I’m Ashley, Girlguiding Scotland’s lead volunteer for equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). I have been involved in guiding as an adult for over 25 years and am passionate about ensuring all girls and women feel included within Girlguiding and find our organisation a safe place to be themselves.

This week is Neurodiversity Celebration Week, a worldwide initiative challenging stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences. Did you know that 15%-20% of children and young people in the UK are neurodiverse? (Alma Economics, 2023)

The Girlguiding Girls’ Attitudes Survey 2024 found that neurodivergent girls and young women, aged 11-21, are more likely to:

• experience online harms compared to girls on average
• know someone who has experienced a mental health condition or mental distress
• say they’d consider ways to alter their appearance

Research found that 62% of neurodivergent girls and young women aged 11-21 have seen hate speech online, 9% more than the average girl. 23% of neurodivergent girls would consider cosmetic procedures in the next 5 years, compared to 12% of non-neurodivergent girls, and they are 6% more likely than the average girl to know someone who has experienced anxiety and 12% more likely to know someone who has experienced depression. The research highlights the importance of spaces like Girlguiding where girls and young women are safe to be themselves, can make friends and grow in confidence.

This week we are delighted to highlight that Girlguiding Scotland aims to be a neuro-affirming organisation and works to ensure a universally accessible environment for all our members and volunteers. Across our counties we have equity, diversity and inclusion advisors and my role is to support them and build our network across Scotland. The role of the network is to ensure Girlguiding Scotland is accessible to all and remove barriers for young and adult members. When we remove barriers everyone can be fully included, have independent choice and control. There are many different types of barriers, these can be related to the environment, how we do things and even our attitudes.

What can you do?

Being inclusive is a core value at Girlguiding. Removing barriers means trying our best to make adjustments.

Adjustments can make a big difference in the guiding experience for neurodiverse members and allow them to fully participate in our activities. These can be as easy as:

• Creating time and space to talk about barriers the member might be facing and complete an adjustment plan
• Check with the member and their family about the language that they use to talk about their disability, taking the lead from them
• Being clear and simple in your instructions
• Facing who you are talking to and using their name
• Giving all information in small chunks
• Using active listening techniques like nodding and reflecting back what you’ve heard
• Not letting your feelings interrupt what someone else has to say

There are lots of useful resources on the Girlguiding website for including all members, here are some I’d like to highlight this Neurodiversity Celebration Week:

• Celebrating neurodiverse Girlguiding members
• Adjustments for disabled members
• Supporting autistic members
• Inclusive language and communication
• How to support disabled members in guiding
• Accessible guiding grant

Ashley is part of our County Support Team which ensures that volunteers at county level within Scotland have access to the advice and guidance they need. We’re proud to be powered by volunteers like Ashley, who are providing essential behind the scenes support that makes guiding happen.