MIND is offering the opportunity for neurodiverse students to come together to support understanding, acceptance, and inclusion. This is a student service learning opportunity, not a research study. It is not intended to collect any data for research purposes from the students who participate. However, participants may be asked to fill out anonymous before and after program evaluations.
Students will self-identify as neurodivergent or neurotypical, and the group will consist of 6-8 members. Half of the members will be those self-identified as neurodivergent, and half will be those self-identified as neurotypical. Through conversation, game play and expressive arts based activities, the group members will work to decode differences in their brains, and their social and communication styles. Students will support each other to better understand and embrace neurodiversity.
The goal of this group is to bring neurodiverse students together to bridge the gap between neurotypical and neurodivergent students, and to help them learn from one another about how their brains work. Our hope is to allow students to develop understanding and empathy for each other, and to build inclusion first in the group, and ultimately on a larger scale in their schools and community. Our hope is to reduce misunderstandings and preconceived notions and even prejudices that can exist between neurotypical and neurodivergent individuals. We hope that they can all help each other develop skills to recognize, accept, and embrace communication and social differences, that they can carry out into the world at large. Both neurotypical and neurodivergent students can truly learn from each other to build friendships, cooperation, and collaboration not only in the group but on a larger scale.
These groups are open to middle & high schoolers. A commitment of 8 weeks, 1.5 hours per week, in person at our office at 5480 Wisconsin Ave. #223 Chevy Chase is required. Groups are ongoing throughout the year.
Student participation in this service project is at the discretion of the student’s parent/guardian and must be completed outside of school hours. The nonprofit organization is responsible for maintaining student safety. Parents/guardians should contact the nonprofit directly with any questions and/or concerns.
