We have come to the end of a successful Autism Acceptance Month in April at Tūranga with a great variety of events!
- We hosted four speakers for a panel discussion about autism (Read Troy's blog post Challenging and diverse perspectives about this event);
- Screened He Karu, He Taringa every day thanks to Māoriland Productions;
- Filled a room for Talk Together’s workshop about how best to support social skills for people with young autistic people in their lives;
- Finished the month with Connected speaking to adults with autism about employment.
You’ll find neurodivergence everywhere, even in your libraries. We asked library staff members to share their own experiences of being neurodivergent – the highs, the lows, the everyday life… Most people have felt isolated by their experience at some point in their lives and most commented on how freeing a diagnosis can be – especially for those diagnosed later in life. Many joys and strengths have also been discovered along the way:
“I can just absorb knowledge about the things I am interested in, and find it very easy to recall information, from places I don’t even remember where I got it from even years ago. It has definitely helped me in my study and pointless internet arguments.”
For one staff member, they regulate their emotions by watching a livestream of sea otters, “became a highlight for not only me but the rest of the team and quickly became a team bonding moment.”
“I thrive on variety, which is lucky in libraries as there is always so much going on!”
Challenges vary from others’ reactions and responses to the exhaustion of constant masking in social situations:
“The masking and scripting never turn off, even with my closest friends. I spent so long as a young teen crafting this way of surviving that I don’t know how to turn it off at all. It's exhausting and I end a workday or social event by staring off into space with my noise cancelling headphones on.”
Many neurodivergent staff reflected on libraries as being a positive part of their journeys:
“Libraries were a haven for me when I was younger, and my hope is that through our work we can create a space where autistic people don’t have to feel as alien and alone as I did.”
“I have ADHD and have been working in libraries for about five years now. I've found this environment to be one of the best places to be neurodiverse because it allows me to lean on the strengths my ADHD gives me. Such as thinking quick on my feet in stressful situations and being able to think about several things at once.”
A final piece of advice from one of our library staff:
“Please just be kind to people – even if they don’t fit your mould of ‘normal’, even if they stim with their hands or bodies, even if they won’t stop talking about a niche interest. Simply being kind and non-judgmental can go a long way for many of us.”
We hope you’ve enjoyed what’s been on offer this Autism Acceptance Month. If you want more neurodiverse content, check out our Neurodiversity page – full of booklists, interviews, upcoming events and more.
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