about 30% more productive when they have the right support," Iveta said. | "What we found is that neurodiverse teams are about 30% more productive when they have the right support," Iveta said. |
"But 50% of neurodivergent staff are... looking to leave their employer because of a lack of support." | "But 50% of neurodivergent staff are... looking to leave their employer because of a lack of support." |
She said in the work with the NHS, they had addressed "diagnostic bias", which she explained was essentially when a practitioner diagnosing someone "might have personal biases". | She said in the work with the NHS, they had addressed "diagnostic bias", which she explained was essentially when a practitioner diagnosing someone "might have personal biases". |
The company was invited to deliver staff training "on recognising their own biases, addressing them, but then also tailoring their therapy services and support to their autistic patients". | The company was invited to deliver staff training "on recognising their own biases, addressing them, but then also tailoring their therapy services and support to their autistic patients". |
Iveta added: "In the last year we've seen kind of the corporate world take up neurodiversity a lot more because there's more demand both internally, and [from] society pressures." | Iveta added: "In the last year we've seen kind of the corporate world take up neurodiversity a lot more because there's more demand both internally, and [from] society pressures." |
Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. | Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. |
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